Spartan Chassis, Inc., a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc., today announced it has been awarded new subcontract orders worth approximately $53 million from defense contractor BAE Systems to support the production of advanced tactical vehicles under the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, program.
Under the subcontracts, the Mich.-based custom chassis manufacturer will supply and integrate key chassis components for BAE Systems' RG-33 MRAP military vehicles. The vehicles are scheduled to be completed in 2007 and are slated for use by the U.S. military. This award marks the third major MRAP- related subcontract in less than a month for Spartan Chassis, spanning three different defense contractor OEMs.
"Spartan Chassis continues to prove its expertise and reliability in the military business, and this contract and our expanding relationship with BAE Systems is further evidence of this," said Richard Schalter, president of Spartan Chassis. "The military has made the MRAP program its highest priority, and we are honored to be working alongside BAE to respond to the need for these life-saving and highly survivable vehicles."
Spartan Chassis said production support for the vehicles will be completed at its newly expanded military chassis facility near Lansing, Mich. MRAPs are prized by the military for their V-shaped hulls, raised chassis and improved armor, which help protect servicemen and women from improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, mines and other hazards of war.