United Defense, L.P. manufactures tanks and other armored vehicles for the U.S Government and foreign allies. Their specialty is developing machinery components, such as rollers, control boxes, housings, and screw conveyor parts.
Applications involve glass, aramid, and carbon fibers in polyester, epoxy, and urethane resins.
The Armament Systems Division in Minneapolis, Minnesota, conducts applied research on all classes of materials to support advanced kinetic energy weapons, pointed and vertical launchers, shipboard cannons, and ground armament vehicles. They are also evaluating a monolithic, dielectric ceramic for use as structural insulators in advanced kinetic energy weapons. The Combat Systems Division develops and manufactures tracked vehicles for the militaries of the U.S. and foreign governments. Composite applications include commander stations constructed out of a paired woven glass fiber in a polyester matrix with a titanium structure, composite armor protective structures for an assault bridge's hydraulic components, and composite spall liners in threat critical areas of military vehicles. Research is ongoing on new technologies for future lightweight, military vehicles.