Textron Bets Big On Next-Generation Weapons (From Forbes)

Rhode Island-based Textron is making a series of bets on next-generation weapons systems that could significantly shift its business mix in the years ahead. In 2020 it won a competition to supply the Army with robotic combat vehicles, won down-selects to continue vying for two future Army rotorcraft, received a follow-on order from the Navy for next-gen ship-to-shore connectors, secured funding for reentry systems on a future ICBM and continued developing a next-gen rifle (and ammo) for Army squads. It also began delivering a new variant of the V-22 tiltrotor to the Navy and was selected to upgrade the Army’s Shadow unmanned aircraft to an advanced configuration. So if you thought the Textron story was mainly about bizjets, think again: Textron has an amazingly diverse portfolio of projects under way for America’s joint force. I have written a commentary for Forbes here.