Textron Systems’ Light Armaments Team to Develop Lightweight, Cased-Telescoped Small Arms for U.S. Army
HUNT VALLEY, Md. — May 14, 2014 — Textron Systems Unmanned Systems, a business of the Textron Systems segment of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), through its Light Armaments team, announced today a $5.7 million contract from the Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium and the U.S. Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center for continued development of lightweight, Cased-Telescoped (CT) weapons and ammunition.
Under this two-year award, the team will develop a CT carbine, as well as 7.62 millimeter (mm) CT ammunition and a machine gun operating mechanism. The CT ammunition utilizes a plastic casing to reduce weight significantly versus conventional ammunition while maintaining performance.
The Textron Systems Light Armaments team developed the flagship 5.56 mm CT Light Machine Gun under the Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) program. The LSAT Light Machine Gun recently took part in the Army’s Dismounted Non-Networked Experiment at Fort Benning, Ga., receiving positive user feedback. Providing up to a 40 percent, or 20-pound, weight reduction over current technology, the LSAT Light Machine Gun and 5.56 mm CT ammunition have been demonstrated at Technology Readiness Level 7, while improving both lethality and reliability.
Leveraging the success of this design, the team has created a family of lightweight, 5.56 mm CT weapons. This includes a compact Light Machine Gun with a quick-change, 12-inch barrel and folding buttstock, developed for close-quarters applications and tested in 2012 by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, as well as the operating mechanism for a carbine variant. The team also has developed an innovative caseless ammunition design, demonstrated to provide even greater weight reduction versus current technology.
The Textron Systems Light Armaments team intends to leverage the demonstrated success of prior designs to extend CT weapon and ammunition technologies to additional calibers and weapon configurations on the new program. For this effort, it leads a skilled team including Alliant Techsystems (ATK), ARES Incorporated, MSC Software and St. Marks Powder, a General Dynamics company.
Media Contact:
Betania Magalhaes
Textron Systems
(978) 657-2020
PublicRelations@textronsystems.com
About Textron Systems
Textron Systems’ businesses develop and integrate products, services and support for aerospace and defense customers, as well as civil and commercial customers including those in law enforcement, security, border patrol and critical infrastructure protection around the globe. Harnessing agility and a broad base of expertise, Textron Systems’ innovative businesses design, manufacture, field and support comprehensive solutions that expand customer capabilities and deliver value. Textron Systems consists of its Advanced Information Solutions, Electronic Systems, Geospatial Solutions, Lycoming Engines, Marine & Land Systems, Support Solutions, TRU Simulation + Training, Unmanned Systems and Weapon & Sensor Systems businesses. More information is available at www.textronsystems.com
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit www.textron.com.
# # #
Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is a business of the Textron Systems segment of Textron Inc. © 2014 AAI Corporation. All rights reserved.
Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Tags: