Marines Pleased, So USMC Orders $660M More ACOG Rifle Scopes

ACOG TA31RCO

Major General J.N. Mattis, Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom, called them “the biggest improvement in lethality for the Marine infantryman since the introduction of the M1 Garand in WWII.” The USMC calls them the first-ever Rifle Combat Optic (RCO) of the United States Marine Corps. Trijicon Inc. in Wixom, MI calls them ACOG – Advanced Combat Optical Gunsights.

Now the USMC’s initial $7.5 million contract has been followed by a multi-year $660 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with Trijicon for Rifle Combat Optics (RCO) fixed 4 power scopes. The TA31RCO will be a slightly modified version of the TA31F 4x ACOG, 6,000 of which are currently in service with the Marine Corps…

Turkey Launches $700M Helicopter Competition

S-70 Seahawk

Helicopters are a hot field right now. The USA’s $2.2 billion Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program has been awarded to Bell, which is also competing with Eurocopter for India’s $500-600 million light helicopter program. The USA’s own Light Utility Helicopter program is set to begin competition for 320 helicopters soon, and now Turkish Daily News reports that Turkey’s Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) has formally opened an international competition for the purchase of 32 military helicopters and 20 fire fighters worth around $700 million. Only one platform will chosen, winner take all.

The purchase will be administered by SSM in a single package for both military and civilian helicopters, and bidders are asked to reply to a request for proposa1 no later than Dec. 5.

Karta Carts Away the Contracts

Karta Technologies, Inc. of San Antonio, TX has reeled off a series of defense-related contract successes for its consulting, IT, and e-learning services. The contracts, worth between $500 million – $2.3 billion, make Karta a company to notice among mid-range contractors in the IT and e-learning space.

1,100 Light Machine Guns for U.S. Special Forces

5.56mm Mk46 MOD0

FN Manufacturing, LLC in Columbia, SC received a potential $9.8 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract, to provide a maximum quantity 1,100 (ea) MK46 MOD 0 Light Machine Guns (LMG) and auxiliary support equipment (fluted barrels and bolt assemblies).

The MK46 LMG is a special, lighter model of the 5.56mm M249 “Minimi” Squad Automatic Weapon in use with regular U.S. Army and Marines forces. It is also designed specifically to meet U.S. Special Operations forces requirements…

Modernization Continues at Lake City, Radford Ammo Plants

DID has covered the U.S. military’s small caliber ammunition shortages before, and explained the manufacturing, outsourcing, and modernization efforts under way to address it.

As a follow-up, Alliant Techsystems subsidiaries have recently received $38.1 million from The U.S. Army Field Support Command in Rock Island, IL, in order to modernize a pair of facilities associated with small-caliber ammunition manufacture.

Alaska Contractor Receives $30M for New England Naval Facilities Work

Small business qualifier CCI in Anchorage, AK received a not to exceed $30 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery job order contract for construction, alteration, repair and short-term facilities maintenance services at naval installations in the Northern New England area. The total contract amount includes a base period and four one-year options, with a guaranteed minimum of $10,000.

DID has noticed a definite pattern with Alaska firms, who receive a very strong share of defense-related infrastructure jobs all over the continental USA as a result of small business and native-owned business set asides.