Army orders as many as 21 of the latest main battle tanks in $59.1 million contract to General Dynamics
WARREN, Mich., 1 March 2011.Armored combat vehicle designers at General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, Mich., will provide the U.S. Army with as many as 21 of the most advanced versions of the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank under terms of a $59.1 million contract announced Monday.General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) will provide tanks equipped with the M1A2 Abrams Systems Enhancement Package Version 2 (SEP V2), which also is referred to as the Abrams Improved SEP version. The SEP V2 version includes advanced vetronics, sensors, and communications.The SEP V2 Abrams tanks have improved displays, sights, power, and a tank-infantry phone. This upgrade represents the most technologically advanced Abrams tank and can accommodate future technology insertion to comply with Army Future Combat Systems (FCS) requirements.
The M1A2 tank has a 120-millimeter main gun, weighs 63 tons, can travel at a top speed of 42 miles per hour, and has a crew of four.
The M1A2 System Enhancement Package version 1 (SEP V1) improvements -- which also are part of the SEP V2 tanks -- included digital control, second-generation thermal imaging systems for the commander's independent viewer (CITV) and gunner, and a gun sight that uses 2nd generation forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensors.
The main gun is stabilized to enable accurate fire on the move capability in day or night. The driver has a wide-field-of-view thermal driver vision enhancer (DVE) for driving and situational awareness.
The tank vetronics systems in the SEP V1 tanks include enhanced GPS and inertial position/navigation system, color, digital terrain map display, and eye-safe laser rangefinder. Radios include SINCGARS and Enhanced Position/Location Reporting System (EPLRS) supporting tactical situational awareness.
On-board systems connected on a MIL-STD-1553 digital databus, and include an on-board malfunction detection system. The SEP V1 tanks also have monolithic and composite armor and compartmented storage for fuel and ammunition. The turbine engine was upgraded to a multi-fuel system.
On the latest SEP V2 tank contract, General Dynamics will do the work in Lima, Ohio; Tallahassee, Fla.; Anniston, Ala.; Scranton, Pa.; and Sterling Heights, Mich., and should be finished by June 2013. Awarding the contract were officials of the Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command in Warren, Mich.
For more information contact General Dynamics Land Systems online at www.gdls.com, or the Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command at www.tacom.army.mil.
John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
