General Dynamics [GD] yesterday said it will produce 117 Stryker combat vehicles with double-V hulls (DVH) under a $367 million Army contract.
This award, issued by the. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command, combined with previous orders for double-V-hulled Stryker vehicles, will provide the Army with the equivalent of two Stryker DVH brigade combat teams.
The DVH was developed on an accelerated timeline to provide increased protection to soldiers riding in Stryker vehicles from the effects of roadside mines and IEDs (Defense Daily, April 8, July 13, 2010).
Recent Army reports indicate that deployed vehicles with the new double-V-hull design are providing significantly increased protection and survivability to soldiers.
Over 320 double-V-hulled Stryker vehicles have been produced so far, under a contract awarded in July 2010 for the production of 450 double-V-hull vehicles.
Engineers and production workers at General Dynamics Land Systems conceived, engineered, manufactured and delivered the first operational vehicles to the Army in May 2011, about 14 months after the double-V hull concept was initially proposed to the service. The deliveries will be completed by July 2013.
Work on double-V-hulled Stryker vehicles is performed in Anniston, Ala., Lima, Ohio, and London, Ontario, Canada.
General Dynamics will deliver seven Stryker variants with the double-V hull under this award: Infantry Carrier, Medical Evacuation Vehicle, Engineers Squad Vehicle, Fire Support Vehicle, Commanders Vehicle, Mortar Carrier Vehicle and Anti-tank Guided Missile Vehicle. Other configurations of the Stryker include: Reconnaissance Vehicle, Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle and Mobile Gun System.