BAE Systems to Provide Transparent Armored Gun Shields for U.S. Marine Corps

SANTA CLARA, California – Under a $9.9 million contract, BAE Systems will provide 442 Marine Corps Transparent Armored Gun Shield (MCTAGS) turret kits used to protect service members in close urban environments.

“The proven design of our MCTAGS provides direct vision while providing protection against blast fragmentation and small arms fire to the crew while in the turret,” said Ann Hoholick, vice president Amphibious Vehicles & Armor Kits for BAE Systems. “To date more than 6,000 MCTAGS kits have been installed on various military vehicles to provide added protection for the men and women in uniform.”

The kits will be shipped to a Marine Corps base by BAE Systems’ current workforce where they will be installed on High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Work under the contract will begin immediately in York, Pennsylvania and Santa Clara, California and activity for the initial delivery order is anticipated to be completed in June 2009. The contract is managed by the Marine Corps Systems Command.

BAE Systems’ transparent armored gun shield units have been configured for a wide range of vehicles, including Bradley, M1 Abrams, M113, HMMWV, Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, Logistics Vehicle System, Assault Amphibious Vehicle – Personnel and for the Stryker Common Ballistic Shield.