Defense Systems

Business Overview

Leading designer, developer, and manufacturer of ammunition, munitions, short- and long-range tactical weapons systems, including fuzing, warheads, sensors, electronic warfare, surveillance, and fire control for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations. Operations in Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. Approximately 2,500 employees. Fiscal year 1996 sales: $437 million.

Group Vice President:
Hugo Fruehauf

Competencies
  • Munitions design
  • Systems integration
  • Integrated product teams
  • Warheads
  • Sensors
  • Control electronics
  • Guidance, navigation, and GPS
  • Material and process engineering laboratories
  • Low-cost manufacturing
End Users

Major Programs
  • M830A1, M831A1, M865 120mm tank ammunition
  • Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD)
  • Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV)
  • Sense and Destroy Armor (SADARM) munition
  • Tactical Extended Range Munition - Kinetic Energy (TERM-KE)
  • Smart Target Activated Fire and Forget (STAFF) munition
  • 25mm, 30mm caliber ammunition
  • VOLCANO munition system
  • Munitions for special operations forces
  • Mortar and artillery fuzes
  • Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)
  • Combined Effects Munition (CEM)
  • Paladin Automatic Fire Control System
  • Electronic air defense systems
Significant Events
May 1995 Received three large-share contracts totaling $93 million for production of medium caliber ammunition.
September 1995 Hugo Fruehauf named Group Vice President.
September 1995 Announced teaming with McDonnell Douglas to pursue development of U.S. Navy's EX-171 Extended Range Guided Munition.
October 1995 Awarded $10.9 million contract for low-rate initial production of the Sense and Destroy Armor (SADARM) smart munition.
October 1995 Received contracts to produce special operations munitions and to demonstrate non-lethal ordnance.
November 1995 Selected for $119 million international Shielder antitank system contract.
January 1996 Awarded large-share option valued at approximately $80 million for production of 120mm tank ammunition training rounds.
January 1996 Awarded $7 million contract to produce fuzes for ammunition used in Air Force special operations missions.
February 1996 Successfully completed guided flight test of Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser, marking the first time a tactical munitions dispenser has been guided.
February 1996 Successfully completed 14 separate demonstrations of Objective Individual Combat Weapon, leading to award of 17-month phase 3 contract.