Mk19 40mm
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General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products received a $13 million order from the US Army TACOM-ARDEC for production of MK19 MOD 3 40mm grenade machine guns [pdf]. Deliveries are expected to begin in June 2010 and will be completed by late 2011.

This order follows a $10 million order for MK19s announced July 1/09. Both orders were made under a contract initially awarded in September 2008, and brings the total contract value to date to approximately $81 million.

The MK19 grenade machine gun is a self-powered, air-cooled, belt-fed, blowback operated, crew-served weapon…

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Slimmer and Trimmer
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General Dynamics C4 Systems received a contract, worth up to $50 million, to supply the US Army with engineering and logistics-support services for the Land Warrior [pdf] integrated modular fighting systems.

A couple of years ago, it looked like the Land Warrior program was dead due to soldiers’ concerns that the equipment was too heavy and complex. However, after trimming down the system from 17 pounds to 7.2 pounds, the Army is moving ahead with the program. “Infantry-21: Land Warrior’s Reviews – And Resurrection?” has more on the controversy.

The new contract enables General Dynamics’ field service engineers to deploy with all Land Warrior-equipped units and provide support for housing, repairing and shipping spare and replacement Land Warrior gear worldwide…

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Through a glass, darkly
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ITT Corp received 2 orders for night vision googles worth a combined $91.3 million from the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.

Under the 1st order, an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contract worth $72 millon, ITT will supply its aviator night vision goggles (AN/AVS-6), night vision tubes and spare parts to Army rotary-wing pilots. Under the 2nd order, a $19.3 million delivery order under the OMNI VII night vision contract, ITT will supply AN/PVS-14 night vision monocular goggles to the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Army.

ITT’s night vision goggles use light-amplifying technology that takes a small amount of light and converts it into electrons…

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MTV, worn
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As the Marines themselves note, “body armor can be traced back to before the Roman Empire, when war was waged with sword and spear and the battlefield rang with the clash of steel on steel.” In time, its protection became so formidable that an armored, mounted warrior feared few enemies. A string of reverses from Crecy on into the age of gunpowder led to a growing offensive ascendancy, however, creating several centuries where warriors headed into battle without any armor at all.

That began to change in the late 20th century, and the pendulum is swinging back. The Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest became the US military’s standard equipment around the dawn of the 21st century. It’s credited with saving numerous lives, but the US Marines were less impressed. In the wake of negative After-Action Reviews, they turned to Protective Products International in Sunrise, FL to produce the Modular Tactical Vest (MTV) instead, designed by an ex-Marine.

In February 2008, the Marines put a hold on further MTV orders, following complaints from the field. That hold has been lifted with the awarding of 2 contracts worth up to $794.7 million for the Improved MTVs…

• MTV: Features
• MTV: Contracts and Developments [update]
• Additional Readings
  
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Aeroflex 7200 Radio Tester
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Aeroflex Wichita in Wichita, KS won [pdf] a maximum $40.5 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract from the US Marine Corps for ground radio maintenance automatic test systems. A delivery order with a value of $16.3 million is being issued concurrently with the contract award.

Under the contract, Aeroflex will supply its 7200 Configurable Automated Test Set (CATS) equipment, which is a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) platform for testing the performance of software-defined radios, including the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). “US Contracts for Next-Gen Tactical Radio Upgrades” provides insights into the JTRS program, which is intended to bring the next-generation tactical radio system to US troops.

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(click to download)

Defense was an issue in the last Australian election. The center-left Labor Party attacked the center-right Liberal Party by citing mismanaged projects, and accusing the Howard government of making poor choices on key defense platforms like the F/A-18F Super Hornet and F-35A Joint Strike fighters. That sniping continued even after Labor won the election, and has been evident in more than a few Defence Ministry releases.

The new government made some program changes, such as canceling the SH-2G Seasprite contract. Yet it has been more notable for the programs it has not changed: problematic upgrades of Australia’s Oliver Hazard Perry frigates were continued, the late purchase of F/A-18F Super Hornets was ratified rather than canceled, and observers waited for the real shoe to drop: the government’s promised 2009 Defence White Paper, which would lay out Australia’s long-term strategic assessments, and procurement plans.

On May 2/09, Australia’s government released “Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.” DID has reviewed that document, and the reaction to date… including a new ASPI roundup of reactions from around Asia.

• Fast Incoming
• The Highlight Reel
• Additional Readings & Assessments [updated]
  
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IOTV: key features
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When reading about modern body armor one often hears about small arms protective inserts (SAPI) or Enhanced SAPI (ESAPI) ceramic plate inserts. While these inserts are more fragile than past generations of inserts, they offer a significant improvement over its 1990s predecessors in terms of both weight and protection. After episodic issues with production ramp-up and quality control, this gear is widely fielded with the US Army and several allied militaries. The US Marines replaced it with the MTV. The Army itself has introduced the Improved OTV. Privately developed body armors like Blackwater Gear is also in theater. Yet all of these designs rely on a “vest and plates” approach that uses a similar set of inserts to give the vests most of their bullet-stopping power.

This DID spotlight article covers the USA’s purchases in this area. The latest news involves orders for ESAPI plates…

• ESAPI, Explained
• Contracts & Key Events, 2004 – Present [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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Elbit Systems in Haifa, Israel received a contract valued at EUR 17 million ($24 million) to provide Finland’s Ministry of Defence with high speed radio and data transmission communication systems to be delivered between 2010 and 2012.

Finland is purchasing Elbit’s Tadiran family of communication systems, which include high frequency (HF) and very high frequency (VHF) tactical radio equipment designed for use by ground forces for data transfer and voice communications.

The U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality Life Cycle Management Command (JM&L LCMC) awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite quantity contracts with cost-plus-fixed-fee/ firm-fixed-price orders to 5 companies to support the Army’s effort to get high-tech weapon prototypes in the hands of soldiers in the field as soon as possible. The effort, known as the Rapid Prototyping and Technology Initiative (RPTI), is run by the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC).

The maximum value of the 5 contracts is $300 million.

DID has a list of winners, contract numbers, as well as work to be performed under these contracts…

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USMC boot
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Combat boots remain one of the infantry’s most important and least-appreciated pieces of gear. Unless you’ve served in the infantry, of course. After decades of “Army boots” being used as a term for old-fashioned, heavy, uncomfortable items worn by serving soldiers and the mothers of childhood antagonists, modern professional militaries have begun to get smarter about footwear. The new aim is to leverage civilian advances in design and materials to build or buy new boots that are more comfortable, longer lasting, and support the efforts of troops in the field rather than acting as a limiting factor. The US military has been following this path for some time now. Other nations like Britain are also coming on board with the trend.

A set of contracts were issued in 2007, with future option years to follow. Participating firms and contracts include:

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