Rockets take off for GD

division has been awarded a $165 million delivery order for the production of 7cm Hydra-70 rockets, motors and warheads.

This order from the US Army Aviation and Missile Command is part of a five-year requirements contract awarded in April 2005 and brings total contract value to date to $336 million.

Hydra-70 is a family of unguided rockets with various warhead configurations suitable for different missions. General Dynamics said in a statement that the Hydra-70 rocket is used against area suppression-type targets. Rockets can be fired from a variety of rotary and fixed-wing platforms, including the US Army Apache and US Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopters, the US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon and other international combat aircraft.

System engineering and program management will be performed by existing employees at General Dynamics’ Burlington Technology Center in Vermont. Final assembly and component sub-assembly will occur at General Dynamics’ Camden, Arkansas, facility.