JCREW 3: Next-Generation Land Mine Jammers Use Power of Network
Dec 19, 2011 13:50 EST
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JCREW 3.1 contract for USMC. (Dec 15/11)
The US military is working on the next-generation of jammers to defeat improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that pose such a grave threat to US forces deployed overseas. The jammers are called Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (JCREW) devices. They are high-power, modular, programmable, multiband radio frequency jammers designed to deny enemy use of selected portions of the radio frequency spectrum. They come in 3 varieties – fixed, mounted, and dismounted.
The first generations of JCREW devices were developed and deployed quickly to meet an urgent need in the field. The next generation of JCREW devices, known as 3.x, are being developed to increase capabilities and tap into the power of the network to enhance their effectiveness. The JCREW 3.1 version is a dismounted device, the 3.2 version is a mounted device, and the 3.3 version is being developed to work in mounted, dismounted, and fixed-installation roles, using a common open architecture of electronics…
Contracts and Events
Unless otherwise noted, the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC awards JCREW 3.x contracts. The Navy manages the Joint CREW program for Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.
Dec 15/11: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives a $20.5 million contract modification for dismounted JCREW systems and associated ancillary equipment to support the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%), and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete by July 2012 (N00024-09-C-6306).
June 22/11: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives a $12 million contract modification to provide spares and “consumables” for JCREW 3.1 systems. Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%), and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete by December 2011 (N00024-09-C-6306).
June 14/11: Over at WIRED Danger Room, Noah Shachtman pens “The Secret History of Iraq’s Invisible War,” which looks at ITT’s JCREW efforts and evolution.
May 13/11: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives a $38.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 360 dismounted JCREW systems, to be used by forces in each of the military services of the Central Command area of responsibility. Discussions with Sierra Nevada confirm that these are JCREW 3.1s.
Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%) and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete by December 2011 (N00024-09-C-6306).
Dec 20/10: Mercury Computer Systems Inc. in Chelmsford, MA announces an ITT subcontract for the JCREW (Joint Counter-Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device) 3.3 program.
Mercury notes that the JCREW 3.3 specification requires open architecture-based software-enabled implementations, and cites the firm’s experience working on industry-wide OpenVPX specifications. Mercury offers 3U and 6U OpenVPX embedded computing platforms specifically designed and optimized for the active electronic warfare requirements of high-density processing, high memory bandwidth, and fast input/output.
Oct 5/10: EDO (now ITT) in Thousand Oaks, CA receives a $29.1 million modification to a combination cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee, cost only, and firm-fixed-price contract, exercising options for all material and services to support the JCREW 3.3’s System Development and Demonstration phase through to engineering design models for all 3 capabilities (dismounted, mounted and fixed site).
Work will be performed in Clifton, NJ (67%), and Thousand Oaks, CA (33%), and is expected to be complete by March 2012 (N0024-09-C-6316). ITT release
Sept 17/10: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives a $49.8 million contract modification for 587 dismounted JCREW 3.1 systems, to be used by forces in each of the military services within the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
Under the original contract awarded June 11/09, Sierra Nevada is to provide up to 2,500 JCREW 3.1 dismounted systems, support equipment and services, and additional long-lead time material, for a total contract value of $248.3 million. Work on this order will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%), and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete by July 2011 (N00024-09-C-6306). SNC release.
Aug 19/10: ITT Advanced Engineering & Sciences in Annapolis Junction, MD receives a $455 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only indefinite-delivery/ indefinite quantity contract for up to 5,000 JCREW 3.2 mounted systems and associated support, to be used by all US military services on CENTCOM’s front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (95.35%); Annapolis Junction, MD (3%); Charleston, SC (1.09%); and Clifton, NJ (0.56%). Work is expected to be complete by September 2014. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 2 offers received (N00024-10-D-6300).
April 13/10: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives an $8.8 million contract modification for depot repair parts and material to repair 1,300 dismounted JCREW systems – vid. previous production contracts.
Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%), and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete by December 2010 (N00024-09-C-6306).
April 7/10: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems’ Network Communication Systems group in San Diego, CA receives a $28.4 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee, cost only, and firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-6317). These options cover all material and services to support the JCREW 3.3 system development and demonstration phase, through to critical design review, for the dismounted, mounted, and fixed site variants.
Work will be performed at various Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems locations, as follows: San Diego, CA (84%), Sierra Vista, AZ (14%), and Killeen, TX (2%), and is expected to be complete by October 2010.
April 5/10: ITT subsidiary EDO Communications and Countermeasures Systems, Inc. in Thousand Oaks, CA receives a $31.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus award fee, cost-only, firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N0024-09-C-6316). These options cover all material and services to support the JCREW 3.3 system development and demonstration phase, through to critical design review, for the dismounted, mounted, and fixed site variants.
Work will be performed at Clifton, NJ (41%), Annapolis Junction, MD (30%), and Thousand Oaks, CA (2%), and is expected to be complete by June 2010. $8.5 million in contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10.
Dec 4/09: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV received a $7.4 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-6306) to exercise an option for spares and consumables for 1,300 production systems, 4 field service representatives, and 350 training surrogates for 1,300 dismounted JCREW 3.1 devices. This contract is for the procurement and support of JCREW systems to be used by forces in each of the US military services of the Central Command area of responsibility. Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%) and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete by December 2010.
Oct 1/09: Northrop Grumman’s Space and Mission Systems in San Diego, CA won a $24.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for all material and services to support system development and demonstration phase through preliminary design review for the 3 capabilities (dismounted, mounted, and fixed site) of the JCREW 3.3 system. Northrop Grumman will perform the work in San Diego, CA (84%); Sierra Vista, AZ (14%); and Kileen, TX (2%), and expects to complete it by March 2010. This contract was competitively procured via the FedBizOpps website, with 3 offers received (N00024-09-C-6317).
Oct 1/09: ITT Force Protection Systems in Thousand Oaks, CA won a $16.0 millon firm-fixed-price contract for all material and services to support system development and demonstration phase through preliminary design review for the 3 capabilities (dismounted, mounted, and fixed site) of the JCREW 3.3 system. ITT will perform the work in Clifton, NJ (41%); Annapolis Junction, MD (30%); and Thousand Oaks, CA (29%), and expects to complete it by March 2010. This contract was competitively procured via the FedBizOpps website, with 3 offers received (N00024-09-C-6316).
Sept 24/09: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV received an $80.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-6306) to exercise Option CLIN (contract line item number) 0003 for production systems, including shipping containers and ancillary equipment and cables, for 1,300 dismounted JCREW 3.1 systems. This contract is for the procurement and support of JCREW systems, to be used by forces in each of the US military services of the Central Command area of responsibility. Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%); Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be completed by December 2010.
Aug 10/09: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV received a $26.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-6306) to exercise an option for long lead material for 1,300 dismounted JCREW 3.1 systems. This contract is for the procurement and support of JCREW systems to be used by forces in each of the US military services of the Central Command Area of Responsibility. Work will be performed in Sparks, NV (90%) and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and is expected to be completed by December 2010.
June 11/09: Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV won a $36.5 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only contract for production of Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) 3.1 dismounted systems to meet the requirements of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dismounted JCREW systems are electronic jammers designed to prevent the initiation of radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIED).
This contract includes options which, if exercised, would result in a cumulative contract value of $248.3 million. Sierra Nevada will perform the work in Sparks, NV (90%) and Rancho Cordova, CA (10%), and expects to complete it by December 2010. This contract was competitively procured via the FedBizOpps website, with 3 proposals solicited and 3 offers received (N00024-09-C-6306). See also Sierra Nevada release.
Additional Readings
- WIRED Danger Room (June 14/11) – The Secret History of Iraq’s Invisible War. ”...I received an unusual offer from ITT…. Company executives were ready to discuss the jammer – its evolution, and its capabilities. They were finally able to retell the largely-hidden battles for the electromagnetic spectrum that raged, invisibly, as the insurgencies carried on. They were prepared to bring me into the R&D facility where company technicians were developing what could amount to the ultimate weapon of this electromagnetic war….”
