In a war where enemies are often hidden and happily commit war crimes like using human shields, snipers can be a commander’s most effective battlefield asset. Knights Armament Company in Titusville FL recently received a potential $9.9 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for the Mk11 Sniper Rifle System (SRS) and supporting spare parts (i.e. magazines, trigger assemblies, gas rings, etc.). The Mk11 SRS is a 7.62mm weapon system used in support of the US Marine Corps and US Special Operations Command. The KAC MK11 MOD0 Navy package is the now-famous SR25 specially manufactured by Knight’s Armament for the US Navy SEALs following their May 2000 contract win, and reportedly has about 60% commonality with the M-16. Work will be performed in Titusville, FL and is expected to be complete by December 2011. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN (N00164-07-D-4880).
The Mk11 SRS [PDF format] will be supplied with a 20 inch barrel rather than the 24-inch barrel of the commercial version, a move that forced Knight to do some additional redesign in order to ensure the same level of accuracy. The SRS order also includes a rail adapter system, two stage match grade trigger (4.5 pounds), custom bore guide, cartridge case deflector, rail covers, suppressor, 20 round magazines (10 each), 600-meter backup sight, folding front sight, bipod, scope, carrying case and operator’s manual.
The GM/ General Dynamics Land Systems Defense Group LLC Joint Venture in Sterling Heights, MI received the full delivery order amount of $145 million for a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for contractor logistics support for the Stryker family of vehicles. GDLS’ January 2, 2007 press release explains that this contract funds contractor support of U.S. Army Stryker Brigade Combat Teams in the United States and overseas, including: ordering spare parts, managing a spare-parts warehouse, worldwide distribution of repair parts and completing maintenance services on the Stryker vehicle fleet.
Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, MI (15%) and London, Ontario, Canada (27%), as well SBCT locations in Fort Lewis, WA (28%), Fort Indiantown Gap, PA (3%), Schofield Barracks, HI (2%), Fort Wainwright, AK (5%), Germany (6%), Fort Worth, Texas (1%), Iraq (12%), and Kuwait (1%). Work is expected to be completed by Feb. 29, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov. 22, 2006 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-07-D-M112).
Optronic/Photonic submarine masts don’t need huge periscope well columns extending deep into the submarine, a fact that allows much greater flexibility in submarine design. Instead, these masts use high-resolution cameras mounted in the submarine’s sensor head. The images provided are then displayed on console screens in the submarine’s operations center via an electronic link, allowing multiple sailors to see the results at once. With periscopes, smaller is also better since it reduces obvious signs of your presence on the surface – but how to get that without sacrificing needed quality?
Lockheed Martin Corporation Maritime Systems & Sensors in Syracuse, NY recently received an $8.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract and option 2-4, for development of the Low Profile Mast sensor system. The Low Profile Mast program “seeks to develop an electro-optic periscope with a smaller visual cross section for use in tactical situations.” Work will be performed Syracuse, N.Y (50%); Northampton, MA (40%); and Newington, VA (10%), and is expected to be completed by December 2008. The contract was competitively procured and advertised via the Internet, with 2 proposals received by the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport Division in Newport, RI (N66604-07-C-0420). See also Lockheed Martin’s Jan, 2007 release.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products in Burlington, VT received a $9.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00421-05-C-0110) to exercises an option for the procurement of 34 M61A2 20 mm Automatic Gun Systems for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. Work will be performed in Burlington, VT and is expected to be complete in October 2008. The Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.
The 20mm M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically driven, six-barreled, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling gun with an extremely high rate of fire. It has been the principal cannon armament of United States military aircraft for five decades. The M61A2 is mechanically the same as the M61A1, but with thinner barrels to reduce overall mass to 202 lb (91.6 kg).
The College of American Pathologists in Northfield, IL received a $5.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing in Washington, D.C. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov. 6, 2006 by the Center for Health Care Contracting in Fort Sam Houston, TX (W81K04-07-C-0002).
