First Public Live-Firing Demonstration of General Dynamics NZLAV a Success
WAIOURU, New Zealand – At a ceremony here today, the New Zealand Minister of Defence, Hon. Mark Burton, officially accepted the NZLAV (Light Armoured Vehicle) from Canadian manufacturer General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada.
At the ceremony, invited guests observed the first public live-firing demonstration of the NZLAV and had the opportunity to take a ride in the state-of-the-art vehicle.
John Ulrich, senior vice-president of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, said, “New Zealand now joins a long and growing list of customers who have chosen the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle to meet its military requirements. This is a vehicle that represents the finest in wheeled armoured vehicle technology and will set a dramatic new standard of performance for the New Zealand military – offering higher levels of protection, power, payload and firepower.”
Burton then affirmed the significance of the procurement for the New Zealand Defence Force. He said, “equipping our forces with the NZLAV is a fundamental part of taking an Army equipped for the 1960s into the 21st Century.”
Guests at the ceremony included New Zealand’s Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson, and Deputy Chief of Army, Brigadier Rick Ottaway; and Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Ray Henault.
Under the contract signed with the New Zealand Ministry of Defence on January 2001, General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada will be supplying 105 NZLAVs to replace the Army’s fleet of aging tracked M113 personnel carriers. The majority of these will be configured as Infantry Mobility Vehicles. The contract value is approximately $315 million Canadian with deliveries due to be completed by November 2004.
General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada, located in London, Ontario, Canada is a business unit of General Dynamics Land Systems of Sterling Heights, Michigan. For over 25 years, approximately 1,500 highly skilled technical personnel have been designing, manufacturing and delivering a unique family of light armoured vehicles (LAVs). More information on the company is available at www.gdls-canada.com.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 66,900 people worldwide and anticipates 2003 revenues of $16.1 billion. The company has leading market positions in mission-critical information systems and technologies, land and amphibious combat systems, shipbuilding and marine systems, and business aviation.
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Any "forward-looking statements" contained in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
General Dynamics Corporation (ticker: GD, exchange: NYSE)
News Release - Friday, October 24, 2003
Press Contact: (519) 452-5813
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