Limaohio.com
Danae King
An M-1A2 Abrams tank performs a demonstration during an event at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in this file photo.
After a few years of waiting, the U.S. Army’s patience with Morocco seems to have paid off for Lima’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center.
The center is set to receive a $358 million contract from the Royal Moroccan Army on Thursday, according to a release from the office of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and General Dynamics Land Systems, which operates the JSMC.
The contract would include the JSMC converting 150 M-1A1 vehicles to the M-1A1 situational awareness configuration for delivery to the country, according to the release.
And, the contract has been a long-time coming.
A 2012 news release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency seemed to hint at a contract between GDLS and Morocco first, and then Portman said he first met with Ambassador Rachad Bouhlal in June 2013 to speak about the country working with the JSMC and using Abrams tanks.
“Foreign sales are a key piece to keeping the Abrams line and workforce ready for the U.S. Army’s future needs,” Portman said in a statement. “I am pleased to see this program move forward, providing an important capability to our ally, Morocco. As I did with this foreign sale, I will continue to engage with our allies to find ways to utilize this one-of-a-kind facility.”
The work is expected to be done by Feb. 28, 2018, according to the release.
Another, smaller contract, from the country was also awarded to the JSMC in August. GDLS received a contract from the Army for $17.2 million to remove and dispose of 50 M-1A1 frontal turret armor packages, as well as to install M-1A1 situational awareness frontal turret armor packages for Morocco, according to Portman’s release.
In August, Portman emphasized how important foreign sales are to the JSMC, as they keep its workforce’s skills sharp and the plant open for the U.S. Army’s future needs.
In July, plant officials said new employees may be needed if a contract with Morocco came through. GDLS declined to speak on the topic on Tuesday, as the contract has not yet been signed.
Reach Danae King at 567-242-0511 or on Twitter @DanaeKing.
