Alcoa Gets Potential $50M Army Contract to Develop ‘Light-Weighting’ Tech

Alcoa‘s defense unit landed a five-year contract worth up to $50 million from the U.S. Army for research and development of “light-weighting” technology for ground vehicles.

The Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center authorities awarded the Ground Vehicle Light-Weighting contract to Alcoa Defense to support Defense Department ground systems R&D and engineering efforts, Alcoa said Thursday.

“This agreement with TARDEC builds on Alcoa Defense’s decades-long partnership with the U.S. Army to advance military ground vehicles,” said Eric Roegner, president of Alcoa Defense.

He added the company aims to develop products that will help reduce vehicle weight and boost vehicle assembly and troop protection.

Alcoa will integrate in-house developed aluminum weld wire alloys that work to reduce corrosion and increase strength of ground vehicles’ welded joints and provide materials R&D, engineering, test and evaluation services as part of the contract, the company said.