The US Navy has awarded a $216.5m contract to BAE Systems to provide Marine Corps Transparent Armour Gun Shield kits (MCTAGS) for multiple vehicular platforms.

The MCTAGS will provide protection to gunners from blasts, fragmentation and small arms fire as well as improving direct vision, situational awareness and better target acquisition.

The vehicles that are to be equipped with the kits include Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement units, High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles and Logistics Vehicle Systems.

Work under the contract will be carried out in California and is expected to be complete by 16 December 2011.

The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, has awarded the contract to BAE Systems Land & Armaments.