The Sun Herald December 22, 2005
Armor plant wins contract from Army
Reactive tiles protect troops
By Mike Keller
The General Dynamics reactive armor plant in Stone County has received part of a $19 million contract from the U.S. Army to produce reactive armor tile to retrofit Bradley Fighting Vehicles in Iraq.
"In Iraq, the General Dynamics reactive armor system is saving lives and preventing crippling vehicle damage," a company statement about the contract award said.
Reactive armor tiles are fastened to the outside of the vehicles and protect crews against direct hits from rocket-propelled grenades and other anti-armor munitions. The tiles have explosives inside them that blow outward when hit.
John Pike, the director of globalsecurity.org and an expert on defense policy, said that reactive armor tiles work by sensing when an explosive munition detonates against them and exploding in response, negating the destructive power of the round. That keeps the vehicle and the people inside safe.
Reactive armor tiles are "generally regarded as being effective," he said.
The Stone County plant employs about 40 people, while General Dynamics worldwide employs almost 72,000. The company, which builds military, marine and business aviation systems, had 2004 revenue of $19.2 billion.
© Copyright 2005, The Sun Herald
