BAE Systems Land and Armaments has been awarded a contract by the US Army Contracting Command to refurbish M109A+ self-propelled howitzers for Chile.

The firm-fixed-price contract will include the modification of an existing contract under which 12 howitzers will be modified.

The M109 is an US-built self-propelled 155mm howitzer and is the weapon used by manoeuvre brigades of armoured and mechanised infantry divisions.

Work under the $7m contract will be carried out in Pennsylvania, US, with an estimated date of completion as 30 November 2012.