General Dynamics [GD] Land Systems announced this week it has been awarded a $33 million contract to purchase long-lead materials for the production of 140 M1A1 SA (Situational Awareness) tanks for the Iraq program.
The SA enhancements to the M1A1 for Iraq include a second generation FLIR thermal site, Tank Urban Survivability (TUSK) enhancements and a driver’s vision-enhancing thermal viewer.
The tanks will also be equipped with the TIGER engine, the Pulse Jet System, and embedded diagnostics. The TIGER engine has a monitoring system that is able to identify and alert the crew if there are potential issues with the tank.