Manufacturer catalog
United Defense was a U.S. defense manufacturer centered on tracked armored vehicles, artillery systems, naval guns, missile launchers, precision munitions, and non-nuclear naval repair work. The company combined major FMC and Harsco armored-vehicle lines in the 1990s, operated from Arlington, Virginia, and became part of BAE Systems after a 2005 acquisition.
4 weaponsUnited Defense's public record is strongest in U.S. securities filings and government restructuring reports because the company existed as a major independent contractor for only a short period before BAE Systems absorbed it. Its importance comes from the programs it carried forward: Bradley fighting vehicles and derivatives, the M109/Paladin artillery family, M88 recovery vehicles, M113 upgrade work, naval gun systems, missile-launcher work, and related support services for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied customers.
The manufacturer grew out of consolidation in the U.S. tracked-combat-vehicle sector. GAO described the 1994 United Defense limited partnership as a combination of FMC Corporation's Defense Systems Group and Harsco Corporation's BMY-Combat Systems Division, both Army tracked-vehicle manufacturers. A 1999 Form 10-K then described United Defense Industries as a supplier of tracked armored combat vehicles and weapons-delivery systems, with Bradley and Crusader work as major revenue programs and M88, M113, M109, M992 FAASV, and Mk45 naval gun lines among its long-running programs.
BAE Systems' 2005 annual report shows how the acquisition changed the successor business: United Defense added about $2.6 billion in annual sales and 8,000 employees to BAE's U.S. base, and BAE formed Land & Armaments by combining its existing land-systems activities with United Defense. For catalog purposes, United Defense remains useful where period sources identify the independent company or inherited United Defense lines before their later BAE Systems identity.
United Defense reported that it had held the Bradley Fighting Vehicle prime-contractor position since production began in 1981 and continued upgrade work on A2 and A3 configurations.
Sources: United Defense 1999 Form 10-K, BAE Systems 2005 Annual Report
United Defense described the M109 as a long-running self-propelled howitzer line and identified the M109A6 Paladin as the latest fielded upgrade in its 1999 filing.
Sources: United Defense 1999 Form 10-K
United Defense listed the M88 recovery vehicle among its decades-long prime-contractor programs and described the M88A2 HERCULES upgrade for recovering heavier M1 tanks.
Sources: United Defense 1999 Form 10-K
United Defense described FAASV as the M109 battlefield resupply partner, carrying crew, ammunition, and supplies for howitzer units.
Sources: United Defense 1999 Form 10-KGAO reported that FMC Corporation and Harsco Corporation combined portions of their defense operations into the United Defense limited partnership in January 1994, creating one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of armored tracked combat vehicles.
Sources: GAO Restructuring Report
United Defense Industries' 1999 Form 10-K states that the company acquired all partnership interests in United Defense L.P. from FMC and Harsco on 6 October 1997 through Iron Horse Investors, an investment group led by The Carlyle Group.
Sources: United Defense 1999 Form 10-K
United Defense announced an agreement for BAE Systems North America to acquire all outstanding shares in a transaction valued at about $4.2 billion, including assumed debt.
Sources: United Defense Merger Release
BAE Systems reported that it completed the acquisition of 100 percent of United Defense on 24 June 2005 and formed Land & Armaments around the acquired business and existing land-systems units.
Sources: BAE Systems 2005 Annual Report
United Defense is defunct as an independent company. Current program ownership and support are generally documented under BAE Systems, while period filings and government reports are the clearest sources for the independent United Defense manufacturer attribution.
Category
Troop carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and protected mobility.
Category
Tube artillery, rocket artillery, and long-range ground fires.
Category
Transport, logistics, recovery, command, engineering, and other enabling equipment.