M1A2 Abrams

General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. in Sterling Heights, MI received a $141.1 million firm-fixed-price contract to upgrade 60 M1A2 Abrams Tanks to the M1A2 System and Continuous Enhancement Program Configurations (M1A2 SEP) over the next two and a half years.

The fully digitized M1A2 SEP is the latest, most technologically advanced Abrams tank. It has the latest command-and-control system, second-generation thermal sights, and improved armor. This retrofit is part of an overall M1A2 upgrade program that integrates new information technologies to improve warfighting capability with enhanced command-and-control features like color maps and displays, high-density computer memory, increased microprocessing speed, and networked communications.

The 60 M1A2 tanks being upgraded have been in service for the past 15 years, going through several designations and upgrades during that period.

Work will be performed in Lima, OH (75%), Imperial Valley, CA (1%), Tallahassee, FL (1%), Sterling Heights, MI (1%), Scranton, PA (3%), and Anniston, AL (9%), and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on March 1, 2003. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich issued the contract (DAAE07-01-G-N001).

From the DoD news release and General Dynamics Land Systems news release, as well as past DID articles covering M1 Abrams tanks.