The U.S. Army awarded BAE Systems a $69 million contract for additional production of MK90 propellant grains that power rockets deployed on rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, the company said Wednesday.
MK90 grain is the propulsion component of the MK66 rocket motor. The MK66 is the propulsion unit that powers the Hydra 70 family of rocket systems.
“Our employees take great pride in their work and in understanding the science behind producing superior performing propellants. As one of the Army’s trusted munitions providers, we are committed to supplying propellants to enable the safe and reliable delivery of munitions that successfully fulfill important missions and protect our warfighters,” Reed McPeak, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Ordnance Systems, Inc., said in a statement.
MK90 Grains are produced at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia, which BAE has operated since 2012. Production under this contract is set to begin immediately and continue through October 2018. It involves more than 300 persons in five manufacturing areas at the plant.