GD’s M1 Abrams System Support Contracts
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The USA’s M1 Abrams tank fleet was fielded in the 1980s, and has undergone a number of modifications and improvements over the subsequent decades. It’s a high-performance, high-maintenance tank – and any vehicle that’s used accumulates wear. Meanwhile, the tides of innovation and technology roll on, and electronic parts in particular may not be available for order 15 years after the tanks were produced. When these realities are coupled with lessons learned about the wear patterns and performance of various components over the years, it becomes possible to gradually architect improvements to the fleet by substituting new components and/or assemblies.
Enter the Abrams systems support contracts. They fund engineering studies on Abrams tanks to identify improvements for the fleet, and replace obsolete parts in order to maintain the USA’s tanks at high operational readiness rates. The contracts have come in a small but steady stream – this article covers all FY 2007 contracts, and future contracts going forward, in order to throw a bit of a spotlight on this effort.
Contracts
Unless otherwise noted, contracts are issued to General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. in Sterling Heights, MI, by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI.
July 9/07: A $54 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams Tank Program. Work is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
July 5/07: A $7.8 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams Tank Program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
July 3/07: A $71.9 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams Tank program. Work is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
June 25/07: A $6 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for systems technical support for the Abrams Tank Program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
June 8/07: a $7.3 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams Tank Program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
May 31/07: An $11.5 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams Tank Program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
May 4/07: A $14 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams tank program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
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March 2/07: A $22.3 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams tank program to include tank urban survivability kits, stay back maintenance, field reset, and Australian field service representative.
Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
Jan 11/07: a $12.6 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for systems technical support for the Abrams Tank program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
Dec 22/06: a $62.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support for the Abrams Tank program. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 8, 2006 (W56HZV-07-C-0046).
