$25.4M for 25mm Ammo to Feed Mk.38 Naval Guns
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General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems in Marion, IL won an estimated $25.4 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for 25mm linked cartridges. Work will be performed in Marion, IL and is expected to be complete by March 2011. This contract was competitively procured with three proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN issued the contract (N00164-06-D-4237).
The 25mm cartridge linked configuration is fired from the M242 25mm chain gun in the Mk.38 deck-mounted Gun Weapon System, which can be found on board Navy and Coast Guard ships and patrol boats of all sizes. The Mk.38 system also comes packaged in a remotely-operated stabilized mount by Kollmorgen or by BAE/Rafael.
These autocannon weapons are referred to as “machine guns” by the Navy, and they may have been the “machine guns” used by the Ticonderoga Class cruiser USS Cape St. George [CG 71] and/or the Arleigh Burke Class destroyer USS Gonzalez [DDG 66] when they engaged and sank a 40 foot pirate boat off the coast of Somalia. The pirates had made the mistake of brandishing RPGs, firing on Navy personnel, and finally firing on the Navy ships themselves.
