General Dynamics has been contracted for continued upgrades of U.S. Army Stryker flat-bottom vehicles to A1 configuration, which features a V-shaped hull. An eight-wheel Stryker is seen with a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force battle tank Type 74 during a military exercise in Takashima, Shiga prefecture, Japan in 2016. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 8 (UPI) -- General Dynamics has received two contracts worth a total of $392 million for upgrades to the Stryker A1 meant to improve their durability against mines and improvised explosive devices.

The contracts, announced by the Department of Defense on Friday, for $366.8 million and $24.9 million and both are for upgrades of the Stryker flat-bottom vehicle to the Double V-Hull engineering change proposal 1 configuration.


The v-shaped hull is designed to provide better protection for vehicles that encounter either IEDs or land mines, which have a significant issue during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The hull increases the survivability of both crew and vehicle by deflecting an explosive blast away from the vehicle.

The U.S. Army has been upgrading all of its Strykers to the more protective version, with the new contracts expected to complete the Army's 4th Stryker Brigade and begin the 5th Stryker Brigade, according to General Dynamics.

Fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement of weapons and tracked vehicle funds in the full value of both contracts were obligated at the time of contract award, with work expected to be completed in April 2021.