13:25 GMT, October 5, 2009 Minneapolis | Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) has been awarded a $25 million contract option to provide lightweight (LW) 30mm M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) tactical ammunition for the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Contracting Center, Rock Island, Ill., awarded the contract. This option is in addition to an $86 million base award that ATK announced in July. Production on this contract option will begin in March 2011 at the company’s facilities in Radford, Va. and Rocket Center, W.Va.

ATK produces more than eight million rounds of medium-caliber ammunition per year, including the revolutionary air-bursting rounds it developed for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and a complete suite of ammunition for ATK’s new LW 25mm chain gun. The company is a leading supplier of integrated medium-caliber systems that include medium-caliber cannons, ammunition, and electronics and fire control, delivering affordable and innovative technology to provide enhanced solutions and capabilities to customers worldwide.