[1/3] U.S. servicemen drive Bradley infantry fighting vehicles during the joint U.S.-Georgian exercise Noble Partner 2015 at the Vaziani training area outside Tbilisi, Georgia, May 21, 2015. REUTERS/David MdzinarishviliWASHINGTON, June 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army said on Monday it had selected General Dynamics (GD.N) and American Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE) to compete to replace the Bradley fighting vehicle, in a deal that could be worth more than $45 billion to the winner. A single competition winner will be given a production contract in 2027, Army officials said, with fielding of the first vehicles in 2029. Ultimately, some of the functions of the vehicle would be autonomous, Army officials said. The Army has struggled to replace the Bradley over a number of years, with a previous attempt abandoned.

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Persons: David Mdzinarishvili WASHINGTON, Bradley, Mike Stone, Chris Sanders, Jamie Freed Organizations: Bradley, REUTERS, U.S . Army, Dynamics, Rheinmetall, Army, Point Blank Enterprises, Oshkosh Defense, BAE Systems Land, Armaments, Thomson Locations: Tbilisi , Georgia