Showing results 1 - 10 of 109 for the search terms: mrap.
Results for "mrap"
FMTV 2010-2015: Oshkosh Wins The Re-Compete
19-Nov-2009 10:59 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, Contracts - Awards, Legal, Lobbying, Other Corporation, Support & Maintenance, Trucks & Transport
FMTV Family
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The 14 variants in the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) form the core of the USA’s new state-of-the-art medium military transport truck fleet. Which in turn forms the core of the “mature logistics capability” seen in the Iraqi theater and elsewhere. FMTV trucks are all automatic transmission, and range from 2.5-ton cargo and van models to 5-ton cargo, tractor, van, wrecker, tanker, specialty, and dump-truck models in various 4×4 and 6×6 configurations. Some models also have attached trailers that increase their carrying capacity. Even so, the use of common engines, transmissions, drivelines, power trains, tires, cabs, etc. create over 80% parts commonality between FMTV models. Where possible, commercial components are used for added savings.
There have been 3 main phases of the FMTV program, including the last “SO23” open competition in 2003. All told, more than 50,000 FMTV trucks in various models have been delivered to the US Army. A bridging order to BAE will continue production in Sealy, TX from 2008 through 2010, but unless something changes, the 4th phase re-compete will see a new firm begin FMTV production – alongside heavy truck production for the Army (FHTV) and Marines (LVSR), and medium trucks for the US Marine Corps (MTVR) – unless the GAO protests now underway short-circuit that award.
BAE recently released additional details regarding its protest, and recent GAO hearings. Lobbying from the Houston area is well underway to keep BAE’s Sealy facility, while Oshkosh discusses local tax deals to expand its own manufacturing in Wisconsin by adding an E-Coat facility – a discussion that triggers a sharp BAE response…
BAE’s LROD Cage Armor
16-Nov-2009 16:07 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, Contracts - Awards, New Systems Tech, Other Equipment - Land
RG-31, before
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Russian-designed RPG shoulder-fired rockets are a widespread threat in many parts of the world, including the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. At present, the most common threats involve RPG-7 single warhead variants, which are also produced in quantity by China (to Iran for use abroad) and by Iran (direct shipment to Iraq and Afghanistan).
There are 3 standard approaches for protecting vehicles against incoming RPGs: (1) Heavy or layered armor the warhead can’t penetrate; (2) Reactive armor tiles that explode outward when hit, deflecting, disabling, and/or disrupting the rocket and its blast; and (3) “Cage armor” or similar add-ons that can prevent detonation, or prevent the shaped charge jet from forming, at least some of the time.* The bad news is that providing enough steel cage armor can add a couple of tons to vehicle weight.
Enter BAE Systems’ LROD, developed under a fast-response Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program to provide RPG protection for Hummers and MRAP mine-resistant vehicles. The project led BAE to ask if steel was really necessary – and the answer was: no…
US Marines to Get G/ATOR AESA Ground Radars
16-Nov-2009 13:12 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - Other, Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, FOCUS Articles, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Other Equipment - Land, Procurement Innovations, Radars
G/ATOR diorama
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The US military’s long run of unquestioned air superiority has led to shortcuts in mobile land-based air defenses, and the US Marines are no exception. A December 2005 release from Sen. Schumer’s office [D-NY] said that: “Current radar performance does not meet operational forces requirements… consequences could potentially allow opposing forces to gain air and ground superiority in future operational areas.”
One of the programs in the works to address this gap is the G/ATOR mobile radar system. It’s actually the result of fusing two programs: the Multi-Role Radar System (MRRS), and Ground Weapons Locator Radar (GWLR) requirements. When G/ATOR Increment IV becomes operational, it will replace and consolidate numerous legacy radars, including the AN/TPS-63 air surveillance, AN/MPQ-62 force control, AN/TPS-73 air traffic control, AN/UPS-3 air defense, and AN/TPQ-36/37 artillery tracking & locating radar systems.
The latest updates involve a contract modification that will change G/ATOR’s associated vehicle…
Navistar Trucks Equip Afghan & Iraqi Militaries
12-Nov-2009 10:26 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Asia - Central, Contracts - Awards, Logistics, Middle East - Other, Other Corporation, Trucks & Transport
Afghan 7000 series
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In May 2008, the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command awarded Navistar Defense a follow-on contract to provide medium tactical trucks and spare parts to the Afghanistan National Police, Afghan National Army and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.
These trucks are based on Navistar’s severe service International 7000 Series truck, and include General Troop Transporter, POL (petroleum, oil and lubricant), water tankers, wreckers and hazardous material truck variants. In addition, Navistar was contracted to supply all required spare parts necessary to support several years of scheduled maintenance.
A recent award extends that $1+ billion contract, with a particular focus on Afghanistan – and the Pentagon has just clarified with full type breakdowns…
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M-ATV: A Win, at Last, for Oshkosh
11-Nov-2009 19:28 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, Electronics - General, Forces - Air, Forces - Land, Forces - Marines, Forces - Special Ops, General Dynamics, Materials Innovations, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Policy - Procurement, RFPs, Raytheon, Trucks & Transport
Oshkosh M-ATV
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US government FedBizOpps, November 2008:
“The Government plans to acquire an MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). The M-ATV is a lighter, off-road, and more maneuverable vehicle that incorporates current MRAP level protection. The M-ATV will require effectiveness in an off-road mission profile. The vehicle will include EFP and RPG protection (integral or removable kit). The M-ATV will maximize both protection levels and off-road mobility & maneuverability attributes, and must balance the effects of size and weight while attempting to achieve the stated requirements.”
The current plan expects to spend up to $3.3 billion to order 5,244 M-ATVs for the US Army (2,598), Marine Corps (1,565), Special Operations Command (643), US Air Force (280) and the Navy (65), plus 93 test vehicles. Monthly delivery rates of up to 1,000 vehicles were part of the solicitation. Those requirements, and American requirements around classified data and regulatory compliance, ensured that the only reasonable contenders were firms that already produced MRAPs, trucks, or tactical vehicles for American forces: BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Force Protection, Navistar, and Oshkosh. Oshkosh Defense secured a long-denied MRAP win, and continues to remain ahead of production targets.
The latest news includes FY 2010 budget updates, delivery performance, and a $400+ million order for more vehicles…
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Saving the Galaxy: The C-5 AMP/RERP Program
08-Nov-2009 14:44 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Budgets, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, FOCUS Articles, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Other Corporation, Simulation & Training, Support Functions - Other, Testing & Evaluation, Transport & Utility
C-5 Galaxy
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This FOCUS Article explains what the C-5 AMP/RERP program involves, why it’s so critical to the future of American airpower, and why it’s such a challenging project. It also covers developments on the political and contracting fronts.
When it was introduced, back in 1970, the C-5 Galaxy was the largest plane in the world. Even so, the fleet is not without its issues. The C-5 has the highest operating cost of any Air Force weapon system, and those costs stem from extremely high maintenance demands as well as poor fuel economy. Availability rates routinely hover near 50%. To add insult to injury, the Russians not only built a bigger plane (the AN-124), they sold it off at the end of the Cold War to semi-private operators, turning it into a commercial success whose customer list now includes… NATO.
Sunrise? Sunset?
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Meanwhile, the USA still needs long-range, heavy load airlift. The AN-124’s commercial success may get its production line restarted, but the C-5 has no such hope. C-17s cost more than $200 million per plane – about the cost of a 747-8 freighter, but still a lot of money. The US Air Force believed it could save money by upgrading the older C-5s to renew their avionics (AMP) and engines (RERP). Their hope was that this would eliminate the problems that keep so many C-5s in the hangar, cut down on future maintenance costs, and grow airlift capacity without adding new planes. Unfortunately, the program is program experienced major cost growth, and a battle between C-5M and C-17 supporters in Congress is underway.
The C-5M program wound up being cut in size, and cut in two. The C-5A and C-5B/C fleets are now slated for different treatment, which will deliver fewer of the hoped-for benefits in exchange for lower costs and lower risk. The latest development involves a $143.2 million contract for C-5 Avionics Modernization Program sustainment support…
RWS for Italy’s LMVs
28-Oct-2009 13:06 EDT |
Related Stories: Contracts - Awards, Europe - Other, Finmeccanica, Remote Weapons Systems, Warfare - Trends
HITROLE Light
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Finmeccanica subsidiary Oto Melara and the Italian Ministry of Defense recently signed a sole-source EUR 20 million (currently $29.7 million) contract to acquire 81 HITROLE Light turrets for Italy’s Light Multirole Vehicles (LMV, or Lince). The Linces have served well in Afghanistan, using their blast protection to save lives during land mine attacks. The first HITROLE turret will be delivered for operational testing in about 4 months, with most delivered by the second half of 2010.
Small Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) offer a package of advanced sensors, as well as a 7.62mm or 12.7mm/ .50 caliber machine gun, or a 40mm grenade launcher, all controlled from inside the vehicle, using a joystick and screen. While their field of view is narrower than an exposed human’s, and they do not transmit auditory cues, they do offer long-range day and night surveillance, and protected firepower that is not vulnerable to snipers. Some high-end systems are even stabilized to ensure accurate fire from moving vehicles, though HITROLE does not appear to have this capability. American CROWS/ CROWS-II systems on its Humvee jeeps, many MRAPs, Stryker APCs, and M1A1 TUSK tanks offer just one example of growing RWS usage by armies who are increasingly forced to fight in complex terrain and urban areas. Italy has ordered 1,286 Lince blast-resistant vehicles as of June 2009, however, so 81 RWS systems aren’t – yet – a fleet-wide contract like CROWS.
Interactive: C-5s vs. C-17s in Washington
21-Oct-2009 16:15 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Avionics, Boeing, Engines - Aircraft, Events, Force Structure, GE, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Official Reports, Spotlight articles, Support & Maintenance, Think Tanks, Transport & Utility
C-17, waiting
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A Washington think-tank has gone so far as to call the planned cancellation of C-17 heavy transport aircraft production “The Dumbest Weapons Decision of the Decade.” With heavy usage that is accumulating fatigue hours far faster than originally planned, the US Air Force is loath to pay $1.5 billion to close the C-17 line – then pay another $4+ billion to re-open if their decision proves to be too hasty. Not to mention the larger $8+ billion economic effects and lost jobs. Still, the cost of its equipment means that funds are tight, and last-minute Congressional earmarks have been necessary to keep the C-17 line going. Concern has also been expressed that by shuttering the line, the USA is effectively handing the global strategic airlift market over to France and Russia; the Airbus A400M and Russia’s super-giant AN-124 would be the only games in town from 2010-2025, or longer.
Worse, there is almost no confidence in the Pentagon’s 2005 Mobility Requirements Study, whose assumptions hadn’t budged from a 2000 study – before 9/11 and the resulting global war saw airlift usage and flight hours skyrocket, before the Army’s Future Combat Systems’ failure to fit into C-130 transports as promised… before a lot of things happened. Now, as the battle in Washington heats up again, DID offers this updated article, readings – and accompanying interactive Excel spreadsheet – as a contribution to the discussions.
Continue reading…
The USA’s 2009 Hummer Orders
15-Oct-2009 12:36 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Other Corporation, Spotlight articles, Trucks & Transport
M1165 HMMWV
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The US military’s Hummers have demonstrated severe payload and survivability limitations. Nevertheless, they remain a fixture in the fleet, and new orders continue. At one point, the US Marines’ objective was to restrict Hummers to use “inside the wire” of American bases in Iraq. Instead, a sharp reduction in violence within Iraq, and a lower vehicle threat level so far in Afghanistan, have given the HMMWVs a new lease on life. They are still seeing extensive use on the front lines, and the early wear created by the weight of their add-on armor has led to RESET maintenance programs for some Hummers and allied giveaways for others.
By mid-2007, the US Army had about 19,000 HMMWVs serving on the Iraqi front alone. As Hummers wear out and are given away, or are sent to a depot, they must be replaced. Some replacement involves cycling vehicles from other units into theater, but those units must eventually have their lost vehicles replaced with Hummers or with something else, in order to maintain their own readiness rates for deployment. Hence the necessity for ongoing buys of more Hummers, in the absence of a program to provide replacements on a fleet-wide basis.
This Spotlight article covers the family’s newest variants, and chronicles the US military’s 2009 purchases. Recent updates cover the final set of FY 2009 orders, and enhanced the timeline via a detailed search that reconciled budgets with announced orders.
- Hummer Replacements?
- The HMMWV Family
- Contracts and Key Events, FY 2009 [updated]
- Additional Readings
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JLTV: Hummer v2.0, or MRAP Lite?
06-Oct-2009 09:11 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, Boeing, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, Europe - Other, FOCUS Articles, Finmeccanica, General Dynamics, L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Israel, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Partnerships & Consortia, R&D - Contracted, R&D - Private, Raytheon, T&C - SAIC
Ultra APV demonstrator
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In an age of non-linear warfare, where front lines are nebulous at best and non-existent at worst, one of the biggest casualties is the concept of unprotected rear echelon vehicles that do not need to be designed for combat. That imperative is being driven home on 2 fronts. One front is operational. The other front is buying trends.
These trends, and their design imperatives, found their way into the USA’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, which aims to replace many of the US military’s 120,000 or so Hummers as its main tactical vehicle in combat zones. The military’s goal is a 7-10 ton vehicle that’s lighter than the MRAPs and easier to transport aboard ship, while offering substantially improved protection over existing up-armored Hummers. They’d also like a vehicle that can address front-line issues like power generation, in order to recharge all of the batteries troops require for electronic gadgets like night sights, GPS devices, etc. The end of October 2008 saw 3 contract awards out of 7 qualifying submissions, which will be developed over the next 27 months into rival designs for the JLTV’s systems design and development phase.
DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. JLTV certainly qualifies, though its future remains cloudy due to expected spending cutbacks and the possible presence of “good enough” substitutes. Recent updates include Australia’s continued participation, India’s interest, and a progress report…
