M1129 Stryker MC

The 8×8 wheeled Stryker armored vehicle is the backbone of the US Army’s 7 medium armored brigades, with an 8th on the way. The base vehicle is also known as the LAV-III (Canada) and Piranha-III (GD MOWAG Switzerland), but American Stryker family APCs are outfitted with a set of communications and electronics equipment that makes them a unique variant. Stryker program’s production contracts began in 2000; to date, General Dynamics Land Systems in Canada and the USA have delivered 2,988 vehicles to the US military. Now, a $647 million order will add another 352 Strykers to the Army.

Consultation with General Dynamics Land systems has yielded the full breakdown of this Stryker order among all variants…

PC Mechanical in Santa Maria, CA won a $26.2 million firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for repair, overhaul, and preventative maintenance services for civil engineering support equipment at the Naval Facilities Expeditionary Logistics Center located at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, CA (60%) and at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport located in Gulfport, MS (40%). This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring its cumulative value to $139.5 million.

DID has more on the types of vehicles that PC Mechanical will repair…

Terrier AVRE

Combat engineering is emerging as an under-appreciated but critical component of counter-insurgency work, with applications that range from restricting the battlefield to building cooperation with civilian populations. Britain is improving its own capabilities, and has just ordered 60 Terrier Armored Engineering Vehicles for the Royal Engineers, under a GBP 300 million ($430 million equivalent) contract with BAE Systems. The vehicles was designed in Leicester and will be assembled in Newcastle, with over 90% of its manufacture supported by companies from across the UK. Terrier will replace the existing Combat Engineer Tractor (CET) beginning in 2011, and will work alongside the Royal Engineers’ heavier Challenger 2 derived TROJAN AEV/AVREs.

The Terrier’s tracked chassis provides both true all-terrain mobility, and the traction required for heavy engineering jobs. A quick-hitch mechanism means that its bucket can be rapidly dropped and replaced with other front-mounted equipment, such as mine-clearing devices. Similarly, the side excavator arm can take a variety of attachments to dig, lift, drill, or hammer. All of this equipment is controlled from the 2-person, climate-controlled crew compartment that lets the Royal Engineers operate the vehicle in any climate. Changes have also been made to the original Terrier design in light of operational experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding more protection against mines, and making it easier to add extra armor. For mine-related work, the Terrier can even be operated remotely from over 1,000 meters away, using onboard camera systems for an up-close view.

As heavy engineering vehicles, Terrier can tow an 18-tonne engineer trailer and deploy fascines (pipe bundles for filling ditches) and trackway (rolled metallic sheets to create temporary road surfaces). While the Ministry of Defence describes them as “air portable,” the 30 tonne/ 33-ton Terriers cannot be carried on its C-130 tactical airlifters. Portability will be limited to the future A400M if Britain accepts delivery, or to options like the RAF’s C-17s and NATO’s chartered AN-124s that can carry any vehicle, including 70-ton Challenger 2 tanks. UK MoD | British Army.

D7Gs in Ramadi, Iraq

Caterpillar, Inc in Mossville, IL received a $73.2 million cost plus, no fee, firm-fixed-price contract with options. They will provide services to the Life Extension Program for Program Executive Office (PEO) Combat Support/Combat Service Support’s Caterpillar equipment, which includes the D7F Dozer, the 130G Grader and the 621B Scraper. Note that the D7Fs were first introduced in 1969, and the 621Bs are also several generations old.

This umbrella contract simply sets the terms and the maximum ceiling; each request will be taken care of by a task order between March 4/09 and Feb 20/12. One bid was solicited and one bid received by US Army TACOM in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0027).

Iraq’s new rifles

As Iraq’s military gets back to its feet, it has received armored vehicles, up-armored Hummers, and assorted weapons, vehicles, and aircraft. The initial priority on armed combat forces that could be supported by American combat logistics has started to give way to a buildup of Iraq’s own logistics and maintenance capabilities.

On March 21/08, the US DSCA announced a formal request by Iraq’s government for various vehicles, small arms and ammunition, communication equipment, medical equipment, and clothing and individual equipment as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $1.39 billion.

Items requested include:

AEV-3 Kodiak

The question of “which tank is best” depends entirely on the terrain and concept of employment one faces, but most observers agree that the Leopard 2 by Rheinmetall/KMW would finish at or near the top in almost all circumstances. It’s also one of the most widely-bought modern tanks, thanks to second hand deals at fire sale prices that have divested the German and Dutch armies of most of their vehicles. As DID has pointed out, those moves position the German firms as natural choices when the time comes to field a successor. Meanwhile, a secondary business of maintenance and modifications offers plenty of opportunities.

On Nov 30/07, The NIS news bulletin reported that the Dutch defence ministry was preparing sign a contract with Germany’s Rheinmetall Land Systems in late 2007 for 10 of its AEV-3 10 Kodiak engineering tanks. Switzerland’s RUAG pioneered the design with Rheinmetall, and launched the new Leopard-2 based “Geniepanzer/ Kodiak” platform as a cooperative venture in January 2007. They can perform combat engineering in difficult terrain, and have attachments that are especially useful for mine clearance operations.

The deal went through in January 2008, but the Netherlands wasn’t the only customer – the deal now involves Sweden as well, via separate but coordinated contracts…

BTR-3

In September 2006, “Up to $750M in Weapons & Support for Iraq” described Iraq’s order for a number of American small arms, as well as helicopters and blast resistant vehicles. About a year later, we have a follow-on order that extends a number of the trends that request started. While the temptation exists to focus on the helicopters, blast-resistant vehicles, small arms, et. al., that would be a mistake. This is an extremely important contract for Iraq’s armed forces, and none of those systems are the reason why.

On Sept 25/07, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF format] Iraq’s formal request for vehicles, small arms, ammunition, explosives, and communications equipment as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $2.257 billion. The request includes:

Buffalo, not Rhino

Small business qualifier Force Protection Industries, Inc. in Ladson, SC received a $12 million for firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0006 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-07-D-5006) for 14 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Category III Buffalo vehicles. The Buffalo is a mine-resistant, route clearance type vehicle that is used to dispose of discovered mines. It was also the vehicle that triggered the 2007 Biden Amendment [MS Word format] to accelerate MRAP purchases.

This contract was not competitively procured – unlike other MRAP categories, CAT III has only one vehicle choice. Work will be performed in Ladson, SC and work is expected to be complete by April 2008. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA issued the contract.

Cat 307C

Caterpillar Defense and Federal Products in Peoria, IL received a delivery order amount of $22.5 million as part of a $143.2 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. The work involves a service life extension program (SLEP) for construction equipment.

Work will be performed in Peoria, IL and is expected to be complete by Aug. 15, 2007. This was a sole source contract initiated on Aug. 7, 2000 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (DAAE07-01-D-T030).

AEV-3 Geniepanzer/ Kodiak

In its 2006 armaments programme, the Swiss parliament approved the procurement of 12 “Geniepanzer” armoured engineer and mine-clearing vehicles for the country’s Armed Forces, using the chassis of surplus Pz87 (Leopard 2) tanks. A CHF 95 million (currently around $76 million) procurement contract has now been signed by the procurement agency Armasuisse and Thun-based RUAG Land Systems, covering 12 carrier vehicles, plus 12 AEV modules and 6 mine-clearing modules. The vehicles will be multifunctional, and it will be possible to set them up for AEV or mine clearance missions within a very short time. Ruag is partnering with Germany’s Leopard tank co-producer Rheinmetall AG, and the vehicles were to be delivered to the Swiss armed forces in 2010-2011.

As it happens, deiveries didn’t start until the end of 2011…