Article Posted on : - Sep 25, 2010

M2A1 Machine Gun. A file photo.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA (BNS): The US Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, Picatinny, New Jersey, awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products an order valued at approximately $35 million to manufacture M2A1 quick change barrel (QCB) conversion kits.

"With the QCB conversion kits, the U.S. warfighter can change the machine gun barrel in a few seconds. The M2A1 features fixed headspace and timing, which eliminates the need to manually calibrate the weapon after each barrel change and reduces exposure time to enemy fire," Mike O’Brien, vice president and general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, was quoted as saying in a company new release.

The M2A1 quick-change barrel conversion kits contain parts used to modify the M2's heavy barrel machine gun to a different configuration. The company said the conversion kits allow soldiers to change the gun barrel in just a few seconds

The M2A1 is an efficient and reliable tool for American warfighters in combat.

Deliveries will begin in January and will continue through December 2012.

Production work will be completed by the existing workforce at the General Dynamics facility in Saco, Maine, which employs approximately 420 people and has manufactured the M2 machine gun since 1979. Programme management will be performed at General Dynamics’ Burlington Technology Center in Vermont.