Charleston-based company subcontracted for Iraqi vehicles

BAE Systems received a $7.8 million foreign military sales contract to manufacture 20 additional Iraqi light armored vehicles for the U.S. Army tank-automotive and armaments command.

BAE Systems, as prime contractor, along with subcontractors Force Protection Inc. in Ladson and Spartan Chassis Inc. in Charlotte, Mich., will manufacture, test and provide logistics support for the Iraqi light armored vehicles.

The total value of the indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract could reach $445.4 million and 1,050 vehicles, if all options are exercised. Work on the contract is ongoing with deliveries scheduled to continue through May 2007.

In related news, Boston, Mass.-based Foster-Miller Inc. announced its LAST Armor division has received a $10 million subcontract from Force Protection to supply add-on armor for 85 vehicles ordered by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.

The new transport vehicles will be called Mastiff Protected Patrol Vehicles and they will be delivered over the next six months. LAST Armor has been used on American, Canadian and French ground vehicles and is also used to reinforce plane cockpits by the air forces of 10 nations around the world.

Force Protection manufactures ballistic- and mine-protected vehicles. The specialty vehicles are protected against landmines, hostile fire, and improvised explosive devices, commonly referred to as roadside bombs. Force Protection’s mine and ballistic protection technology is among the most advanced in the world.