General Dynamics [GD] Armament and Technical Products unit is investing more than $5 million in production equipment and accelerating its enterprise- wide focus on Lean/Six Sigma-based process improvements at its Saco, Maine, gun manufacturing facility to increase the plant’s capacity.

The site is the General Dynamics’ core production site for single- and multi-barrel aircraft and crew-served weapon systems.

“As we anticipate the needs of our Department of Defense customers, we understand that our ability to remain responsive and flexible in a very dynamic marketplace is absolutely critical,” Mike O’Brien, vice president/general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, said in a March 4 statement. The first phase of our initiative to prepare our Saco site for future growth involves capital investments of over $5 million in equipment. When coupled with our Lean/Six Sigma approach to our production process, this will allow us to net additional efficiencies.”

The first phase focuses on providing greater capacity in support of the Mk19 and M2 grenade weapon systems production. More than 60 production workers have been hired and about 30 more will be hired to ensure capacity for future technologies such as the GD Advanced Crew Served Weapon Systems, O’Brien said.

Products manufactured in Saco also include high-speed multi-barrel Gatling guns and M2 50-cal. machine guns. General Dynamics’ Gatling gun systems are onboard every U.S. fighter aircraft, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the company has manufactured more than 30,000 Mk19 gun systems. The M2 machine gun has been in production at Saco since 1979.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products was recently awarded a $36.6 million contract by the Army Tank Automotive Command to produce M2HB machine guns through 2009. Production work will be performed at the Saco site, and deliveries are expected to begin in April. The guns will be used on ground vehicles by the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, Air Force, Marines and Navy, as well as several foreign military customers. The program will be managed by the General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ Burlington, Vt., facility.

“The M2HB 12.7 mm (caliber .50) machine gun fires at a rate of more than 450 rounds per minute and has a maximum effective range of 2,000 yards. The machine gun’s high level of lethality, reliability and versatility has made it the world standard in its class and can give warfighters a critical advantage,” O’Brien said.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is located in Charlotte, N.C.