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Afghan Ammo Orders

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Policeman, Sabari(click to view full) Readers may recall “AEY’s Ammunition: Ain’t An April Fools, Alas“, which detailed a $300 million contract to a Miami company, who delivered ammunition that was not up to standard and is charged with sourcing its stock illegally. Now, more established firms like ATK and General Dynamics are stepping into the […]
Afghan Policeman Sabari

Policeman, Sabari
(click to view full)

Readers may recall “AEY’s Ammunition: Ain’t An April Fools, Alas“, which detailed a $300 million contract to a Miami company, who delivered ammunition that was not up to standard and is charged with sourcing its stock illegally. Now, more established firms like ATK and General Dynamics are stepping into the breach.

They are not the only firm receiving contracts for “non-standard” ammunition. By “nonstandard,” the military means non-NATO standard, such as the 7.62 x 39mm caliber used by rifles like the AK-47 and its copies around the world. Other common options include the 7.62 x 54mm (used in Dragunov sniper rifles and PKM machine guns), and 12.7 x 108mm (as opposed to NATO’s .50 BMG 12.7 x 99mm). Even RPG-7 panzerfaust rounds and aviation rockets have been specified in these contracts, which include:

Contracts and Key Events:

Afghan Army soldiers

ANA soldier w. RPG
(click to view full)
June 8/12: Russian sub-contracts? Russia’s RIA Novosti reports that ATK, Chemring Ordnance, General Dynamics OTS, Bulova Technologies Group Inc, and Arma Global Corporation have all invited Russia’s official arms export agency, Rosoboronexport, to act as a subcontractor for non-standard ammunition orders in Afghanistan. Rosoboronexport agreed to supply “the majority of requested equipment and ammunition” and sent price estimates to the contractors – along with letters warning them not to buy “counterfeit” ammunition from ex-Soviet countries.

Why Russia? Why now? As the Russian letter indirectly demonstrates, many NATO countries who have contributed soldiers to ISAF can also produce this equipment.

It may have something to do with NATO interest in having Russia supply aid to the Afghan government – a request Russia turned down in May, while noting that their exclusion from contracts to supply ISAF was part of the reason. That’s isn’t wholly true, as Afghanistan has spent a good chunk of aid money buying Russian Mi-17 helicopters, but suddenly there are sub-contractor invites. Time will tell if Russia is competitive enough to win them. Meanwhile, Russia is busy building its own relationship with the Karzai government.

Sept 14/11: ATK announces a $30 million order for non-standard ammunition to supply Afghanistan’s government. The firm adds that:

“To date, ATK has supplied more than 200 million non-standard ammunition items under an existing multi-year contract; and has consistently performed ahead of delivery schedule. ATK performs technical oversight, quality assurance, and supply chain management for a variety of non-standard small, medium, and large caliber ammunition, aviation rockets, rocket propelled grenades and mortars.”

July 1/11: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in St. Petersburg, FL received a $36.8 million firm-fixed-price contract, to deliver non-standard ammunition for the government of Afghanistan.

Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Kazanlak, Bulgaria, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/12. Two bids were solicited, with 2 bids received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Rock Island, IL (W52P1J-09-C-0061).

April 27/11: ATK announces “more than $16 million” in non-standard ammunition orders for Afghanistan, through its multi-year contract. the firm adds that orders on the multi-year contract have totaled more than $177 million since December 2008, and that deliveries have been consistently ahead of schedule.

Oct 21/10: Alliant Tech Systems announces a $10 million order to supply non-standard ammunition to the Afghan Security Forces under a 3-year contract with the US Army. Since December 2008, ATK has delivered more than 220 million non-standard items to Afghanistan, including small, medium, and large-caliber ammunition, mortars, RPG munitions, aviation rockets, and non-standard weapons.

June 14/10: Alliant Tech Systems announces a $41 million contract modificaton to supply non-standard ammunition to the Afghan Security Forces under a 3-year contract with the US Army. ATK will also provide supply chain management, quality assurance, and logistical expertise in the delivery of non-standard small, medium, and large caliber ammunition, as well as mortars and rockets, to Kabul for use by allied security forces.

Sept 30/09: Fresh from helping to find water on the moon, Alliant Tech Systems Inc. in Independence, MO receives a $105.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for non-standard ammunition, to supply both for the government of Afghanistan and American Forces. The contract also has options which can exercised later.

Work is to be performed in Independence, MO, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/12. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web, with 3 bids received by Army Contracting Command (ACC) Rock Island Contracting Center in Rock Island, IL (W52P1J-09-C-0060).

Sept 30/09: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in St. Petersburg, FL received a $44.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for non-standard ammunition, to supply both for the government of Afghanistan and American Forces. The contract also has options which can exercised later.

Work is to be performed in St. Petersburg, FL, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/12. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web, with 3 bids received by Army Contracting Command (ACC) Rock Island Contracting Center in Rock Island, IL(W52P1J-09-C-0061).

Jan 23/09: Agility Logistics subsidiary Taos Industries in Madison, AL received a $5.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for Non Standard Ammunition for the Government of Afghanistan. These include PG-7VM 70.5mm rockets, 12.7 x 108 mm links for heavy machine guns, and 12.7 x 108mm PPL (the PPL round is a squib cartridge used to generate gas pressure to forward the chamber one round). The contract has a “200 percent option,” which means it could be worth up to $16.8 million.

Work will be performed at Madison, AL, with an estimated completion date of March 31/09. Two bids were solicited and one bid was received by the Army Contracting Command at Rock Island Arsenal, IL (W52P1J-08-C-0049).

Dec 8/08: Top American ammunition supplier Alliant Techsystems, Inc in Independence, MO recently received an $86.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 94.6 million rounds of various nonstandard ammunition for the Afghanistan national Army and Afghanistan National Police. Work will be performed in Independence, MO with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. Bids solicited were via the Web and 14 bids were received by Army Research Sustainment Command at Rock Island, IL (W52P1J-09-C-0007).

ATK’s release says that they have:

“…worked to identify, qualify, and integrate a team of international manufacturers… Under this contract, Team ATK will provide the technical and supply chain management expertise necessary to mitigate supply chain risks that could impede, or prevent, the continuous flow of compliant non-standard ammunition to our Afghan allies. ATK will utilize capable international manufacturers and distributors with the ability to supply non-standard small, medium, large caliber ammunition and rockets.”

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