$221.7M to Force Protection for 455 More Cougars
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Small business qualifier Force Protection Industries, Inc. in Ladson, SC has received a $221.7 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0004 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for additional 395 Cougar 4×4 Category I MRUV patrol vehicles, and 60 Cougar 6×6 Category II JERRV squad vehicles under Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contracts for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. This order brings their total awards under the MRAP program to 1,780: 760 CAT I vehicles and 1,020 CAT II, to make up 48% of the vehicles ordered so far from the 9 (now 7) competitors.
Work will be performed in Ladson, SC, and by various subcontractors, as noted below…
July 12/07: Force Protection is expanding its own production capacity, via a new facility in Roxboro, NC. See full DID coverage.
July 5/07: General Dynamics announces a $111 million contract for MRAP work associated with this $221.7 million order, to produce 235 of the 455 Cougar vehicles. Fabrication and assembly will be performed in Anniston and Oxford, AL; Charlotte, MI; Ladson, SC; Lima, OH; Kings Point, NC; and Sealy, TX.
June 29/07: General Dynamics announces the delivery of the first MRAP Cougar vehicles from its new production lines in Alabama, as part of the Force Dynamics partnership.
Two General Dynamics assembly operations are being created in Alabama. The 80,000-square foot main General Dynamics assembly site for MRAP vehicles will eventually employ 220 new workers in Oxford, AL, while a supporting production site at Anniston Army Depot, AL will employ 50 new workers, in addition to the 240 building Fox and Stryker combat vehicles and the Abrams tank gunner’s primary sight. General Dynamics also contracted with BR Williams to operate a warehouse in Oxford, AL to support the new production operations. GDLS says that the Alabama sites will build more than 350 of Force Protection’s Category I 4×4 and Category II 6×6 Cougar vehicles by January 2008.
June 20/07: Force Protection issues their release re: the recent 455 vehicle order. It included this statement:
“We are delighted to receive this most recent order,” said Force Protection COO Raymond Pollard. “It permits us in concert with General Dynamics Land Systems and other partnered contractors to continue to increase the rate at which MRAP vehicles are being delivered to our government customer. We, of course, anticipate more orders to sustain that rate, which is currently scheduled to exceed 400 vehicles per month by February 2008.”
