Military orders more guns from BAE

HATTIESBURG — British defense contractor BAE Systems, PLC, says it has received an order for 93 M777 howitzers — military artillery that is currently used in combat in Afghanistan.

Benson St. Louis, general manager of BAE’s Hattiesburg facility, said workers will start on the order in 2012. BAE Hattiesburg is responsible for final integration and test of the weapon system.

The Hattiesburg facility has 80 employees and has been open since 2003.

St. Louis tells the Hattiesburg American that he doesn’t know the value of the contract. To date, he says BAE Hattiesburg has delivered 698 guns.

BAE says in a release that the U.S. is buying 58 guns for the Army and Marine Corps while Australia is acquiring 35 through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.