General Dynamics Awarded $39 Million for F-16 Ammunition Handling System Production

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin for production of F-16 Ammunition Handling Systems (AHS). The total potential value of the five-year contract is $39 million, with an initial order of $8.9 million for systems for Turkish and Moroccan F-16 fighter jets. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

According to Program Manager Steve Vander Kraats, “The General Dynamics F-16 Ammunition Handling System utilizes a closed-loop, linkless feed system, providing greater ammunition capacity than previous designs. It also enhances aircraft safety by eliminating potential damage by ejected ammunition casings. Combined with the M61A1 20mm Gatling gun, the AHS provides the F-16 aircraft with maximum air-to-air and air-to-surface lethality. Our team is excited about this opportunity, and we look forward to supporting Lockheed Martin and our allies with the continued success of the F-16 platform.”

Final assembly of the ammunition handling systems will be performed at the General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Saco Operations facility in Saco, Maine, with testing and program management performed at the company’s Burlington Technology Center in Burlington, Vt. First deliveries of the system will occur in April 2010.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ site in Saco is the company's production site 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.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial applications. With eight domestic locations, the company designs, develops and produces high-performance armament systems; defensive armor solutions; aerospace components; mobile shelter systems; and is a leading U.S. producer of biological and chemical detection systems. More information is available online at www.gdatp.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,300 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.