General Dynamics [GD] Land Systems recently said it has been awarded an additional $40 million for the procurement and production of Saudi M1A2 (M1A2S) Abrams tanks for Saudi Arabia.

The M1A2S conversion increases the efficiency and capability of the tank.

This modification is part of an existing contract to upgrade Saudi Arabia’s fleet of tanks.

The Foreign Military Sales contract was awarded by the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command on behalf of the Royal Saudi Land Forces.

This contract extends work started in 2008 to update M1A1 and M1A2 tanks to the M1A2S configuration for Saudi Arabia. 

The work will be performed by at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2014.