M113, M88 work begins for ANAD Foreign Military Sales to Iraq

By U.S. ArmyJanuary 20, 2011

M113, M88 work begins for ANAD Foreign Military Sales to Iraq
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ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. - Vehicle production began here Jan. 12 on a Foreign Military Sales case facilitated recently by the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command to provide refurbished M113 armored personnel carriers and M88 recovery vehicles to the government of Iraq.

"These vehicles will help the government of Iraq be more self-reliant in the defense of their country, enabling our troops to come home," said Phillip Dean, chief of Integrated Logistics Support at Anniston Army Depot.

ANAD is planning to produce a total of 586 M113s, which are of the A2 variant. The FMS calls for 21 M88s.

ANAD's M113A2 work, estimated to be worth $60 million, is to be conducted here in partnership with defense contractor BAE Systems, said Carol Funderburg, depot business management specialist. BAE Systems is providing supply chain management under a Federal Acquisition Regulation contract. The vehicles to be repaired are from an excess stock of M113s at Sierra Army Depot in California.

"This M113 program is another excellent example of the continued success of the partnership ANAD has had with BAE Systems since 1995," said Funderburg.

This isn't the first time ANAD has performed work under a Foreign Military Sales case for Iraq, and more programs are expected, said Dean. Most recently, between November 2009 and December 2010, ANAD refurbished 140 M1 Abrams tanks for Iraq in partnership with General Dynamics Land Systems. ANAD will begin another M1 program in May to provide tanks for Saudi Arabia and is working now to develop business with Australia.

While the local community will be impacted by continued revenue flow, no new jobs were created for the M113 and M88 refurbishment work. "The benefit of this work to ANAD is the sustainment of our core capabilities," said Funderburg, "and it could serve as a model for additional M113 FMS workload."

Workers will be repairing the M113s at a rate of 50 vehicles per month throughout fiscal year 2011 until all are completed, said Dean. The first delivery of M113s to Iraq is set for July.