General Dynamics Team Submits Army Ground Combat Vehicle Proposal

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May 21, 2010, 10:00 ET

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A team led by General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) that includes Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) and MTU Detroit Diesel today submitted its proposal for the Technology Development (TD) phase of the U.S. Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program.

"The General Dynamics team's design is grounded in a focus on Soldier survivability and operational effectiveness. Our design draws on mature technologies to provide survivability, Soldier capacity, network interoperability, mobility and lethality that is unmatched by any existing ground combat vehicle," said Donald Kotchman, senior program director for General Dynamics Land Systems.

"Our design approach capitalizes on the proven ability and competence of each team member to meet the requirements for a completely integrated next-generation fighting system," Kotchman said. "We explored more than one million potential design options using a trade-optimizing process to determine our Ground Combat Vehicle Infantry Fighting Vehicle point of departure."

General Dynamics assembled a best-in-class team with unmatched Heavy Brigade Combat Team experience that is involved in the development, integration or sustainment of over 70 percent of today's fleet of combat vehicles and weapons systems. Each team member brings unrivaled program management experience, systems engineering and technical expertise to the team. Together, the team provides an unmatched legacy of performance on contemporary ground combat vehicles.

"Our design concept was selected to provide Soldiers the comfort, connectivity, survivability, lethality and growth potential necessary to adapt to the fluid conditions of a contemporary battlefield and address the spectrum of operations from hybrid/irregular warfare to conventional warfare," Kotchman said.

The purpose of the 27-month GCV TD phase is to complete the preliminary design, mature technologies through subsystem demonstrators, and inform the requirements process for an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) that meets the Army's requirements for operations in a contemporary threat environment.

With more than 70 years of ground combat vehicle design, development, integration and sustainment experience, General Dynamics Land Systems leads the team as the prime contractor and has overall responsibility for program management, vehicle design and integration. General Dynamics also is responsible for Soldier interfaces, vehicle structure and chassis, squad and crew environments, integrated survivability and safety, and distributed systems.

Lockheed Martin has responsibility for the turret, lethal and non-lethal effects, Soldier health management and embedded training. The company offers over 50 years of experience in systems integration and is the world leader in design and development of missiles and fire control systems.

Raytheon was selected as the hit-avoidance system, indirect-vision and sensor integrator. The company brings more than 40 years of combat sensor and systems integration experience in providing advanced situational awareness, target engagement and force protection capabilities for a variety of ground combat vehicles.

MTU Detroit Diesel has responsibility for the propulsion system. It is the premier provider of high-capacity diesel propulsion systems, with proven integration experience in modern combat systems worldwide.

With responsibility for network integration, communications, data management, common computing and information assurance, General Dynamics C4 Systems leads the network integration integrated product team. General Dynamics C4 Systems bring over 50 years of experience in the development of the some of the world's most advanced command, control, communications and computing systems.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,200 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com .

SOURCE General Dynamics