SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- A U.S. defense contractor says it will make the next generation of Marine Corps backpacks at its manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico.
Alliant Techsystems says its Eagle Industries unit received the five-year, $50 million contract from the Marine Corps Systems Command. Eagle has plants in the southwestern Puerto Rican town of Lares and the west coast city of Mayaguez.
Alliant announced the contract Monday. The company says in a statement that the new backpack is designed to be more efficient and work better with the body armor that Marines wear in the field.
Alliant is based in Arlington, Virginia.