JCREW: ITT Wins Contracts for Land Mine Jammers
On April 2/07, BB&T Capital Markets upgraded EDO Corporation to “buy,” in part because they thought EDO was well positioned to win a part of the $200-$500 million Counter- Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) contracts going forward. Those contracts came through, with awards for the system EDO now calls the CVRJ (CREW Vehicle Receiver/Jammer). The Pentagon refers to Spiral 2.1 Vehicle Mounted CREW systems, which are one element of the DoD’s Joint Counter RCIED Electronic Warfare program.
CREW systems are vehicle mounted electronic jammers designed to prevent the remote detonation of land mines. These are often triggered by off-the-shelf technology like cell phones, in order to avoid visible wires. EDO makes the Warlock jammer, a derivative of its earlier “Shortstop” product. If only these devices were as widespread in movie theaters and performance halls.
EDO/ITT JCREW Contracts
As the USA buys and fields more mine-resistant MRAP vehicles, IED jammers like the CVRJ and “Lockheed’s” Symphony are a natural accompaniment. ITT is currently on contract for up to 25,000 CREW 2.1 devices, with a potential total contract value of more than $1.7 billion.
Unless otherwise noted, EDO Communications & Countermeasures Systems in Thousand Oaks, CA (now part of ITT) receives these contracts from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, DC. The Navy manages the joint CREW program for Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).
Sept 29/11: A $103 million firm-fixed-price contract to procure 3,351 Band-C upgrade kits, initial spares and consumables, engineering support services hours, and data to upgrade fielded Counter Radio-Controlled Electronic Warfare Vehicle Receiver/ Jammer (CVRJ) Systems.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA, and is expected to complete by January 2013. $447,065 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured as no other source can meet the required schedule for fielding a unit to counter new, emerging threats against military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq (N00024-11-C-6317).
March 16/11: Textron subsidiary AAI Corp. in Hunt Valley, MD receives a $7.9 million contract modification for JCREW universal test sets, to support operational level testing of Joint Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare systems currently in theater.
Work will be performed in Charleston, SC and is expected to be complete by February 2012. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Indian Head Division in Indian Head, MD manages the contract (N00174-10-C-0026).
March 3/11: An $8.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee basic ordering agreement for engineering service support of CREW CVRJ systems fielded in theater, in vehicles and at fixed-site compounds. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%); Yuma, AZ (8%); and Crane, IN (5%), and is expected to be complete by September 2014. $400,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. The US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane N manages this contract (N00164-10-G-WQ22).
Dec 27/10: A $17.1 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to build and and support 265 vehicle-mounted JCREW 2.1 systems for Australia, in support of Afghan operations. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA, and is expected to be complete by June 2011 (N00024-07-C-6311, P00089).
Nov 24/10: A $16.7 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed fee, and cost-only contract for 425 band C upgrade kits, initial spares, depot spares, and engineering support services. The upgrade kits will be used to improve vehicle-mounted RCIED Electronic Warfare 2.1 systems currently in theater in Afghanistan.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA, and is expected to be complete by June 2011. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-11-C-6301).
Aug 20/10: ITT subsidiary EDO Communications & Countermeasures Systems in Thousand Oaks, CA received a $17.7 million contract modification to a firm-fixed-price contract (N00024-07-C-6311). It exercises options for 260 vehicle-mounted CREW 2.1 systems with the Band C ECP upgrade, for deployment in Afghanistan. These CREW 2.1 devices are being bought for use by all American military branches.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA, and is expected to be complete by April 2011. $4.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
April 28/10: A $20.8 million modification to build and support 436 JCREW 2.1 systems with the Band C engineering change proposal upgrade. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA and is expected to be complete by September 2010 (N00024-07-C-6311).
Dec 22/09: A $21.8 million modification to build and support 335 JCREW 2.1 systems to meet urgent Department of Defense requirements in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA, and is expected to be complete by May 2010 (N00024-07-C-6311).
March 4/09: A $316.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-6311), to buy 4,501 JCREW 2.1 systems to meet urgent Department of Defense (DoD) requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA and is expected to be complete by April 2010.
The ITT release says that these devices will be used by the US Marines. It adds that “With this new order, we are now supplying CVRJs to all four branches of the Department of Defense”, and places the value of JCREW 2.1 orders at up to $1.7 billion – a 70% increase from statements made in August 2008.
Oct 21/08: A $205.8 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-6311 for the production and support of 2,866 JCREW 2.1 Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems, in order to meet urgent requirements in the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA and is expected to be complete by April 2009.
Aug 6/08: A $187.4 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-6311, to build and support 2,873 JCREW 2.1 Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems, in order to meet urgent Department of Defense (DoD) requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
ITT’s release says that the entire contract is valued at up to $1 billion, and covers up to 15,000 additional CREW 2.1 devices, plus spares and related equipment. Work on this delivery order of 2,873 devices will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA, and is expected to be complete by April 2009. See also ITT release.
May 9/08: ITT Communications & Countermeasures Systems in Thousand Oaks, CA received a $26.9 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-6311), exercising an option for the production and support of 353 JCREW 2.1 RCIED systems to meet urgent Department of Defense requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%) and is expected to be complete by November 2008.
April 11/08: ITT Communications & Countermeasures Systems in Thousand Oaks, CA ireceived a $45.2 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-6311) for the production and support of 586 JCREW 2.1 Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems to meet urgent Department of Defense (DoD) requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%) and is expected to be complete by November 2008.
March 19/08: ITT Communications & Countermeasures Systems in Thousand Oaks, CA received a $24.8 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-6311, exercising an option for the production and support of 325 JCREW 2.1 Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare systems. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%), and is expected to be complete by November 2008.
Oct 19/07: A $95.2 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-6311), exercising options for production and support of 1,250 JCREW 2.1 Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare systems to meet urgent Department of Defense (DoD) requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%), and is expected to be complete by April 2008.
On Oct 26/07, an EDO release added: “This award is in addition to the 6,350 CVRJ units and the 1,100 MMBJ (Mobile Multi-Band Jammer) units ordered earlier this year.”
Sept 17/07: Mid-size defense contractor ITT Corp. acquires EDO Corp. in a merger. See “ITT Corp. Acquires EDO in $1.7B Deal.”
Sept 14/07: EDO won a $171.8 million firm-fixed-price, time and material/ cost-only modification option for production and support of 2,250 JCREW 2.1 systems, to meet urgent Department of Defense (DoD) requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This contract is for the urgent procurement and support of CREW systems, to be used by forces in each of the military services of the Central Command Area of Responsibility.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%), and is expected to be complete by April 2008. The contract was competitively procured and advertised via the Internet, with 5 proposals received. EDO’s press release adds that:
“This award is in addition to the 4,100 CVRJ units and the 1,100 MMBJ (Mobile Multi-Band Jammer) units ordered earlier this year. In making this award, the Naval Sea Systems Command and the Program Executive Office for Littoral and Mine Warfare exercised options included in the original contract competitively awarded to EDO on April 6. That contract includes options for up to 10,000 units. On September 7, the Department of Defense announced their intention to award an additional contract with options for up to 15,000 units.”
July 16/07: A $209.9 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-6311), exercising options for the production and support of 3,000 vehicle-mounted Spiral 2.1 CREW systems “to meet urgent Department of Defense requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.” Vehicle Mounted CREW systems are one element of the DoD’s Joint Counter RCIED Electronic Warfare program, and the accelerating MRAP program for mine-resistant vehicles probably has a fairly direct connection with the number of jammers ordered.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%), and is expected to be complete by August 2008. This contract was competitively procured under limited competition and advertised via the Internet, with 5 offers received. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. EDO release.
April 13/07: Impact Science & Technology (IST) in Nashua, NH, which was acquired by EDO in late 2006, received a $56.9 million firm-fixed-price, time and material (cost) contract for production and support of 1,100 electronic jammers for use on American land vehicles in Iraq & Afghanistan. The purchase is part of the Counter Radio-controlled improvised explosive device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) program, spiral 2.1, and the devices jam the cell phone signals that are often used to remotely detonate land mines. This contract is for the urgent procurement and support of CREW systems, to be used by forces in each of the military services found in CENTCOM. The Navy manages the joint CREW program for Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Joint IED Defeat Organization.
All funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed Nashua, NH (75%); Dover, NH (18%); Lowell, MS (6.8%); Huntsville, AL (0.2%); and is expected to be complete by May 2008. The contract was competitively procured with 5 offers solicited and 5 offers received by The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-07-C-6319).
April 6/07: An $88 million firm-fixed-price, time-and-material/ cost-only contract, for production and support of up to 10,000 Vehicle Mounted Spiral 2.1 CREW systems, “to meet urgent Department of Defense requirements in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.” While the overall contract could cover up to 10,000 units, this initial order is for 1,100.
Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, CA (87%) and Lancaster, CA (13%), and is expected to be complete by May 2008. This contract was competitively procured under limited competition and advertised via the Internet, with 5 offers received. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC issued the contract (N00024-07-C-6311).
Additional Readings
- WIRED Danger Room (June 14/11) – The Secret History of Iraq’s Invisible War. “…I received an unusual offer from ITT… Company executives were ready to discuss the jammer – its evolution, and its capabilities. They were finally able to retell the largely-hidden battles for the electromagnetic spectrum that raged, invisibly, as the insurgencies carried on. They were prepared to bring me into the R&D facility where company technicians were developing what could amount to the ultimate weapon of this electromagnetic war…”
