United Defense Awarded $11.1M Long-Lead Materials Contract for Upcoming Army, Marine Corps M88A2 Hercules Recovery Vehicle Production

Contact:
Herb Muktarian
herb.muktarian@udlp.com
717-225-8004

YORK, PA — November 30, 2001 — United Defense has been awarded an $11.1 million long-lead parts contract for the anticipated Fiscal Year 2002 production of M88A2 HERCULES vehicles for the U.S. armed forces and an international customer.

The contract funds the purchase of long-lead materials and unique spare parts for the anticipated production of 21 M88A2 HERCULES improved recovery vehicles for the U.S. Army, 6 vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps, and 3 vehicles for Egypt.

The production contract from the Army's Tank-automotive and Armaments Command and the Marine Corps for the combined 30 vehicles is expected late in the first quarter 2002, and will follow United Defense's current M88A2 production work.

The M88A2 HERCULES makes it possible to safely recover M1 Abrams tanks and other tracked vehicles up to 70 tons. The M88A2 HERCULES provides improvements from the M88A1 including a V12 1050hp turbo-charged diesel engine, a 35-ton boom, overlay armor, a 70-ton (140,000-pound) constant pull main winch, a 3-ton auxiliary winch used to deploy the main winch cable, increased speed, and improved steering and braking systems.

These improvements allow three crewmembers in a single M88A2 to do the same work as two M88A1s and eight crewmembers in successfully conducting a 70-ton recovery mission. One M88A2 HERCULES can also upright an overturned M1 tank, or lift and carry an M1 turret.

United Defense, L.P. is a leading global developer of armored combat vehicles and weapons systems, providing superior engineering and system integration skills, proven logistics support capability and international experience. The company's 5,300 employees are recognized for their outstanding research and development efforts in key technologies, the development of combat system operating software, and for highly efficient manufacturing processes of combat vehicles, and naval gun and launcher systems. Visit United Defense on the Internet at http://www.uniteddefense.com.