Survivability Enhancement Kits

BAE Systems is manufacturing add-on-armor suites to be installed on M113 vehicles in Iraq under delivery orders from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). 

The company is committed to bringing survivability capabilities to Soldiers as quickly as possible; the installation of the add-on-armor has an immediate impact in Iraq. The most recent orders call for transparent armor shields and add-on-armor, including side armor and mine armor, to be installed on M113 vehicles in Iraq.

Previous contracts included Transparent Armor Gun Shields (TAGS) for Bradley Combat Systems vehicles, M1 Abrams tanks and other tactical vehicles.

An urgent need of increased survivability amongst Bradley platforms was required to counter the increasingly lethal improvised explosive device (IED) threat in Iraq. In December 2006, the U.S. Army project manager for Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HCBT) asked BAE Systems L & A to develop a solution to increase the mine/IED protection for Bradley platforms. The solution was an Add-on-Armor (AOA) package to protect the full bottom of the vehicle and the sponson region behind the track. The AOA program met the Soldier’s immediate need of increased survivability. To date, more than 2000 platforms have been outfitted with AOA worldwide and counting. Not only are lives saved, but vehicles remain operational.

The Add-on-Armor team enhanced the customer capability by giving them greater confidence in vehicle survivability. The team developed a kit delivery and installation process which allowed Bradley Fighting Vehicles to be returned to the unit within 96 hours. Thus, not only did the team deliver a much needed solution, they ensured that the units maintained their operational tempo.