Tanks face $38m tear down

General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a $38m US Army contract to reset 89 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks. The reset program is designed to reverse the effects of combat stress on military vehicles.

Work will be performed in Anniston, Alabama; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Lima, Ohio; and Scranton, Pennsylvania, by existing General Dynamics employees, and is expected to be completed in late December 2007.

Through the reset program, General Dynamics, in partnership with the Anniston Army Depot, will completely tear down, repair and apply select modifications to bring the tanks to a pre-combat condition and reissue them to army units prior to their next deployments.

The reset program is the first activity of a partnership formed in February between General Dynamics and the Anniston Army Depot to maintain core skills at both facilities, and provide continuous improvements and maintenance of both Abrams and Stryker fleets.