BAE Receives $39M Delivery Order for Mk38 Naval 25mm RWS
May 12, 2006 07:21 EDT
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BAE Systems in Minneapolis, MN announced a $39 million delivery order from the U.S. Navy to deliver 67 of its Mk 38 Mod 2 gun mounts to go aboard cruisers, destroyers and Landing Ship Transport Dock (LPD) ships for reliable close-in defense against small craft et. al. DID has covered the basic Mk 38 gun before, but the Mk 38 Mod 2 is a stabilized 25mm gun with radar and/or TOPLITE laser/optical/infrared guidance, auto-tracking once locked, its own integrated power system, no through-deck penetration, automated or manual operation, and embedded training incorporated into the system’s interface. The Mk 38 gun has an effective range of 1 mile, and uses the same M242 25mm chain gun found on the Marines’ LAV-25 and Army M2/M3 Bradley armored vehicles.
BAE Systems has teamed with Israel’s Rafael for the development and production of the Mk 38 Mod 2, drawing on that company’s considerable experience with naval systems like the Rafael Typhoon remotely-operated weapons system. The system is assembled and tested at BAE Systems’ Louisville, KY site, and is just entering production. This order releases $39 million from the current $395 million contract. For more information re: this system, see the PPT/Mp3/WMV/QuickTime media briefing provided by BAE VP of Naval Programs Dave Lassek at Washington, DC’s National Press Club on April 3, 2006.
UPDATE: BAE Systems delivered the first Mk 38 Mod 2 systems to the U.S. Navy the week of April 2, 2007. The systems will be delivered from spring 2007 through March 2008.
