Textron Marine & Land Systems to Build 135 Additional Mobile Strike Force Vehicles for the Afghan National Army

NEW ORLEANS – MARCH 7, 2013 – Textron Marine & Land Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it has been awarded a $113.4 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., to produce an additional 135 Mobile Strike Force Vehicles (MSFV) for the Afghan National Army (ANA). The vehicles are being contracted through the U.S. Army Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process.

Work will be performed at Textron Marine & Land Systems' facilities in the New Orleans area, with vehicle deliveries scheduled through February 2014.  Three armored vehicle variants are being produced: MSFV with enclosed turret; MSFV with Objective Gunner’s Protection Kit; and an MSFV ambulance. 

TM&LS was awarded a contract for Mobile Strike Force Vehicle full-rate production in May 2011. Since then, the company has been fulfilling contract orders for a total of 499 vehicles. More than 300 of these vehicles have been delivered, and are either in operations with ANA kandaks (battalions) or being fielded as part of a comprehensive in-country vehicle logistics support and operator training program.

“Several kandaks are fully trained and beginning to stand up Afghanistan’s quick reaction force capability,” explained Tom Walmsley, TM&LS senior vice president and general manager. “These vehicles deliver a combination of lethality, survivability, mobility and sustainability crucial to the Army’s ability to effectively respond to security threats and maintain the peace.”

General Sher Mohammad Karimi, chief of general staff of the ANA, speaking February 6 at the International Armoured Vehicles Conference in Farnborough, UK, said high-end armored capabilities are “critical to the survival of the state to develop capabilities to fight insurgents.”

General Karimi also commented that the MSFV has been “significantly upgraded from the original design to make it more survivable in the IED environment.”

Part of the TM&LS COMMANDO Select line of armored vehicles, the MSFV is derived from the combat-proven M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV). All MSFVs are configured with Enhanced Survivability (ES) capability, which increases blast protection to mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) levels. The ES-equipped vehicles continue to possess the ASV’s original, all-important V-shaped hull design, in addition to innovative protection design features that enable them to meet MRAP blast protection standards.

Rigorously tested and proven in the toughest environments, the COMMANDO(TM) family of vehicles offers a range of protection levels, unmatched on-road/off-road mobility and superior firepower. TM&LS produces four lines of COMMANDO four-wheeled vehicles – COMMANDO Utility, COMMANDO Advanced, COMMANDO Select and COMMANDO Elite.

As an end-to-end armored vehicle provider, TM&LS also offers its customers fielding, training, maintenance and logistics support throughout each COMMANDO vehicle’s life cycle.

About Textron Marine & Land Systems

Textron Marine & Land Systems designs, produces and supports advanced wheeled combat vehicles and cutting-edge maritime craft used by U.S. and international armed forces, as well as civilian entities around the globe. Its COMMANDO family of armored vehicles offers a full range of vehicle options delivering enhanced survivability, mobility, lethality and sustainability. Textron Marine & Land Systems’ innovative turret technology and related subsystems also deliver outstanding performance and reliability. Its strategic business, MillenWorks, operates an Engineering Center of Excellence with a reputation as a highly sought-after solution center, which designs and develops advanced mobility solutions for demanding on- and off-road applications. Textron Marine & Land Systems is an operating unit of Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textronmarineandland.com.

About Textron Systems

Textron Systems has been providing innovative solutions to the defense, homeland security and aerospace communities for more than 50 years. Headquartered in Providence, R.I., the company is known for its unmanned aircraft systems, advanced marine craft, armored vehicles, intelligent battlefield and surveillance systems, intelligence software solutions, precision smart weapons, piston engines, test and training systems, and total life cycle sustainment and operational services. Textron Systems includes AAI Logistics & Technical Services, AAI Test & Training, AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Advanced Systems, Aerosonde, ESL Defence, Lycoming Engines, Medical Numerics, MillenWorks, Overwatch, Textron Defense Systems and Textron Marine & Land Systems. More information is available at www.textronsystems.com.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. 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 Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.   

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