Article Posted on : - Apr 23, 2011

A file photo.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA (BNS): General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, has been awarded a $37 million contract from the US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill., for demilitarisation of munitions.

The total potential value of the contract is $163 million over five years if all options are exercised.

Under the contract, General Dynamics will demilitarise eight munitions families including High Explosive (HE) bombs, Improved Conventional Munitions (ICM), fuzes, Explosive D bombs and ammunition ranging for 25mm to 106mm calibers.

"Demilitarisation of aged munitions is an important step in the lifecycle management of the US ammunition stockpile. General Dynamics has been the prominent commercial provider of demilitarisation services to the US Defense Department for over 15 years, and has a long legacy of on time execution in ammunition demilitarisation. Our state-of-the-art demilitarisation processes allow us to continue to provide high quality, competitive demil services to our customer," Dr. Dean Bartles, general manager and vice president of large caliber ammunition for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, was quoted as saying in a company news release.

The ammunition-demilitarisation process involves the separation of the munitions’ elements, such as explosives, metal parts and plastics.

About 95 percent of the processed materials are reclaimed for recycling while the remaining elements are destroyed through a safe thermal treatment process.