Meggitt wins $42.1 million Scout ammunition handling
Meggitt Defense Systems, Irvine (MDSI), California, announces today that it has been awarded a $42.1 million contract by Lockheed Martin UK (Ampthill) to produce 40mm Case-Telescoped linkless Ammunition Handling Systems (AHS) for the Scout armoured vehicle programme.
The AHS will be designed and manufactured at the Irvine facility with production deliveries starting in 2016 and continuing through to 2021.
The Meggitt cased telescoped ammunition handling system will be incorporated within Scout’s 40mm cannon. Rounds are translated laterally about one metre at high speed and handed off to the gun for loading into its unique rotating breech and firing. The action is based on Meggitt’s “linear linkless” technology in which a round travels from the magazine along a linear track until it reaches the gun’s breech. Each round is handled individually, with no belt or link to snag or jam. Despite the ‘linear’ part of the name, which implies rounds are stowed in a straight line, they are actually stored in a serpentine configuration to maximise utilisation of available space.
The Scout’s weapon system showcases another of Meggitt’s specialities: volumetric efficiency-packaging an ammunition system in such a way that it takes up the minimum possible amount of internal space.
MDSI’s President, Dr Roger Brum said: “We are extremely proud to be associated with the UK Scout programme through our colleagues at Lockheed Martin UK and believe our innovative ammunition handling system solution will serve the British Army well for many years to come.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Meggitt PLC
Richard Cashin, Investor Relations – Tel: 01202 597597
fiona.greig@meggitt.com, Corporate Communications
Buchanan Communications
Charles Ryland, Richard Oldworth and Helen Chan – Tel: 0207 466 5000
Editor’s notes
Meggitt Defense Systems
Meggitt Defense Systems Inc, a subsidiary of Meggitt PLC, specialises in the design, development and production of ammunition handling systems, radar and digital processing systems, and environmental control systems. Meggitt Defense Systems products are in use on virtually all US military training ranges and on many of the world’s leading military platforms, including the Abrams main battle tank, the Stryker Mobile Gun System, the F-16 Falcon, the F/A-18 Hornet, the AC-130 Spooky Gunship, the AH-64D Apache Attack Helicopter, the AH-1 Cobra Helicopter and many others.