Army Awards $900 Million Contract
To Burlington’s General Dynamics

. . . Leahy Instrumental In Securing Funds

(THURSDAY, May 5) – Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products of Burlington has been awarded a $900 million contract from the U.S. Department of the Army.  The contract, which calls for the production and servicing of the widely used Hydra-70 rocket, is set to run until March of 2011.

The Hydra-70 rocket, which has seen extensive use in Afghanistan and Iraq, is a flexible and effective weapon that can be deployed from both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.  It has become the world’s most widely used helicopter-launched weapon system. The Army intended to scale back production of the rocket system in 2003, but Congress, led by Leahy’s efforts, was instrumental in reversing the decision, based on its continuing usefulness and proven track record.  As a result, funds for fiscal years 2005 through 2009, including the contract awarded to General Dynamics will be allocated to continuing the system’s successful run.

General Dynamics’ Burlington facility will manage the project and will share production responsibilities with a sister plant in Arkansas, which will have 30 percent of the production (to Burlington’s 70 percent).

“Our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan depend on this vital tool,” said Leahy.  “It’s highly effective, and it’s been battle-tested.  The fact that Burlington’s General Dynamics has again been tapped for a major contract of this size and complexity reflects the skill, precision and dependability of the hardworking Vermonters who work there.”

Leahy is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and of its Defense Subcommittee, which handles the Senate’s work in writing the annual Defense Department budget bill, which includes the Army’s budget.

# # # # #

Image Courtesy of General Dynamics