[JLRC]

UD Receives $104 Million Tomahawk Missile Canister Contract
 
 
(Source: United Defense Industries; issued Dec. 6, 2004)
 
 
 MINNEAPOLIS --- United Defense Industries, Inc. has been awarded a contract with total value in excess of $104 million to produce Mk 14 Mod 2 Tomahawk canisters compatible with the U.S. Navy's new Tactical Tomahawk missile for firing from the Vertical Launching System (VLS) Mk 41.  
 
The contract was awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Washington, D.C. This contract provides for a base award of $17.1 million for the renewal and upgrade of 352 Mk 14 canisters at the United Defense facility in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  
 
The contract includes options for the renewal and upgrade of an additional 688 Mk 14 canisters and the production of 439 new Mk 14 Mod 2 canisters. Should all options be exercised by the Navy, the total value of this contract is $104.3 million. Work under this contract is scheduled to begin immediately with delivery of the first renewed Mk 14 canister during the summer of 2005.  
 
"This production contract capitalizes on our work last year and earlier this year to design the modifications required to fire the new Tactical Tomahawk missile from the Mk 14 canister," said Keith Howe, United Defense vice president and general manager at the Armament Systems Division. "This updated canister design not only adds a new missile to the VLS munitions inventory, it has the added benefit of doubling the service life of the Mk 14 canister."  
 
The VLS Mk 41 missile canisters provide a sealed storage, transportation, and launch container for the wide range of system-compatible weapons. The VLS Mk 41 canister envelope is common to system launcher module standards, while internal mechanical and electrical components are tailored to specific missile shapes and interface requirements. United Defense is the U. S. Navy's exclusive design agent and worldwide supplier of VLS Mk 41 launch canisters.  
 
United Defense designs, develops and produces combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile launchers and precision munitions used by the U.S. Department of Defense and allies worldwide, and provides non nuclear ship repair, modernization and conversion to the U.S. Navy and other U.S. Government agencies.  
 
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[JLRC]

United Defense Integrates Electro-Magnetic Armor Technology on Combat Vehicle and Defeats Live Threats
 
 
(Source: United Defense Industries, Inc.; issued March 16, 2005)
 
 
 SANTA CLARA, Calif. --- United Defense Industries, Inc. achieved another industry first by successfully defeating incoming threats during live-fire testing of an Electro-Magnetic Armor (EMA) package fully integrated on a hybrid electric drive combat vehicle demonstrator.  
 
This effort, using an EMA package fully integrated with the hybrid-electric drive system, was accomplished through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the Army's Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Warren, Mich.  
 
According to TARDEC Director Dr. Richard McClelland, "Being able to leverage industry research expertise, such as this EMA program with United Defense, allows the Army to integrate life-saving advanced technology at a much more rapid pace than through traditional methods."  
 
"The successful completion of live-fire testing of an EMA package on a hybrid-electric vehicle demonstrator illustrates the type of multi-hit capability that can be integrated into vehicle systems at significantly lower weight to provide a level of protection similar to reactive packages," said Tom Hutson, project manager for United Defense.  
 
The EMA package successfully defeated a shaped charge threat during live fire testing Feb. 22 at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.  
 
EMA technology can significantly enhance the survivability of vehicle systems as part of a layered approach ultimately aimed at increasing soldier protection. EMA uses high voltages and currents to defeat shaped charge warheads such as those from Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs). Research in reliable power management and delivery at lower volumes and weights for Pulse Forming Networks (PFNs) allows the system level integration, experimentation and demonstration of EMA on a combat vehicle.  
 
United Defense designs, develops and produces combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile launchers and precision munitions used by the U.S. Department of Defense and allies worldwide, and provides non-nuclear ship repair, modernization and conversion to the U.S. Navy and other U.S. Government agencies.  
 
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