M1 Abrams: Let’s Roll
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Honeywell International Inc. in Morris Township, NJ won a U.S. Army contract to change the way it supports its AGT-1500 turbine engine, used on the M1 Abrams tank and related platforms. The company has said that the overall contract under the US Army’s Total InteGrated Engine Revitalization (TIGER) program could amount to $1.4 billion by the end of its lifetime.

What distinguishes Honeywell’s performance-based approach under TIGER from previous contracts? How does the program fit in with overall US Army plans for the M1 Abrams out to 2027? And what are the latest awards made under the TIGER program?

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MXT, normal & up-armored
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At the end of October 2008, Britain’s Ministry of Defence announced a GBP 700 million program to buy a wide range of survivable vehicles for logistics and support duties in Afghanistan, as well as some specialized functions like mine clearing. On Nov 19/08, the UK MoD announced preferred bidders for the 3 classes of Tactical Support Vehicles (TSVs). A variant of the Cougar MRAP would serve as the heavy Wolfhound TSV, while a 6×6 variant of the Supacat HMT all-terrain patrol vehicle would serve as the Coyote Light TSV for off-road use. Navistar’s MXT light truck was the preferred bidder in the medium Husky TSV category – and that win may position Navistar for another big win in a subsequent British competition.

Navistar’s MXT is designed to fill a gap. Smaller armored 4×4 like the Hummer have limitations regarding payload and protection. On the other hand, larger Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles may have issues with lighter bridges, or with certain kinds of terrain due to their greater weight and higher center of gravity. General Dynamics MOWAG’s Eagle IV, which is based on a Duro truck chassis instead of the Hummer chassis common to EAGLE I-III vehicles, is another example in this category.

The order now has a contract…

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PZA LOARA
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In the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse, the Warsaw Pact defense industries that had supported its mailitary machine were faced with painful restructuring. Poverty and poor national infrastructure left governments with other priorities, even as Russia’s own implosion removed any sense of threat from that quarter. The state-controlled arms company Bumar s.o.o. began in 2002 with the fusion of 8 defense plants, and within a year 3 more plants joined the group; a 2004 interview with Chairman Roman Baczynski predicted a total of 16 plants, with a common logistics and supply system underneath and further restructuring and streamlining to follow. The firm’s specialties include vehicles, guns, and air defense systems. The Polish PT-91, an upgraded T-72M1 tank, is their premier platform.

In late February 2008, Bumar announced it was poised to sign a EUR 809 million (about $1.2 billion) multi-contract deal to supply military equipment to India. Proposed contracts to India need to be greeted with skepticism, because they are often held up for long periods of time, or disappear altogether. Nevertheless, it’s clear that some discussions are in progress regarding…

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AGT-1500 Turbine Engine
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Honeywell International Inc. in Phoenix, AZ received a $321.5 million modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Revitalization of the Automotive Gas Turbine 1500 Engines Fleet under the Total InteGrated Engine Revitalization (TIGER) Program. DID has covered the AGT-1500 TIGER program before, which could be worth up to $1.4 billion. The AGT-1500 powers the USA’s M1 Abrams tanks, and will continue to do so until the new LV-100-5 engines can be finalized and installed.

Work will be performed in Phoenix, AZ (66%), Greer, SC (19%), Anniston, AL (13%), and Rocky Mount, NC (2%), and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov. 4, 2005 by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-06-C-0173).

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SEP: tracked, or wheeled
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In September 2005, DID offered in-depth coverage of Britain’s transformational FRES armored vehicle program. That article has been updated in light of latest release from BAE Systems. They have been awarded contracts by the UK Ministry of Defence for a Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) Chassis Concept Technology Demonstrator Programme (TDP) related to hybrid engines and based on BAE Hagglunds advanced SEP vehicle, plus a FRES Gap Crossing TDP for combat bridge-laying.

These acquisitions are part of the FRES Integrated Technology Acquisition Programme (ITAP), which is focused on reducing risk around the latest technologies and their integration into FRES. This program is intended to provide the British Army with a family of medium-weight, network-enabled, air-deployable armored vehicles to meet up to 16 roles. FRES is intended to be the central pillar of a capable and highly deployable medium force that will be able to project power rapidly world-wide, complementing the UK’s existing heavy and light forces. In this respect, it fills a somewhat similar niche to the USA’s Stryker vehicle family, and to the Phase 3 Land Vehicle segment of the USA’s $120+ billion Future Combat Systems experiment.

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AGT-1500 Turbine

Honeywell International in Tempe, AZ received a $27.6 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for rebuild of the Advanced Gas Turbine 1500 Engine that powers the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. Work will be performed in Anniston, AL and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2006. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 27, 2005 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (DAAE07-00-C-N131).

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M577A2 Command Post

BAE Systems Land and Armaments in Anniston, AL received a $90 million firm-fixed-price contract for Overhaul of M577A2, M1068A2, and M1064A2 Armored Personnel Carriers, and upgrade of the same to their A3 Configurations. With the vehicles upgraded under the contract, it will have converted more than 40% of the M113 Family of Vehicles to the A3 configuration.

The M577A2 is an M113 “Gavin” variant with its hull modified for use as a Command Post vehicle. The M1068A2 Standard Integrated Command Post System (SICPS) Carrier is an M577 modified for the next generation of automated command and control through the Army Tactical Command and Control System (ATCCS). About two thirds of the U.S. M577A2 fleet was tasked for to either M1068A3 or M1068 (Basic) configurations. An Operation Iraqi Freedom After-Action Review by the 3rd Infantry Division found that M1068A2s or below had trouble keeping up with the M2 Bradleys and other modern vehicles, and recommended upgrades to the A3 system. The M1064A2 is an M113 variant used as a mortar carrier, armed with an Israeli 120mm Soltam mortar in place of the older 107mm mortar of the M106 series.

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AGT-1500 Turbine

Doncasters Inc. of Farmington, CT received a delivery order amount of $4.9 million as part of a $49.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for AGT 1500 engine compressor blades. It is possible that this contract is related to recent contracts for 75 rebuilt M1 Abrams Integrated Management tanks (DAAE07-01-G-N001) and rebuilds of the Advanced Gas Turbine 1500 Turbine Engines (DAAE07-00-C-N131) used in M1 vehicles. See DID (May 2, 2005) – AIM Program’s M1A1 Tank Refits and Rebuilds Continue.

Work on this contract will be performed in Farmington, Conn. (57%) and Rincon, Ga. (43%), and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2008. There were an unknown number of bids solicited via the Internet on Jan. 30, 2004, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI issued the contract (W56HZV-05-D-0199).

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