Staff Report

LADSON -- Force Protection Inc.'s stock will continue to be listed on NASDAQ the company said Wednesday, a few days after it announced it had received a $41.8 million contract modification with the Marine Corps Systems Command.

The order to provide service and support of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles is expected to run through 2009. A portion of the work might be performed by General Dynamics, a Force Protection joint venture.

Production of MRAP vehicles has slowed slightly, and the U.S. Department of Defense is looking for more agile vehicles as part of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program.

While Force Protection is developing the lighter-weight vehicles, it is continuing to receive orders to provide support and service for MRAPs already in the field.

NASDAQ threatened to delist Force Protection after the company delayed its annual report for 2007 and then delayed further SEC filings for 2008. The company has since filed, including reports for the first two quarters of this year.

“As the MRAP program enters a more robust support and sustainment phase, we are pleased that the United States Marine Corps continues to look to us to perform this important service work on our fleet of vehicles,” said Michael Moody, Force Protection’s chairman and CEO.