U.S. Army Awards General Dynamics $100 Million to Produce M2 Flex Machine Guns
Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 8:17 AMU.S. Army Awards General Dynamics $100 Million to Produce M2 Flex Machine Guns
M2 Flex Machine Guns
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – -(AmmoLand.com)- The U.S. Army TACOM-Rock Island, Ill., has awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products a four-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for the production of M2 flex machine guns. Production under initial delivery orders valued at approximately $100 million is scheduled to be completed by April 2012. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
Dean Gagnon, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products gun systems senior program manager, said, “The M2 flex is a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled, crew-served weapon capable of right- or left-hand feed. The weapon’s accuracy, durability and versatility make it ideal for offensive and defensive operations.”
The guns will be produced at General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ Saco, Maine, facility, which has delivered more than 35,000 M2 machine guns to the U.S. government since 1979. Program management will be performed at the company’s Burlington, Vt.-based Technology Center.
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. This site, along with the Burlington, Vt. location, provides complete production capabilities, from design and development to manufacturing, testing and integration.
M2 Heavy Barrel (M2HB) 12.7mm Machine Gun
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products produces the .50 Caliber M2 Heavy Barrel (M2HB) machine gun, a belt-fed, recoil operated, air-cooled, crew-served weapon capable of right or left-hand feed. The weapon’s lethality, durability and versatility make it ideal for offensive and defensive operations.
Specifications
- Caliber 12.7mm (NATO)
- Weight (Complete Gun) 84 Pounds (38.2 kg)
- Length 65.13 inches (1,654 mm)
- Width 9 Inches (230mm)
- Rate of Fire 450-600 Rounds Per Minute
- Maximum Effective Range 2,000 Yards (1,830m)
- Maximum Range 7,440 Yards (6,800m)
- Muzzle Velocity (M33) 3,050 feet per second (930 meters per second)
- Barrel Weight 26 pounds (11.79 kg)
- Barrel Construction Stellite®-Lined, Chrome-Plated
About:
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,000 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.generaldynamics.com.
