USMC Upgrading its AAV7s With M36E3 Thermal Sights
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The Upgraded M36E3 Thermal Sight System is designed to improve the USMC’s AAV7 “Amtracs” amphibious vehicles; as Military Aerospace & Electronics notes, the Amtracs don’t have thermal sights. Instead, the current system employs image intensifier (aka. “starlight scope”) technology that amplifies existing light and has a range of less than 1 km (0.6 miles). Nor do current sights provide the ability to see through smoke, fog, sand or other obscurants to visible light.
The work-in-progress Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle will include far superior optics, but the Marines can’t wait that long. With Amtracs being pressed into service as armored personnel carriers far inland in theaters like Iraq, that’s a serious handicap. The replacement AAV7A1 day/night sight must provide daylight as well as nighttime sighting ability to detect targets to 4.7 km/ 3 miles, recognize targets to 2.5 km/ 1.5 miles, and identify targets at 700 m. See full solicitation specifications [HTML | MS Word].
It would appear that procurement in earnest is now underway…
Contracts
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Unless otherwise specified, the US Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA issed the following contracts:
Aug 3/07: L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics in Mason, OH received $43.9 million for delivery order #0003 under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-order contract (M67854-07-D-6035) for 918 Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) Thermal Sight System (TSS) with a 3-year warranty, to replace the current AAV sight. The contract allows the purchase of up to 1,026 TSS with a 3-year warranty which, if procured would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $49.1 million. Work will be performed in Mason, OH (70%) and Islip, NY (30%), and is expected to be complete December 2008. This contract was competitively procured through full and open best value competition, with 2 offers received and 2 awards made by the Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA.
March 28/07: Raytheon Network Centric Systems in McKinney, TX received $6 million for delivery order #0001 under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite contract (M67854-07-D-6038. It covers 108 Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) Thermal Sight Systems (TSS), with a 3 year warranty, to replace the current AAV sight. The contract allows the purchase of up to 1,026 TSS with a three year warranty which, if procured would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $34.2 million. Work will be performed in McKinney, TX and is expected to be complete August 2007. The base contract was competitively procured through full and open best value competition, and 2 offers were received, with 2 awards made.
March 28/07: L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics in Mason, OH received $5.7 million for delivery order #0001 under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite contract (M67854-07-D-6035) for 108 Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) Thermal Sight Systems (TSS) with a 3 year warranty, to replace the current AAV sight. The contract allows the purchase of up to 1,026 TSS with 3 year warranties, which would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $49.1 million. Work will be performed in Mason, OH (70%) and Islip, NY (30%), and is expected to be complete August 2007. The base contract was competitively procured through full and open best value competition and 2 offers were received, with 2 awards made.
Sept. 18/06: L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics in Mason, OH received a $35.6 million firm-fixed price contract for the testing, evaluation, integration and production of an Upgraded M36E3 Thermal Sight System, plus option Contract Line Items Numbers for associated technical and engineering support. Work will be performed in Mason, OH and is expected to be complete in September 2008. $34.9 million of the contract funds will expire by the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded as a result of a full and open competitive solicitation (M67854-06-C-6022).
