BAE Systems Delivers Two M-ATV Prototypes for Military Testing and Evaluation.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- BAE Systems has delivered two different M-ATV (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles) prototypes to the U.S. Government for two months of testing and evaluation. Two different segments of the company's Land & Armaments operating group produced a version for consideration.

M-ATVs are tactical vehicles designed for U.S. soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan. They are lighter, more mobile versions of the first-generation MRAPs, that can provide comparable protection from roadside bombs, explosively formed projectiles, and rocket propelled grenades when using applique armor.

USCS M-ATV

The M-ATV developed by BAE Systems' U.S. Combat Systems (USCS) line of business is the product of more than 30-months of mine-protected light tactical vehicle development. This USCS M-ATV has completed thousands of test miles and scores of blast and ballistic tests.

"This vehicle has the survivability of an MRAP and the mobility of a HMMWV," said Matt Riddle, Vice President and General Manager of USCS. "It has the optimum capabilities needed by our troops in Afghanistan."

The vehicle drew on the developmental experience of the nine RG-33 MRAP variants, providing the same level of armored protection at a reduced vehicle weight. The company quickly designed, developed, produced and fielded over 2,000 RG-33 vehicles from 2007 to 2008 to meet the urgent government need for armored tactical vehicles.

With a curb weight of less than 9 tons and an incredibly high power-to-weight ratio, this USCS M-ATV offers better dash and slope speeds than any other ground vehicle in the U.S. inventory. The vehicle has a low center of gravity to prevent roll-overs and ensure maximum off-road mobility.

The vehicle features a rugged, commercial turbo-charged diesel V8 engine with a top speed of 80 mph and best-in-class fuel economy. It features a fully independent suspension that ensures superior mobility over rocky and steep terrain when compared to the standard straight axle systems of traditional MRAP vehicles. It also generates 10 kilowatts of vehicle host power and an additional 20 kilowatts of power for export and mission equipment.

The company's USCS business is a leader in the creation and fielding of combat vehicles, including the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the M113, the RG-33 series, MRAPs, the Medium Mine Protected Vehicle, and the Amphibious Assault Vehicle, and is the lead developer on several of the ground combat vehicles for the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems.

GTS M-ATV

The company's Global Tactical Systems (GTS) line of business submitted the GTS M-ATV prototype. GTS M-ATV incorporates the many lessons learned from development of the prototype Caiman Light MRAP and the rapid development and manufacturing of nearly 3,000 Caiman MRAPs from 2007 to 2008.

"Our M-ATV provides urgent life-saving technology, multi-mission effectiveness, and operational agility not currently available to the Army," said Regis Luther, Vice President of Light Tactical Vehicles. "We combined the industry's best in combat vehicle survivability and mine blast resistant platforms to develop our M-ATV."

The GTS M-ATV balances the priority for crew protection and tactical mobility requirements against the rapid transition to high-rate production, vehicle delivery, and life-cycle sustainment requirements.

"We integrate modular EFP and RPG protection systems into a highly survivable M-ATV baseline chassis," Luther said. "Our combat-proven RPG protection is the system of choice for lightweight RPG protection for blast resistant vehicles currently in theater."

BAE Systems has a proven record of rapid production ramp-up and delivery of critical tactical vehicles. In 2006, it designed and tested the Caiman MRAP in an unprecedented contract to delivery time of 43 days. In 22 months of production, 2,868 Caimans were built. Caiman is one of the U.S. Army's most successful MRAPs in Iraq and boasts unmatched dependability, survivability and a 94 percent operational readiness rate.

GTS MAT-V, and its Caiman predecessor, come from a long line of battle-tested, combat-proven tactical vehicles in the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle (FMTV) line. This arrangement allows the GTS MAT-V to share a full 90 percent of its automotive systems with the FMTV. The GTS M-ATV and FMTV also use the common armor systems, power generation systems, seats, windows, and fire suppression systems, which greatly reducing logistics requirements Army-wide.

The company's GTS business is a recognized leader in tactical vehicle production offering a wide range of heavy, medium and light tactical vehicle solutions to customers worldwide. GTS has pioneered many of the primary systems used by militaries and security forces around the world. The GTS product line includes multi-purpose military tactical vehicles, such as the U.S. Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, armored fighting vehicles, mine protected vehicles (Caiman and RG31 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), light armored vehicles, and police and security vehicles.

About BAE Systems

BAE Systems is the premier global defense, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded 18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5904342&lang=en