Defense Contractor to Provide Accessory Armor Kits for Heavy Trucks
READING, PA – May 16, 2013 – The Military and Aerospace (M&A) Manufacturing Division of Fidelity Technologies Corporation, a Reading Pennsylvania defense contractor, has been selected by the U.S. Army’s Tank and Automotive Command (TACOM) to provide B-Kit, add-on armor (AoA) for its Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles. Under the terms of the five year contract, Fidelity will supply accessory armor for the HEMTT A4, PLS A1, HEMTT A4 TAM and M915A5 vehicles. With B-Kit armor, vehicles can operate with increased crew protection during periods when threat levels are higher. The contract’s total value over the ordering period could potentially exceed $200 million. The award marks a milestone for the M&A division as it advances beyond its well-established and stellar reputation for manufacturing quality power-related equipment to now servicing the U.S. Army with add-on armor that will help protect soldiers fighting the global war on terrorism.
The fleet of Heavy Tactical Vehicles is managed by Product Manager Heavy Tactical Vehicles (PdM HTV)/Project Manager Transportation System’s group under the leadership of Program Executive Office Combat Support and Combat Services Support (PEO CS & CSS) in Warren, Michigan.
Over the last several years, the Army has initiated and implemented what is known as the Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS). This concept provides modular armor protection for vehicles that can vary dependent upon threat levels. The B-Kit consists of both transparent armor and opaque armor and provides a higher level of protection for the troops. They can be readily stored, applied or removed by troops in the field per mission requirements.
According to David Gulati, President of Fidelity, “This award provides opportunities beyond our present scope, allowing us to further demonstrate our core competencies in response to varying customer requirements. By providing competitive pricing, rigorous quality controls and lean manufacturing processes, Fidelity is constantly expanding its product offerings and solutions that directly address the needs of the warfighter. Our intellectual capital and internal systems have positioned us perfectly for this contract and will now pave the way for similar types of contracts in the future – a notable accomplishment!”
M&A General Manager, Bob Lesko, acknowledges that the award of this contact occurred due to the talents and hard work of many individuals – a true team effort and tremendous win for all of us! Full scale production will commence in the third quarter of 2013 and will create employment opportunities in manufacturing and technical positions at Fidelity.