General Dynamics Awarded Gun System Contract by Raytheon

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 14, 2008 /
Raytheon Missile Systems of Louisville, Ky., has awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products a $22 million contract to produce gun systems for the Phalanx Block 1B Close-In Weapon System and the Centurion Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (GD:General Dynamics Corporation
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The Phalanx Block 1B Gun System is an upgrade of the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. Phalanx is a fully autonomous, radar directed, rapid-fire 20 mm Gatling gun system that provides naval ships with the last line of defense against a variety of threats including anti-ship missiles, aircraft, high- speed water craft and other air and surface threats. The Phalanx Block 1B upgrade adds enhanced fire control capability, optimized gun barrels and an integrated Forward Looking Infrared system.
In the Centurion configuration, a Phalanx Block 1B system is mounted on a stabilized wheeled platform to protect ground forces and high-value sites against rocket, artillery and mortar threats. Currently deployed by the United States and United Kingdom in the Global War on Terror, Centurion has successfully intercepted and destroyed over 100 such threats.

"The Phalanx is the only deployed close-in weapon system capable of searching, tracking and engaging littoral warfare threats," said Jo Ann Kramer, senior program manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products.

More than 890 sea-based Phalanx systems have been built and deployed in the navies of 25 nations. Twenty-two Centurion systems have been delivered to the U.S. Army and another five have been delivered to the United Kingdom.
The gun systems will be produced at General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products' facility in Saco, Maine, with program management performed at the company's Burlington, Vt.-based Technology Center, and testing conducted at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vt.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products' Saco facility is the company's core manufacturing location for single- and multi-barrel aircraft and crew-served weapon systems. The site provides complete production capabilities, from design and development to manufacturing, testing and integration. Products manufactured at the facility include the MK47 40mm Grenade Weapon System and the M2HB 12.7 mm (caliber .50) machine gun.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial applications. The company designs, develops and produces high- performance armament systems; defensive armor solutions; aerospace components; mobile shelter systems; and is the leading US 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 84,000 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation, land and expeditionary combat systems; armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and mission-critical information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.
SOURCE General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products

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Would this be the same division of GD, that is working up the replacement for Ma-Deuce?? Early testing of the new .50cal has it being about half the weight of our long-lived .50cal, with a little better fire rate. My only fear would be with a lighter machine gun, won't you lose some amount of control, with the recoil of a .50cal being what it is????

quote:

Originally posted by fmfdoc451:
Would this be the same division of GD, that is working up the replacement for Ma-Deuce?? Early testing of the new .50cal has it being about half the weight of our long-lived .50cal, with a little better fire rate. My only fear would be with a lighter machine gun, won't you lose some amount of control, with the recoil of a .50cal being what it is????

My other concern is the jam factor. Are they sacrificing quality to lower the weight? I hope not.