General Dynamics Gets $23M in Orders for MK19 Grenade Machine Guns
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General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products received a $13 million order from the US Army TACOM-ARDEC for production of MK19 MOD 3 40mm grenade machine guns [pdf]. Deliveries are expected to begin in June 2010 and will be completed by late 2011.
This order follows a $10 million order for MK19s announced July 1/09. Both orders were made under a contract initially awarded in September 2008, and brings the total contract value to date to approximately $81 million.
The MK19 grenade machine gun is a self-powered, air-cooled, belt-fed, blowback operated, crew-served weapon…
The MK19 replaces or augments selected M2 .50 caliber machine guns throughout the Army. It is also in use by the US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Air Force. In addition to handheld and tripod mounting, the MK19 can be mounted on Humvees, trucks and M88 recovery vehicles to deliver suppressive fire against enemy personnel and lightly armored vehicles or bunkers.
The MK19 firing rate is over 350 M430 grenades per minute and it is effective to ranges of over 2,242 yards. The M430 grenade will pierce armor up to 2 inches thick, and will produce fragments to kill personnel within 16 feet and wound personnel within 50 feet of the point of impact. Associated components are: MK64 cradle mount, MOD 5; M3 tripod mount; and the AN/TVS-5 night vision sight.
For the MK19 orders, production work will be performed at General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ Saco, ME facility. Program management will be performed in Saco with support from the company’s Burlington, VT-based technology center.
