General Dynamics to produce Gatling gun systems and spares

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products was recently awarded two contracts with a combined value of $12.9 million to produce 22 Gatling gun systems for the US Navy and to supply various Gatling gun spare items to the US Army. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics.

Under the first award, worth $7.8 million, General Dynamics will deliver 22 M61A2 20mm Gatling gun systems to the Navy for use on the F/A-18E/F aircraft. The gun system is mounted in the nose of an F/A-18 aircraft and can fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute. This award modifies a contract issued in May 2010 by Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, in Patuxent River, Md., and brings the total value of that contract to $17.7 million for the production of 52 gun systems.

Under the second contract, General Dynamics also will deliver GAU-19/A Gatling gun spare items to the Army. The Army Tank Automotive Armament Command in Rock Island, Ill., awarded the gun spares order. The GAU-19/A is a lightweight 12.7mm three-barrel Gatling gun that is used on a variety of air, land and sea platforms.

Mike O'Brien, vice president and general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, said, "General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has a distinguished history supplying combat pilots and aviators with affordable, reliable weapons, such as the M61A2 and the GAU-19/A."

Delivery of the M61A2 systems is expected to be completed in April 2013, and delivery of the GAU-19/A spares will be completed by fall 2014. Production work for both awards will be performed at General Dynamics' facility in Saco, Maine, which employs approximately 420 people, and the programs will be managed at General Dynamics' Williston Technology Center in Williston, Vt. The Williston Technology Center work force includes approximately 400 employees.

Source: General Dynamics

Follow Shephard News on Twitter