General Dynamics Awarded $2 Billion Contract For Army's Future Combat Systems Vehicle Design
Monday December 15, 9:04 am ET

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- General Dynamics Land Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD - News), was awarded a $2 billion contract by Boeing (NYSE: BA - News) for engineering development and demonstration of a family of manned ground vehicles for the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program.

"We are happy to be a significant member of the team selected to develop the next generation of manned ground vehicles," said Charles M. Hall, president of General Dynamics Land Systems. "We are committed to supporting the Army and the Lead Systems Integrator team, Boeing and Science Applications International Corporation, to achieve a successful outcome for the development phase of Future Combat Systems."

Mike Bolon, General Dynamics Land Systems senior vice president of engineering, design and development, said, "The program's systems of systems approach brings advanced technologies to the soldiers of the future, allowing them to operate across the full spectrum of combat operations. This subcontract results in one team -- the U.S. Army, its Lead Systems Integrator team, United Defense Limited Partnership and General Dynamics -- working to design, develop and demonstrate a new fleet of armored combat vehicles."

Under this contract General Dynamics is leading the Manned Ground Vehicle common design team through engineering development, testing and demonstration of prototypes. Manned Ground Vehicles will be a new generation of Army combat vehicles replacing today's tanks, artillery and infantry carriers. General Dynamics is also responsible for the development and integration of the Mounted Combat System, Command and Control Vehicle, and Reconnaissance and Surveillance Vehicle through 2009.

General Dynamics and United Defense Limited Partnership, which received a similar subcontract, together have formed an integrated design team to develop and demonstrate a family of eight manned ground vehicles sharing common components and subsystems. These new vehicles will be significantly smaller and lighter than the systems they replace, and designed to fit into a C-130 airplane.

To date, General Dynamics has been awarded contracts valued at approximately $2.5 billion for FCS-related work.

The Army and its Lead Systems Integrator team (Boeing and Science Applications International Corporation) in May began the system development and demonstration phase of FCS, a joint, networked 'system of systems' that comprises 18 manned and unmanned ground and aerial vehicles and sensors connected via an advanced communications network.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 66,900 people worldwide and anticipates 2003 revenues of $16.1 billion. The company has leading market positions in land and amphibious combat systems, mission-critical information systems and technologies, shipbuilding and marine systems, and business aviation. More information about the company can be found on the World Wide Web at www.generaldynamics.com.

Slap a chaingun and a M240 on a Zelda APC and pocket the two billion.

Yup, and 10 seconds after the first one is damaged in combat the Congresspeople will be screaming about why we didn’t have better, faster, more heavily armored vehicles to protect our troops.

Idiots.

And when they actually have it will there BE C-130's to fly them with? Or will there be something bigger, in which case the size would be moot?

At the rate that the active duty is getting the C-130J certified for actual in service duty it should be about 2009 when they are done.

Good thing the Air Force is setting the doctrine and tactics for the Army.

That whole Key West thing is just so peachy-keen.

Cost overruns.