Monday, June 08, 2009

DTN News: Textron Marine + Land Systems Delivers 2000th ASV

DTN News: Textron Marine & Land Systems Delivers 2000th ASV (NSI News Source Info) NEW ORLEANS, LA - June 8, 2009: Textron Marine & Land Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. company, rolled the 2,000th Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) off its Slidell, Louisiana assembly line today and recognized the milestone in a ceremony including top officials with the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). The M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) is the base model of the ASV both in production and in combat use. It is the patrol version utilized by Convoy Protection platform units and tactical military police of the U.S. Army. Textron's ASV M1117 entered production in 1999, and has current contracts totaling more than 1,900 vehicles. The ASV M1117 has been fielded in Germany, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq with the U.S. Army's MPs and Convoy Protection units. The ASV M1117 4x4 armored, wheeled vehicle serves as a battlefield-proven convoy protection platform providing for exceptional levels of soldier protection and security. The low profile UGWS 40/50 turret's under-armor reload capability, combined with it's oblique armored steel hull and ceramic composite expandable armor, provide for unparalleled all around survivability against small arms fire, Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG), overhead artillery fragmentations and under-wheel and under-hull mine blasts. To these impressive attributes, add the fact that the M1117 has shown a combat availability rate of 94-95% and an operational readiness rate consistently average 90-95% despite logging more than 30,000 miles per year in combat operations. Col. Scott Kidd, U.S. Army Project Manager, Tactical Vehicles, joined representatives from the U.S. Army Military Police School, local government officials and Textron Marine & Land Systems employees to mark the delivery of the 2,000th ASV. “The ASV, the first Convoy Protection Platform, continues to remain safe, suitable and effective in the war fight. The production of the 2000th unit is significant reflecting the relevance of the system and the ability of the Textron workforce to produce a high quality product,” said Col. Kidd. “This ASV program has been outstanding because of the dedication of the people here at Textron Marine & Land Systems who put their efforts into making the best vehicle possible for our troops,” said Textron Marine & Land Systems General Manager Tom Walmsley. “The vehicle designed and built here has protected thousands of soldiers doing their duty in operations all over the world. That is what we’re about here. Every soldier that returns home to his or her family because he or she was in an ASV is a triumph for every employee here working on this program.” The ASV is a 4X4 wheeled armored vehicle that offers significant crew protection through the employment of multiple layers of armor, defending against small arms fire, artillery projectile fragments, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and land mines. The ASV possesses superior mobility, agility, handling and ride quality through the utilization of a four-wheel independent suspension system. The ASV has maintained exceptional operational readiness and combat availability rates over the life of the U.S. Army program as vehicles log more than 30,000 miles per year in combat operations. Textron Marine & Land Systems has achieved more than 44 consecutive months of on-time delivery to the U.S. Army on the ASV program. The ASV family of vehicles performs a wide variety of missions including scout, infantry personnel carrier, reconnaissance, command and control and recovery. U.S. Army ASV missions include operations with the Military Police, convoy protection, perimeter security, as well as Field Artillery Combat Observation and Lasing Teams (COLT) with the M-1200 ASV configuration.

No comments: