Arsenal gets $129,000,000 contract

The Arsenal Island-based Tank-automotive and Armaments Command awarded $129 million in new work to the military base's manufacturing center on Wednesday.

The money, part of an $81 billion supplemental spending bill the federal government approved last month, will be used to build 35 new howitzers and 620 mobile maintenance units, Arsenal officials said.

Howitzers are being made to outfit the Army's new brigade structure, with $31 million as the initial investment in what is expected to be a $209 million endeavor to build 405 M119A2 howitzers through 2011.