Raytheon to build 22 new anti-tank turrets for Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle
WARREN, Mich., 11 Dec. 2015.Vetronics experts at the Raytheon Co. are building 22 new anti-tank turrets for special variants of the U.S. Marine Corps General Dynamics Light Armored Vehicle (LAV).
Officials of the Army Contracting Command in Warren, Mich., on Wednesday announced a $32.7 million contract modification to the Raytheon Co. Missile Systems segment in McKinney, Texas, to build the new anti-tank turrets, which enable Marine Corps LAV crews to fire the Raytheon tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) anti-armor missile.
Raytheon will provide the LAV anti-tank version (LAV-AT) with an improved thermal sight and advanced fire-control system to enable the combat vehicle to acquire targets while on the move, fire current and next-generation heavy anti-armor missiles, and provide multi-shot capability.
These improvements are expected to improve the reliability, availability, maintainability, supportability, and mission effectiveness of the LAV-AT.
Related: Raytheon upgrading anti-tank missile on Marine Corps light armored vehicle (LAV) fleet
Wednesday's $32.6 million contract modification is an addition to Raytheon's original $19.7 million contract, which was awarded in April 2012, for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the LAV-AT Modernization Program.
Raytheon also won a $56.4 million modification to this contract last June to upgrade the missile turrets on 34 Marine Corps LAVs, and a $19.3 million contract modification last August for 13 Marine Corps LAV anti-tank modernization turrets.
This program is designed to counter two converging obsolescence issues on the LAV-AT, Army officials say. First, the M901 Emerson turret is no longer in production and has been retired from the U.S. Army inventory. Second, the M220A3 TOW system is being replaced by the M41 SABER system in the infantry and the tank battalions of the Marine Corps.
Ultimately the program seeks to acquire 118 anti-tank weapon systems for the Marine Corps LAV-AT combat vehicles. The Army is handling this procurement for the Marine Corps.
Related: General Dynamics builds 130 armored vehicles for Marine Corps
Raytheon is building the anti-tank weapon systems for the LAV-AT combat vehicles in McKinney, Texas, and the systems will be installed on the vehicles at Marine Corps maintenance centers.
The anti-tank weapon system on the LAV-AT rises out of the vehicle's hull when needed, and retracts inside the vehicle for protection and reloading. The system can destroy enemy armored vehicles and hardened targets.
The LAV-AT is an eight-wheeled amphibious armored vehicle that serves Marine Corps expeditionary forces with speed, mobility, and fire power. It serves as an offensive weapon and armored personnel carrier.
For more information contact Raytheon Missile Systems online at www.raytheon.com, or the Army Contracting Command-Warren at http://contracting.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.
