General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products recently was awarded two contracts by the U.S. Army including $210.4 million for the production of Hydra-70 air-to-ground rockets and $13.5 million for engineering services in support of the Hydra-70 rocket program.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics.
The Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, Ala., awarded the contracts. Final deliveries under this order are expected to be completed in early 2015. General Dynamics has been the system integrator for the production of Hydra rockets since 1996. The Army orders Hydra rockets for all branches of the U.S. military and select allies.
“General Dynamics has supplied Hydra rockets to U.S. warfighters and to several of the nation’s closest allies for more than 15 years,” said Steve Elgin, vice president and general manager of Armament Systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. “Our long-held experience in managing the Hydra program allows us to work closely with the Army to deliver a weapon that is affordably built and dependable in action.”
Hydra rockets are composed of two main components: the MK66 rocket motor and the warhead. The rocket’s warhead varies to meet a wide range of mission requirements. The 2.75-inch diameter rocket can be mounted on most helicopters and some aircraft.
General Dynamics’ work on the Hydra rocket is done from the company’s Camden, Ark., and Springboro, Ohio, facilities, which have approximately 375 employees combined. Engineering service support and program management are performed at General Dynamics’ technology center in Williston, Vt., which employs more than 300 workers.
