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).
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.
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.
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:
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.
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).
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(Advanced Engineering Vehicle) 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…
BAE Systems in York, PA received a $251.1 million modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for production of M88A2 Hercules (Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System) recovery vehicles and system technical support. The HERCULES is well named – it’s strong enough to pull a 70-ton M1 Abrams tank out of a ditch.
Work will be performed in York, PA (98%), and Aiken, SC (2%), and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on Aug. 10, 2006 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, MI (DAAE07-01-C-N030).
Force Protection Industries, Inc. in Ladson, SC received a $50.9 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum ordering quantity of 79 Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicles (JERRV) and associated manuals, spares, field support, and training. Work will be performed in Ladson, SC (60%) and Charlotte, MI (40%), and work is expected to be complete by May 2007. This contract is a sole source award to Force Protection Industries, Inc. as they are the sole manufacturer. The Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA issued the contract (M67854-06-D-5042).
This contract is in addition to the 27 Cougars purchased by the Marines for use in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the 122-vehicle all-services order from May 2005.
Kaman Dayron in Orlando, FL recently received an $8.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. The money will be used to increase the manufacturing capacity for the Joint Programmable Fuze (JPF) system via a second production line and design modifications, in order to achieve a production rate commensurate with a projected increase in government demand. The JPF is a state-of-art fuze system used with precision weapon systems like the JDAM GPS-guided bomb, and offers variable delay settings that may be programmed manually or from the cockpit through its in-flight reprogramming feature.
Work will be performed at Kaman Aerospace Corp. in Bloomfield, CT. Solicitations began in September 2005, negotiations were complete April 2006, and work will be complete September 2007. The Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, FL issued the contract (F08626-98-C-0006/ P00065).
