This award continues the company's current Active Defense Systems (ADS) development efforts with teammates Northrop Grumman Space Technology and BAE Systems.

"United Defense is looking forward to interacting with the U.S. Army's Army Research Lab and Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, and potential new suppliers," said Mark Middione, United Defense manager of survivability programs.

"While planning is underway, it is clear that additional technology will be necessary to defeat tank fired KE threats and a request for information (RFI) has been issued to facilitate collection of these technologies."

This contract continues the successful maturation of the Army's active protection system to enable full spectrum survivability against rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds, top attack munitions and now tank-fired KE.

Experiments will be performed to understand, define, model and simulate all aspects of KE defeat and chart a path for future investments in technology for full spectrum protection.

The ADS program (formerly known as Integrated Army Active Protection System or IAAPS) is the point-of-departure design and cost baseline for the Army's Future Combat Systems program and is intended to provide future forces with high survivability at minimal weight.

ADS is intended to be platform independent while providing current forces with enhanced protection against today's threats. The ADS program met or exceeded performance expectations to date and will continue to pursue tank-fired KE protection with the same successful approach.

The contract modification also provides continued funding for matured on-the-move (MOTM) testing later this year. This testing incorporates a new, more energetic active protection interceptor, a new multifunctional electronic countermeasure, an interim search radar and new IR warners.

The ADS demonstrator vehicle has already defeated RPGs, ATGMs and tank fired HEAT on a moving combat armored vehicle.

These tests, competed in May 2003, demonstrate that active defense systems are ready for SDD/fielding and can offer near term, low weight alternatives to heavy armor, reactive armor (RA) or passive non-explosive reactive armor (NERA).

"The team of United Defense, Northrop Grumman Space Technology and BAE Systems will continue maturing the Active Defense Systems equipment to provide the soldier with a robust, dependable, full spectrum survivability suite that enables future forces to meet C-130 weight goals or provide enhanced protection to the current fleet of combat vehicle," Middione said.

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