DRS Awarded $29 M for M1200 Armored Knight Fire Support Vehicles

(Parsippany, NJ., October 6, 2008) -- DRS Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: DRS) announced today that it completed definitization of an award for $29 million as part of a contract from the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive Armaments Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) in Warren, Michigan, to manufacture and integrate M1200 Armored Knight Precision Targeting Systems.

This is a follow-on contract for 97 systems, spares and support tasks. DRS had previously received production orders, and is currently delivering Armored Knight systems to the Army.


TACOM LCMC awarded the contract via Program Executive Office, Ground Combat Systems and its offices of the Project Manager, Heavy Brigade Combat Team and Product Manager, Fire Support Platforms. The work will be accomplished by the company's DRS Sustainment Systems units in St. Louis and in West Plains, Missouri. The company will immediately start delivering completed vehicles, and is expected to be finished in February 2010.

The systems will be integrated using the U.S. Army's M1117 Armored Security Vehicle, manufactured by Textron Marine & Land Systems, as the base. Once integrated with the Company's Mission Equipment Package, it becomes the M1200 Armored Knight Vehicle. The M1200 is designed to accomplish multiple fire support missions while providing protection for crew members against various ballistic threats.

The Knight system's Mission Equipment Package is produced by the company's Sustainment Systems Segment, while its Common Display Terminals will be provided by DRS' Command, Control, Communications, Computers & Intelligence (C4I) Segment.

The Knight system consists of a laser designator and rangefinder, thermal imager, digital command and control system, a blended inertial/global positioning system (GPS) navigation and targeting capability, and a self-defense weapon. It provides far-target location and laser target designation for both artillery and air-delivered, general-purpose and precision-guided munitions, and it is most often employed by field artillery units.

Source : DRS Technologies Inc., A Finmeccanica Company (Milan: FNC.MI)