U.S. Army Awards General Dynamics $35 Million to Produce M2A1 Quick Change Barrel Conversion Kits

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, Picatinny, N.J., awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products an order valued at approximately $35 million to manufacture M2A1 quick change barrel (QCB) conversion kits.  The QCB conversion kits feature several direct-replacement parts to modify existing M2 heavy barrel (M2HB) machine guns to the M2A1 configuration.  Deliveries are scheduled to begin in January 2011 and will continue through December 2012.  General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

"With the QCB conversion kits, the U.S. warfighter can change the machine gun barrel in a few seconds.  The M2A1 features fixed headspace and timing, which eliminates the need to manually calibrate the weapon after each barrel change and reduces exposure time to enemy fire," said Mike O'Brien, vice president and general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products.  "The M2A1 is an efficient and reliable tool for American warfighters in combat."  

Production work will be completed by the existing workforce at the General Dynamics facility in Saco, Maine, which employs approximately 420 people and has manufactured the M2 machine gun since 1979.  Program management will be performed at General Dynamics' Burlington Technology Center in Vermont.  

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, located in Charlotte, N.C., provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial applications.  The company designs, develops and produces high-performance weapon and armament systems, defensive armor, countermeasure systems and aerospace composite solutions, as well as off-road axle and suspension systems.  It is also a leading U.S. producer of biological and chemical detection systems.  More information about General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products can be found on the Internet at www.gdatp.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,000 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 Armament and Technical Products