USA military developments

[Neil]

The V-22 itself took quite sometime to get mainstream approval. Wonder what will be the fate of this new craft. But if this is being looked at as a replacement for the C130, then it has a legend to compete with.

every time a new tech arrives in the market it takes time to absorb... my real worry is the cost...V-22 is one of the most costliest aircraft in the world wonder what cost the US military will be buying it for....

 

[Neil]

This could be a good alternative to landing in inaccessible areas with no runways,possibly even more practical than C-17's?? Which need crude runways.

do u think that it can land on aircraft carriers...??

 

[Yusuf]

Exactly my thoughts.. the 130 is a cost effective plane..if the V-44 is thougth about replacing the 130, it will have to be extraordinary. the design itself i think would make it expensive and also the maintenance of the plane would be quite high.. I would also imagine it would guzzle fuel and hence be limited in range.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

do u think that it can land on aircraft carriers...??

That would not be the primary role

 

[nandu]

New AFRL Program Focuses On Aircraft Energy

Directed-energy weapons and advanced sensors in next-generation combat aircraft will demand power and cooling beyond the capabilities of today's technology and could prompt a fundamental change in the design of aircraft systems.

Keen to avoid the thermal-management "nightmares" that confronted developers of the stealthy fifth-generation F-22 and F-35, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is launching the Energy-Optimized Aircraft program to demonstrate a new approach to generating, storing, consuming and dissipating energy on aircraft.

Separately, the Air Force and Navy have begun defining their requirements for sixth-generation fighters under the label "next-generation air dominance" (NGAD). The Navy is looking at service entry around 2025, and the Air Force around 2030. While these dates are certain to slip, the 15-year timescales between development start and service entry for the F-22 and F-35 mean technology needs to be ready by 2015 at the earliest.

Keeping stealthy aircraft surfaces cool was a problem during flight testing of the F-22 in the California desert. To eliminate inlets and exhausts, stealth aircraft dump heat into the fuel, becoming "flying Thermos bottles."

After the thermal-management challenges of the F-22 and F-35, AFRL launched the Integrated Vehicle and Energy Technology (Invent) in 2008 to develop hybrid electric systems technology with the goal of increasing aircraft range and endurance as well as power and cooling capacity.

The original program plan was to have three five-year spirals, but the first is now complete and AFRL is starting early with Spiral 2. "We started looking near-term at F-35-like fifth-gen vehicles that did not have advanced-cycle engines and were constrained to JSF-level technology," says Steve Iden, AFRL program manager. "[In Spiral 1] we found we could have an impact, getting 8-10% better range by working the subsystems."

Spiral 2 is an effort to pull together advanced engines, systems and aircraft designs from an energy perspective. "We've defined the concept of the energy-optimized aircraft, which steps above more-electric systems and sets goals at the vehicle level," he says. "We don't know what the benefit would be. It could be 50%—that's the challenge [for industry]."

The Energy Optimized Aircraft (EOA) program is a five-year effort that will culminate in an integrated ground demonstration. AFRL is providing $26.6 million, with industry expected to contribute about the same in cost sharing. Iden says suppliers will invest toward improving the energy efficiency of their systems. Bids for the EOA program are due by late August.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...e=New AFRL Program Focuses On Aircraft Energy

 

[nandu]

Navy Balances Wants And Needs

It must come from the sea," said the chief of naval operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, recently about any new U.S. Navy procurement, leaving open to interpretation the programs and projects that will be included in coming budgets.

The Navy is "reimagining naval power," he said. "With cyber-power and unmanned systems we must ask ourselves fundamental questions." If new capabilities proposed for procurement do not "come from the sea," Roughead is not interested.

The Navy no longer has the luxury of being interested in every new program or platform. The defense budget is getting slimmer. And pressure is coming from above to trim programs deemed unnecessary or inefficient.

"The Navy and Marine Corps must reexamine and question basic assumptions in light of evolving technologies, threats and budget realities," Defense Secretary Robert Gates told an audience at the Navy's Sea-Air-Space symposium here. "We cannot afford to perpetuate a status quo that heaps more expensive technologies onto fewer platforms." He questioned whether a Navy that "relies on $3-6-billion destroyers, $7-billion submarines and $11-billion carriers" is affordable.

"The biggest question is what are we going to afford?" Roughead said. "There is no way we can spend our way out of this challenge. We have to think our way out." This is not a local problem, it is a global issue, he added. Every country faces cutbacks, and partnerships among nations may prove one way to maintain a strong maritime presence without having to spend more money.

The fundamental need for power projection will not change, Roughead noted, although the global financial climate will. "In the U.S. we must juxtapose the realities of a compressed defense budget against the growing demand for military, and especially naval, power," he said.

Roughead said "it is time to act," and cited programs the Navy has trimmed or truncated. "We canceled two littoral combat ships because of excessive cost," he said. "We've canceled missile programs because we were not getting the return on investment we would like." He also noted the streamlining of departments within the Navy, a new focus on managing manpower, ownership and energy costs, and more solid budget plans.

But will it be enough? And will the cuts leave the Navy with gaps in capability? Gates thinks not. Referring to the Navy's plan to have 11 carrier strike groups through 2040, Gates acknowledged, "The need to project power across the ocean will never go away . . . but consider the massive overmatch the U.S. already enjoys. Do we really need 11 carrier strike groups for another 30 years when no other country has more than one?"

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its assessment in May that the Navy's latest shipbuilding plan is not executable as written—it is underfunded and incapable of growing the fleet.

In a report publicized May 26, CBO noted the average total cost to implement the Navy's current 30-year shipbuilding plan will come to $21 billion per year. That is about 18% higher than the Navy's overall estimates. CBO said it accounted for steeper growth of labor and material costs than the Navy did in its estimates, which helps explain the divergence in figures. CBO's estimates are 4% higher than the Navy's in the first 10 years of the Navy plan, 13% higher for the next decade and 37% higher in the final 10 years.

CBO also noticed the Navy's shipbuilding plan "appears to increase the required size of the fleet compared with earlier plans, while reducing the number of ships to be purchased—and thus the costs for ship construction—over the next three decades." The Navy's three previous long-term plans specified a 313-ship fleet at its peak, while the 2011 plan totals 322 or 323, according to CBO.

But Roughead stands behind the numerous plans and strategies that have emerged in recent months. "We are committed to our 2007 Maritime Strategy," as well as to the National Security Strategy, the Navy's future as laid out in the Quadrennial Defense Review and the latest Navy Operations Concept, he said. The service hopes to achieve its strategic goals despite financial problems with the fleet it has now. And Roughead believes the key to success lies in building strong bilateral relationships.

"The U.S. Navy does not need to do everything, nor do we want to," he said. "Global challenges require global response."

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...73.xml&headline=Navy Balances Wants And Needs

 

[nandu]

USS Nevada Getting in Fighting Shape After Refueling

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the USS Nevada Gold Crew take charge of the boat during a crew split and assumption of command ceremony Monday at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

A crew split and assumption of command was held for the USS Nevada after work was completed on the Trident ballistic submarine at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

Cmdr. Peter Hudson assumed command of the sub's Gold Crew and Cmdr. Edward Schrader accepted the Blue Crew during a ceremony Monday at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

The Nevada entered the shipyard on Feb. 8, 2008, for a regularly scheduled refueling overhaul, and became the first Ohio-class submarine to complete one on schedule, according to its command, Submarine Group Nine. The refueling will allow it to remain in service for another 20 years.

Schrader commanded Nevada's Green Crew, comprising sailors from both the Blue and Gold crews, during part of its time in the shipyard.

"In the five months since I have been in command, I have seen Nevada transform from a shipyard boat tied to a pier to an operational submarine capable of performing its mission," he said.

Green Crew sailors stood together on the pier until they were ordered to separate. They quickly formed into Blue and Gold crews, and the Gold Crew crossed over the brow onto the ship to officially take charge of Nevada.

Hudson said his goals for the crew will be to operate safely in port and at sea while completing certification to return to strategic service on time.

"We will be executing a fast-paced and comprehensive training program to return the ship to fighting shape, and I am looking forward to our first strategic deterrent patrol where we will operate independently in support of national policy," he said.

Next, Nevada will take part in "underways" where the crews become proficient in operating the 18,750-ton submarine. Then it will go on a demonstration and shakedown operation to certify the weapons system, according to Submarine Group Nine.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jul/14/uss-nevada-getting-in-fighting-shape-after/

 

[Neil]

US Senators raise alarms over more C-17 add-ons

Two US Senators are concerned that fellow legislators on the appropriations committee are likely to add funding to buy more Boeing C-17s, despite strong opposition from the Obama administration.

Arizona Senator John McCain and Delaware Senator Thomas Carper took the unusual step of organising a hearing outside the normal appropriations process on 14 July specifically to question the affordability of adding even more C-17s to the US Air Force strategic airlift fleet.

Congress has inserted about $10 billion to add 43 C-17s to military budgets since 2007, when the Bush administration originally attempted to shut down the production line in Long Beach, California.

The Obama administration adopted the same policy, but was ignored by legislators who in 2009 voted to add 18 more C-17s in two separate spending bills, raising the USAF's total fleet of the type to 223 aircraft.

So far, the four committees that administer the defence appropriations process have not added funds for more C-17s this year, but that could still change, McCain says.

He cites the strong possibility that fellow senators on the appropriations committee may add funds for C-17s as the reason for the 14 July hearing, which was hosted by Carper's Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee.

"Let's be clear: the only thing sustaining the C-17 programme in the face of a military requirement that is and will likely remain satisfied is the predominance of the military-industrial complex," McCain says. "These machinations should end."

Although the USAF has not asked for additional funds, the Air National Guard has published a list of unfunded priorities that include a need for five more C-17s worth $1.3 billion.

USAF officials at the hearing testified that the strategic airlift fleet is over capacity by 10%. That analysis drove the decision to stop C-17 production after 2012 and retire 22 of the least reliable Lockheed Martin C-5As, they say.

Boeing is working to keep production alive by slowing the rate of deliveries from 15 last year to 10 in 2012, while maintaining current prices. The company also is pursuing more foreign sales opportunities, including a potential order in India for 10 aircraft

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...tors-raise-alarms-over-more-c-17-add-ons.html

 

[Neil]

BAE to ramp up work on JSF production

As the USA's sole Level One partner on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the UK has a pivotal role in the Pentagon's largest ever procurement effort as a customer and as an industrial participant.

Thanks to its status as one of Lockheed Martin's production partners on the Lightning II, BAE Systems is dramatically expanding its manufacturing capabilities in the north-west of England to prepare for a major ramp-up in work to occur by the middle of this decade.

With its responsibilities including the production of the aft fuselage and horizontal and vertical tails for every F-35 built, BAE has a roughly 16% stake in the JSF programme. This also covers its production of the heat-resistant nozzle bay door for the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B, which will enter service with the UK Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, the US Marine Corps and Italy.

BAE is also the lead company on the JSF's fuel system, and works with Martin-Baker on its pilot life support and escape system. It is also assisting with the F-35B's integration with the RN's Queen Elizabeth-class future aircraft carriers, each of which will be able to carry up to 36 fighters. Separately, its BAE Systems Inc business in the USA will supply electronic warfare equipment.

The scale of BAE's involvement has required major ongoing investment at its Samlesbury site in Lancashire. This was the location for the production of major components for the Eurofighter Typhoon, and previously played host to English Electric's manufacture of the UK's original Lightning fighter.

"The work at Samlesbury is across the whole programme," says Mick Ord, BAE's managing director, Lightning II, speaking at the company's one year-old headquarters building for JSF-related activities. The zero-emission structure cost over £26 million ($39 million) to build, and is part of a more than £200 million facilities transformation linked directly to the F-35.

Manufacturing activities at Samlesbury are now at a level where BAE ships one aircraft set of equipment to Lockheed's final assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas every 15 days, and its existing infrastructure could cut this to a nine-day cycle. However, along with Lockheed's other suppliers, the company is faced with a steep ramp-up in activities to meet the programme's plan of completing one aircraft every working day by around fiscal year 2016; or 220 over a 12-month period.

This coincides with when the Department of Defense's first multi-year procurement contract for the Lightning II should come into effect.

"We are doubling the final assembly line size for JSF, and will expand again to keep ahead of the one-a-day curve," Ord says. New construction work will result in an enlarged flow line facility opening by mid-2011. This in time will achieve one delivery every three working days, with parts moved between workstations using an overhead rail system.

The planned final extension will push the company to meeting its one-a-day goal, but it already has plans in place to outsource work in assembling some horizontal and vertical tails to subcontractors in Australia, Canada and Denmark.

Elsewhere on the Samlesbury site, a new machining facility should cut its first metal for an F-35 by September. By around mid-2011, two flexible manufacturing systems will be operational, with a combined 16 machines worth £3-4 million each cutting titanium structures. BAE says its investment in such technology will cut 40% from the time needed to prepare parts for the JSF, and contribute to the programme's cost-saving efforts.

Past investments in precision final assembly techniques for the Typhoon have already benefited the F-35, while the STOVL variant's nozzle bay door is made using the same method developed for its titanium foreplanes.

"We've got to be able to meet cost, schedule and quality targets and the standards required," says Ord. "We operate a pretty global supply chain, and don't have a single point of failure that could shut the line." BAE has two supply chain managers for the F-35, previously employed by Airbus UK.

BAE now has around 1,000 UK employees working on the F-35 programme, and will add around 500 new positions as its production activities ramp up. It also has roughly 80 staff working directly on the programme in the USA, including 50 at Fort Worth, and around 30 who support flight testing of the F-35B at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.

Beyond its production involvement, which is likely to continue until around 2038, BAE expects to secure 10% of through-life support business on the F-35 out to around 2065. Support activities represent 40% of the company's total work by value and form a major part of its international business strategy.

Under the "programme of record" cited by Lockheed, the UK has a requirement for 138 F-35s, having selected the STOVL variant for its Joint Combat Aircraft requirement.

The new type is to replace its BAE Harrier GR9s, which should leave service around 2018. However, the RAF's 4 Sqn was disbanded this year, and further reductions to the current fleet could come via the ongoing Strategic Defence and Security Review process.

Further cuts to the Harrier force could have a potential knock-on effect on the UK's planned fleet requirement for the F-35B, as could any alteration to the navy's order for new aircraft carriers.

"We've got a reasonable idea on the cost of JSF," chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton said during Shephard's RAF Air Power conference in London late last month. "Now we've got to work on the through-life costs."

Dalton used the event to outline his long-term vision for the RAF, which if realised would see its combat aircraft fleets rationalised to just two types: the F-35 and Typhoon. Both systems will be valuable assets in future combat intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance mix, he says.

Considerable work has already been conducted to prepare for the UK's future operation of the F-35B. Qinetiq's VAAC Harrier test aircraft supported the development of its flight control laws, and also tested a shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) technique. This will enable the STOVL type to return to the carrier's deck at a greater landing weight, allowing unused stores to be kept on the wing, rather than jettisoned before landing.

Developed for the UK as an alternative to making a vertical landing, the concept also has the backing of the USMC, which plans to adopt the procedure when operating its F-35Bs from the US Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.

Now installed at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, Qinetiq's simulator for the VAAC Harrier - being adapted for additional use by the Empire Test Pilots' School - perfectly demonstrates the generational advance brought by the F-35B.

Flying an approach to the RN's new aircraft carrier in sea state six should be a daunting prospect for a novice pilot. But a single button press slows the aircraft to 60kt (110km/h) and automatically configures its flaps and nozzle deflection, making it a matter of merely flying an approach angle of 6-7° towards a series of white lights on the deck.

Such design traits go to showcase the F-35B's attraction for military user and industry alike.

Each of the Royal Navy's ski jump-equipped Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers will be able to carry up to 36 F-35Bs

UK's STOVL HERITAGE LIFTS F-35B TEST PROGRAMME

The UK became the originator of short take-off and vertical landing design when in 1960 Hawker Siddeley made the first flight of its P.1127 prototype, the aircraft that would go on to become known as the Harrier.

Decades of experience in STOVL design and operation led to the UK becoming heavily involved in the design of Lockheed Martin's F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. This differs markedly from its predecessor through the addition of supersonic performance, but crucially, also brings a generational leap in how it is flown.

The man who knows perhaps the most about new-generation STOVL operations is a BAE Systems test pilot of more than 25 years experience, and who flew the Harrier operationally for the Royal Air Force. This year, F-35 lead STOVL pilot Graham Tomlinson grabbed a place in the history books by making the first vertical landing involving the type.

Tomlinson describes the flying characteristics of the Harrier and JSF as being like "chalk and cheese".

"The Harrier has been, and remains, a miracle for the era when it was developed, but the aeroplane can bite you," he says. "JSF is absolutely transformational. All the pilots say it's ridiculously easy to fly, but it should be."

BAE has around 25 personnel based at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, where flight testing of the STOVL aircraft is under way, also involving Lockheed and US Marine Corps pilots. Five F-35Bs will make around 1,900 flights during the programme's ongoing system development and demonstration phase.

Lead JSF test pilot Graham Tomlinson, BAE Systems
© BAE Systems
BAE's Tomlinson describes the JSF as 'ridiculously easy to fly' - even in its STOVL version

Achieved by making a single button press, the F-35B's transition from forward flight to the hover is a world away from the multitude of control demands placed on a Harrier pilot today.

"All the conversions done have been faultless," says Tomlinson, who on 18 March made the first vertical landing using test aircraft BF-1. "There's a lot of drag when you open that lift fan door, and you as the pilot notice that. But we've got plenty of power. When you spin up that [Rolls-Royce] lift fan you've got 40,000lb of thrust available: that more than compensates."

Flight testing of the F-35B - the first of three JSF variants to enter service - is at a "careful, cautious and considered" pace. "We're matching the predicted line," he says.

One key aspect of UK-specific testing will start at Patuxent River next year, and involves the use of a "ski jump" to assist with take off from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

F-35Bs have already demonstrated short take-off performance for operations from the USMC's Wasp-class amphibious assault ships, and Tomlinson comments: "The ski jump worries me less. The aircraft even knows when it's on a ski jump, so all the pilot needs to do is to put the power on at the start of the run."

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...gh-bae-to-ramp-up-work-on-jsf-production.html

 

[Neil]

Northrop joins race for next SIGINT aircraft fleet for US Army

Northrop Grumman has formally entered the race to win a US Army contract to deliver a new fleet of signals intelligence aircraft.

The announcement adds the company to a growing list of declared rivals - including Boeing and L-3 Communications - bidding for the enhanced medium-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance system (EMARSS).

The army wants a prime contractor to integrate a small but sophisticated suite of multiple SIGINT collectors on to Beechcraft King Air 350ERs.

Payloads include an electro-optical camera and low-band communications interceptors.

Northrop has not revealed details about the proposal submitted to the army before the 25 June deadline. But it already boasts deep connections within the service's airborne SIGINT community. Northrop supports the RC-12 Guardrail fleet and supplies the Hunter Green Dart payload for the MQ-5B Hunter unmanned air system.

More recently, Northrop also won an army contract to deliver a hybrid airship called the long-endurance multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV), which is expected to remain on station for up to three weeks. Northrop is partnered with UK-based Hybrid Air Vehicles for the project.

By comparison, L-3 is a major player in the SIGINT community, supplying the King Air 350-based MC-12 Liberty fleet to the US Air Force and the Shorts C-23B Sherpa-based Constant Hawk system to the army.

Boeing, meanwhile, has recently launched a strategic move to expand into the airborne SIGINT market. Recent acquisitions include SIGINT subcontractors Digital Receiver Technologies and Argon ST.

The army launched EMARSS in late 2009 after dropping a plan to relaunch a competition for a jet-powered Aerial Common Sensor fleet.

Instead, the service now plans to deploy an aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system with several layers, including the AAI RQ-7 Shadow and Boeing A160 Hummingbird UAS, EMARSS and the LEMV airship.

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...ce-for-next-sigint-aircraft-fleet-for-us.html

 

[Yatharth Singh]

Flight Demonstrations of MQ-8B Fire Scout VUAS in United Arab Emirates

With the support of the United States Navy, Northrop Grumman Corporation and its industry partners (Sikorsky/Schweizer, Rolls-Royce, Raytheon, FLIR Systems, Cubic, Kearfott, Rockwell-Collins, General Electric, Sierra Nevada, Telephonics, and L-3 Communications) today successfully completed a rigorous set of flight demonstrations of the MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical unmanned aerial system (VUAS) in the United Arab Emirates under extreme environmental conditions.

The test flights were conducted in early July over a ten day period in the United Arab Emirates. They validated Fire Scout's steady system maturation and helped signal its readiness for the U.S. Navy's upcoming Operational Evaluation of the system, planned for late 2010 aboard the USS Halyburton (FFG-40).

"We welcome Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy to the UAE for continued testing of the Fire Scout," said Ali Al Yafei of ADASI (Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investment). "As a VUAS, Fire Scout has many unique capabilities to offer and we're looking forward to reviewing the results of this in-country testing."

The Fire Scout demonstrations included numerous takeoffs and landings in hot, windy and sandy conditions in temperatures as high as 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit). The VUAS also conducted various test flights at altitudes up to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) . These demonstration missions included non-line-of-sight operations that showcased Fire Scout's ability to operate autonomously in remote locations, and its FLIR Systems electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensing capabilities used to locate and acquire targets.

Video imagery from the testing was presented today at a post-testing event to an audience of interested multi-national government agencies, and domestic and international media. The imagery, a compilation of video produced by Fire Scout's sensors during field trials, demonstrated the VUAS's real-time imagery-transmission capability, a vital element of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions it performs for military forces.

"Today's demonstration was very impressive and reinforces the continued maturation of the Fire Scout system and its capabilities," said John Brooks, president of Northrop Grumman International Inc. "Northrop Grumman thanks the UAE for being such a gracious host and offering us the opportunity to test Fire Scout in the extreme heat of summer. The UAE represents an important partnership for Northrop Grumman and our customers internationally demand the best. We are committed to continuing to meet and exceed their expectations."

The only U.S. Department of Defense VUAS program of record, Fire Scout is a mature, flexible and reliable system whose capabilities can serve as a true force multiplier.

"The capabilities that Fire Scout delivers to warfighters really stood out today," said Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager for the Strike and Surveillance Systems Division of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "It's clear from this demonstration that Fire Scout can do exactly what it's designed to do: extend the range at which we can gather crucial information during peacekeeping or wartime missions."

 

[nandu]

Navy's most cutting-edge submarine tech ever

GROTON, Conn.--In 2007, at the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding yard in Newport News, Va.--where the first of the next-generation aircraft carrier class, the Gerald R. Ford, is currently under construction--the U.S. Navy rolled out the North Carolina, the fourth of the Virginia class of fast attack nuclear submarines.

Today, the North Carolina (SSN 777) is stationed at the New London Submarine Base here, commanded by Wes Schlauder. The Virginia is the first class of submarines to have true 21st century on-board communications, including a fiber optic Intranet, large digital screens placed throughout the ship that show what is being viewed through the periscope, and even a server room.

As part of Road Trip 2010, CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman got a special, two-hour tour of the North Carolina (see here) from Schlauder.

http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10004153.html?tag=mncol

 

[Neil]

US to send National Guard to Mexican border in August

US National Guard troops will begin deploying along the US-Mexico border from 1 August, officials say

The 1,200 troops, ordered to the border by President Barack Obama, form part of efforts to tackle illegal immigration and drug-trafficking.

They will be in the four border states, with Arizona getting the largest share.

A controversial new state law is due to come into effect in Arizona on 29 July making it a crime to be in the state without without immigration papers.

Several lawsuits, including one by the federal government, have been filed challenging the legislation.

Suspicious movement...::
The National Guard troops would be fully operational by September, Alan Bersin, the commission of Customs and Border Protection, told a news conference on Monday.

"The border is more secure and more resourced than it has ever been, but there is more to be done," he said.

In May, President Obama announced that he would seek $500m (£350m) in new funding and deploy the troops to help secure the border.

The soldiers, who will be armed but can only fire in self-defence, will mainly be deployed to observe suspicious movement along the border and will report to Border Patrol agents.

They are to stay for a year, allowing time to hire and train more agents, officials said.

Arizona will receive 524 troops; Texas 250, California 224 and New Mexico 72, while 130 will be part of a national liaison office.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer welcomed the administration's efforts but said the deployment did not "appear to be enough or tied to a strategy to comprehensively defeat the increasingly violent drug and alien-smuggling cartels" that operate in Arizona on a daily basis".

The new Arizona legislation will require state and local officers to query the immigration status of people stopped for a legitimate reason who arouse suspicion of being in the US illegally.

The Arizona legislature says it was forced to act because the federal government failed to do so.

The US justice department is challenging the law, arguing it as it usurps the federal administration's authority to set immigration policy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10695736

 

[SHASH2K2]

Pentagon Faces Intensifying Pressures to Trim Budget
WASHINGTON — After nearly a decade of rapid increases in military spending, the Pentagon is facing intensifying political and economic pressures to restrain its budget, setting up the first serious debate since the terrorist attacks of 2001 about the size and cost of the armed services.

Lawmakers, administration officials and analysts said the combination of big budget deficits, the winding down of the war in Iraq and President Obama's pledge to begin pulling troops from Afghanistan next year were leading Congress to contemplate reductions in Pentagon financing requests.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has sought to contain the budget-cutting demands by showing Congress and the White House that he can squeeze more efficiency from the Pentagon's bureaucracy and weapons programs and use the savings to maintain fighting forces.

But the increased pressure is already showing up in efforts by Democrats in Congress to move more quickly than senior Pentagon officials had expected in trimming the administration's budget request for next year.

And in the longer term, with concern mounting about the government's $13 trillion debt, a bipartisan deficit-reduction commission is warning that cuts in military spending could be needed to help the nation dig out of its financial hole.

"We're going to have to take a hard look at defense if we are going to be serious about deficit reduction," said Erskine B. Bowles, a chief of staff to President Bill Clinton who is a co-chairman of the deficit commission. Senator Judd Gregg, a Republican from New Hampshire who is also on the debt commission, said that if the panel pushes for cuts in discretionary spending, "defense should be looked at," perhaps through another base-closing commission.

Mr. Gates is calling for the Pentagon's budget to keep growing in the long run at 1 percent a year after inflation, plus the costs of the war. It has averaged an inflation-adjusted growth rate of 7 percent a year over the last decade (nearly 12 percent a year without adjusting for inflation), including the costs of the wars. So far, Mr. Obama has asked Congress for an increase in total spending next year of 2.2 percent, to $708 billion — 6.1 percent higher than the peak under the Bush administration.

Mr. Gates is arguing that if the Pentagon budget is allowed to keep growing by 1 percent a year, he can find 2 percent or 3 percent in savings in the department's bureaucracy to reinvest in the military — and that will be sufficient money to meet national security needs. In one of the paradoxes of Washington budget battles, Mr. Gates, even as he tries to forestall deeper cuts, is trying to kill weapons programs he says the military does not need over the objections of members of Congress who want to protect jobs.

Mr. Gates enjoys bipartisan support on Capitol Hill and has considerable sway within the administration. But while he may hold the line against major cuts for now, analysts say support for military spending could erode quickly once the Pentagon withdraws a substantial number of troops from Afghanistan.

"In the case of the Pentagon, they have been living very fat and very happy for so very long that they've almost lost touch with reality," said Gordon Adams, who oversaw national-security budgets under President Clinton.

Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Democrat of Hawaii and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that he would be looking first at tax increases and changes in Social Security and Medicare to lower the deficit, and that there was "no way" Congress would make major cuts in the military while more than 100,000 troops were still at war. But once most of them return, "I'm pretty certain cuts are coming — in defense and the whole budget," he said.

The course of the war in Afghanistan will no doubt have an impact on the debate, as might the outcome of the midterm elections and ultimately the 2012 presidential race.

But the first signs of pressure on military spending have surfaced, as both the House and the Senate are moving to trim the administration's Pentagon budget request for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

The Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee voted last week to cut $8 billion from the Pentagon's request for an $18 billion increase in its basic operations.

Representative Norm ****s, Democrat of Washington and chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, is planning to trim $7 billion from the administration's budget request. "There's a lot of support up here for restraint," he said.
In the short run, the worries about the deficit could help Mr. Gates halt the two main arms programs he has identified this year — an alternate engine for the new Joint Strike Fighter and the purchase of five more C-17 cargo planes from Boeing.
General Electric and Rolls-Royce have been lobbying hard to save their engine, which would compete with another one for up to $100 billion of business.

Mr. Inouye said that with the administration's opposition, "and faced with a deficit, that deal is dead."

Mr. Gates sought to set the terms of the broader debate with a speech in May at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kan.

"Military spending on things large and small can and should expect closer, harsher scrutiny," Mr. Gates said. "The gusher has been turned off, and will stay off for a good period of time."

Mr. Gates followed up with orders for the armed services and the Pentagon's agencies to find $7 billion in spending cuts and efficiencies for 2012, growing to $37 billion annually by 2016.

Rahm Emanuel, Mr. Obama's chief of staff, said the president fully supported Mr. Gates's initiatives, which already have set in motion savings from canceling or trimming more three dozen weapons systems in 2009. "This is not business as usual," Mr. Emanuel said.

Senior administration officials said they hoped Mr. Gates's effort would help quiet critics who asked why military spending had been exempted from the president's order for a 5 percent cut in the budgets of most domestic agencies.

At the moment, the administration projects that the Pentagon's base budget and the extra war spending will peak at $708 billion in the coming fiscal year, though analysts say it is likely that the Pentagon will need at least $30 billion more in supplemental war financing then.

Two-thirds of Pentagon spending is on personnel costs. It is possible that the Pentagon will have to look for the first time at cuts to the health benefits provided to active and retired military personnel and their families.

Some analysts said the Pentagon would eventually come under pressure to reduce the size of the armed forces.

Mr. Adams, the Clinton administration budget official, wrote in a recent analysis that for "any real savings on defense budgets to occur, end strength must shrink." But the Pentagon strongly opposes cutting the number of troops, said Peter R. Orszag, director of the president's Office of Management and Budget.

"Secretary Gates and the military leadership have made it very clear that they do not support a reduction in end strength," Mr. Orszag said.

He said there is little comparison to the last period of significant cuts in military spending and personnel — in the 1990s, after the collapse of communism.

"During the end of the cold war, one could imagine a significant downsizing of the American military," Mr. Orszag said. "That is a fundamentally different proposition than the situation we find ourselves in today."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/us/politics/23budget.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world

 

[Neil]

US military curbs 'reduce' Afghan attacks in some areas

Attempts to reduce civilian casualties caused by US-led forces in Afghanistan have led to a decline in insurgent attacks in some areas, a report says.

The document by America's National Bureau for Economic Research analysed incidents involving more than 4,000 civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

The curbs on aerial bombing and mortar fire were introduced last year by the recently sacked Gen Stanley McChrystal.

The general ended his army career at a ceremony in Washington on Friday.

Meanwhile, military officials confirmed on Saturday that four US personnel were killed in southern Afghanistan - continuing a recent upsurge in violence there.

Gen McChrystal was fired from his job as commander of multinational forces in Afghanistan by US President Barack Obama last month over a magazine interview in which he made disparaging remarks about the president and senior colleagues.

In an emotional farewell speech at Fort McNair parade ground, Gen McChrystal said his service had not ended as he had hoped, but he regretted few decisions he had made on the battlefield and was optimistic about his future.

Gen McChrystal, his wife Annie by his side, was given full military honours including a 17-gun salute.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates paid tribute to him, saying: "Over the past decade, arguably no single American has inflicted more fear, more loss of freedom and more loss of life on our country's most vicious and violent enemies than Stan McChrystal."

Gen McChrystal's successor, Gen David Petraeus, is reportedly considering loosening the restrictions on international forces.

Primary driver
The authors of the report by the Massachusetts-based National Bureau of Economic Research say they analysed 15 months of data on military clashes and incidents totalling more than 4,000 civilian deaths in a number of Afghan regions in the period ending on 1 April.

They say that in areas where two civilians were killed or injured by Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), there were on average an extra six violent incidents between insurgents and US-led troops in the following six weeks.

The report concludes that civilian deaths frequently motivate villagers to join the ranks of insurgents.

"In Afghanistan, when Isaf units kill civilians, this increases the number of willing combatants, leading to an increase in insurgent attacks."

"Local exposure to violence from Isaf appears to be the primary driver of this effect."

The curbs were imposed by Gen McChrystal in an effort to win more Afghan hearts and minds.

Those rules ban air and mortar strikes on houses unless allied troops are in immediate danger.

But some soldiers have complained that the restrictions make their jobs more dangerous.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10746832

 

[Neil]

Defence firm launches iPhone for missile training

The Patriot anti-missile system now has its own iPhone app, developed by US defence firm Raytheon.

Patriot Crew Drill is a multiple-choice game, designed as a refresher tool for missile troops.

The game, which will not be available on Apple's App Store, will help keep Patriot troops, assigned to other duties, up to speed on the working and mechanics of the system.

Raytheon has said it intends to launch a number of iPhone military apps.

The firm's Roopa Bhide told BBC News that the firm had put the app together as a result of the manpower demands made on the US military; a knock-on effect from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It's quite common for troops - who in peacetime would be dedicated to operating the Patriot anti-missile system - to be sent to front line duties," she said.

Soldiers are typically sent out to Afghanistan and Iraq for tours lasting one year.

"As a result, these soldiers tend to get rusty as their focus is elsewhere," said Mrs Bhide.

"This app will help refresh those skills," she added.

The app runs a soldier through the different steps they must go through to assemble and set up the Patriot anti-missile system.

The soldier is presented with a scenario, with three multiple-choice questions to answer.

Successfully answer the question and the app moves onto the next step; fail and they get a dressing down from the "virtual" Staff Sergeant.

There's an app for that
This is not the first military iPhone application from the US military defence contractor.

At the end of 2009, Raytheon said it would develop a suite of combat apps that would make the iPhone a suitable tool for use in a war zone.

At the time, the firm said it would work on an app called One Force Tracker that would use GPS and cellular networks to track the position of friendly troops on the battlefield; there would also be the possibility to track enemy targets, although it remains to be seen how that would be achieved.

A spokesman for Raytheon said that particular app was still in the concept phase and was a "long way off" becoming operational.

The concept of using smartphones as battlefield tools has been growing in military circles.

With shrinking budgets, defence contractors are looking at ways of using existing equipment, rather than designing a dedicated piece of kit from scratch.

It is thought the first military app was Knight's Armament Company's BulletFlight, a utility for snipers that enabled them to work out the trajectory of bullets based on ammunition type, environmental conditions and other variable factors. The iPhone can be mounted on the right of the gun, enabling the shooter to have one eye on the target and the other on the app.

Unlike Raytheon's app, BulletFlight is available on Apple's App Store.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10724344

 

[Neil]

First JHSV To Be Delivered To Army In 2012

The future U.S. Army Vessel (USAV) Spearhead is expected to be delivered to the Army's 7th Sustainment Brigade in 2012.

The second ship of the Joint High Speed Vessel program, the future USNS Vigilant, will be delivered to the Navy the following year.

The Army and Navy authenticated the keel for the Spearhead on July 22 at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., which traditionally marks the beginning of ship construction.

The commercially designed, non-combatant vessel is the result of recent Pentagon-ordered consolidation of the Army Theater Support Vessel and the Navy High Speed Connector. Consequently, the consolidated program was able to hammer out a military design within four years of starting the rival efforts, and now military officials are touting faster shipbuilding. With the Pentagon's consolidation, Austal constructed a "modular manufacturing facility" in November 2009 to accelerate its capacity fivefold while cutting construction time.

According to Naval Sea Systems Command, the ships will be capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nm. at an average speed of 35 kt. They will be able to operate in shallow-draft waters, working with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank (M1A2), for example. Other joint requirements include an aviation flight deck to support 24-hr. air vehicle launch-and-recovery operations

pic....http://www.aviationweek.com/media/images/defense_images/Ships/JHSV_Austal.jpg

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene... Be Delivered To Army In 2012&channel=defense

 

[nrj]

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Tactical Network Planner for U.S. Army

Three-Dimensional Situational Awareness Integrated into Tactical Communications Planner

During the recent Joint Users Interoperability Communications Exercise (JUICE), warfighters used a Lockheed Martin tactical network planner that incorporated three-dimensional situational awareness to facilitate mobile, ad hoc networking. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] demonstrated a web-enabled, Tactical Communications Planner (TCP) that utilized modeling and simulation tools and analysis algorithms to meet the challenges of today's highly dynamic tactical edge networks.

"Today's tactical communications planning and management software suffers from several operational constraints including limited connectivity, constrained bandwidth, and lack of integrated planning tools to reduce network planning timeline and complexity," said Mark Norris, Vice President with Lockheed Martin's IS&GS-Defense. "Our planner showed that these capabilities can be automated to provide a flexible and pervasive networking capability that addresses the challenges of modern battlefields."

During the three week exercise, the TCP met or exceeded 98 percent of JUICE test requirements. The Planner showed how theater to unit level forces can plan and coordinate tactical networks and communications systems in real-time. The web-enabled, net-centric tool was used in various scenarios, providing users with real-time and rapid re-planning capabilities, peer to peer and hierarchical planning. A three dimensional map provided geographic imaging of planned equipment locations and helped determine optimal placement, enabling the user to view the terrain of an area early in the planning process.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

Source

 

[vikramrana_1812]

USAF Contracts for New Uniforms and Clothing

In March 2006, "Fractal Creep: New Digitized Camo Uniforms for USAF, USN, Jordan" looked at some of the new fractal camouflage patterns emerging on the market, and the some of the design decisions behind the uniforms themselves. The new uniform design is a pixilated tiger stripe, with 4 soft earth tones of tan, grey, green and blue. The Air Force Battle Uniform will have a permanent crease and will be offered in 50-50 nylon-cotton blend permanent press fabric, eliminating the need for winter and summer weight uniforms. It will also be available in more body sizes, tailored for men and women. A tan T-shirt and polish-free suede cowhide boots in matching green-gray color will accompany the uniform, and will be available in men's and women's sizes. So will a fleece.

Back in 2006, Brig. Gen Robert R. Allardice said that they:


ABU poster
(click to view full)"...were looking for a uniform that"¦ the Airman wouldn't need to spend a lot of out-of-pocket expenses to maintain"¦. We listened to the Airmen's request where they wanted pockets to hold small tools and when they wear body armor the existing shirt pockets are not accessible or usable"¦ It will have the four pockets on the front of the shirt, and also a small pencil pocket on the left forearm and two pockets on the lower legs. In addition, inside the side pockets and inside of the breast pockets there will be smaller sewn-in pockets to hold small tools, flashlights or cell phones"¦. Our uniform requirement is we want a uniform that you wash, pull it out of the dryer, and wear it"¦. We don't want people putting an iron to it."

The uniform has not been an universal hit. There have been a number of complaints, from design, to comfort levels in the warm climates of CENTCOM, to the difficulty of cleaning petroleum-based stains, to an overall baggy look that some describe as unprofessional. To date, the USAF has not made major changes.

Some experts we talk to add that its fractal camouflage pattern works best under indoor office lighting, and tends to wash out somewhat in full sunlight. Other services may insert stereotyped wisecracks here, but with USAF personnel taking on more and more duties like base security and local ground patrols, the issue of the pattern's effectiveness is an important one.

Contracts and Key Events


USAF convoy exercise
(click to view full)The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA issues the contracts related to US Air Force uniforms and clothing, which go beyond the ABU, and include some items you might not expect. Note that this list of contracts begins as of FY 2007.

The Pentagon announcements use both "airman" and "airmen" in describing the uniforms. DID has decided to simply reflect each choice.

June 25/10: Small business qualifier Bethel Industries, Inc. in Jersey City, NJ receives a maximum of $15 million, for the 3rd of 4 option years within a firm-fixed-price, partial set-aside contract for men's and women's airmen battle uniforms. Work will be performed in Jersey City, NJ; North Bergen, NJ; and in Tennessee and Mississippi. The original proposal was Web solicited with 6 responses, and this option will run until June 25/11 (SPM1C1-07-D-1502).

Jan 26/10: Propper International in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico received a maximum $19.5 million, as the 3rd of 4 option years within a firm-fixed-price contract for men's and women's airman battle uniforms, coats and trousers. The original proposal was Web solicited with 6 responses, and this option will run until Jan 31/11 (SPM1C1-07-D-0008).

Jan 26/10: American Apparel, Inc. in Selma, AL receives a maximum $14 million, as the 3rd of 4 option years within a firm-fixed-price contract for men's and women's airman battle uniform, coats and trousers. The original proposal was Web solicited with 26 responses, and this option will run until Jan 31/11 (SPM1C1-07-D-0009).

Oct 9/09: The 98th Air Force Virtual Uniform Board at Wright Patterson AFB, OH, releases a policy message for wearing the new Air Force sage green fleece as an outer garment for the airman battle uniform. USAF.

Sept 17/09: Small business qualifier Excel Garment Manufacturing, Inc. in El Paso, TX receives a maximum $8.2 million, as the 2nd of 4 option years within a firm-fixed-price contract for men's and women's airmen battle uniforms. The original proposal was Web solicited with 26 responses, and this option will run until Sept 24/10 (SPM1C1-07-D-1501).

June 26/09: Bethel Industries Inc. in Jersey City, NJ receives a maximum $14.8 million, as the 2nd of 4 option years within a firm-fixed-price contract for men's and women's airman battle uniforms, coats and trousers. The original proposal was a 100% small business set-aside, and was Web solicited with 26 responses. This option will run until Sept 18/10 (SPM1C1-07-D-1502). Bethel lists as a "woman-owned small business," which makes them eligible for additional quotas.

June 11/09: USAF officials announce the results of the 98th Virtual Uniform Board. The board convened in 2008 with Airmen voting members from all major commands and most functional communities. Representatives from the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Defense Logistics Agency, Air Force Uniform Office, Air Force Logistics and Air Staff members acted as non-voting advisors. Board members forwarded their recommendations to the Air Force chief of staff for a final decision.

Note the specific complaints offered by serving USAF members in the comments under the USAF release. USAF | USAF 302nd AW adds some details | Wikipedia says it has a list of changes rejected by the USAF.

Jan 29/09: American Apparel in Selma, AL receives a maximum $20.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for airmen battle uniforms, coats and trousers. The contract will include work by Excel Manufacturing in El Paso, TX and Warmkraft in Taylorsville, MS. The proposal was originally Web solicited with 12 responses, and this contract will run until Jan 31/10 (SMP1C1-07-D-0009).

Jan 29/09: Propper International in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico receives a maximum $13.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for airmen battle uniforms, coats and trousers. Work will be performed in Mayaguez, Cabo Rogo, Las Marjas, Lagas, and Lajas, Puerto Rico. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 6 responses, and this order will run until Jan 31/10 (SPM1C1-07-D-0008).

Jan 31/08: Propper International in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico receives a maximum $19.3 million firm fixed price contract for US Air Force Battle Uniforms. This proposal was originally Web solicited with six responses, and this contract represents the 1st option year. It will end on Feb 2/09, and the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA issued the contract (SPM1C1-07-D-0008).

Jan 31/08: American Apparel in Selma, AL receives a maximum $13.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for US Air Force Battle Uniforms. Other locations of performance are Texas and Mississippi. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 12 responses, and this contract represents the 1st option year. It will end on Feb 2/09, and the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA issued the contract (SPM1C1-07-D-0009).

Oct 31/06: Propper International in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico won a maximum $29.8 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract. They will produce airmen battle uniform, men's coats, and women's maternity coats and trousers. Work will be performed in Mayaguez, Cabo Rogo, Las Marjas, Lagas, and Lajas in Puerto Rico. Date of performance completion is April 30/08. Proposals were Web-solicited and 6 responded (SPM1C1-07-D-0008).

Oct 31/06: American Apparel in Selma, AL received a maximum $21 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract. They will produce men and women's airmen battle uniform, coats and trousers. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and the date of performance completion is April 30/08. Proposals were web-solicited and 12 responded (SPM1C1-07-D-0009).

March 17/06: The new Airman Battle Uniform design and pattern is declared ready for production. The USAF's deputy chief of staff of personnel says they will be available in FY 2007. USAF.

 

[vikramrana_1812]

M-ATV: A Win, at Last, for Oshkosh


SOCOM variant; Silent Watch kits (July 2/10)

"The Government plans to acquire an MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). The M-ATV is a lighter, off-road, and more maneuverable vehicle that incorporates current MRAP level [bullet and mine blast] protection. The M-ATV will require effectiveness in an off-road mission profile. The vehicle will include EFP (Explosively Formed Projectile land mine) and RPG protection (integral or removable kit). The M-ATV will maximize both protection levels and off-road mobility & maneuverability attributes, and must balance the effects of size and weight while attempting to achieve the stated requirements."
—US government FedBizOpps, November 2008

Oshkosh Defense's M-ATV candidate secured a long-denied MRAP win, and the firm continues to remain ahead of production targets. The initial plan expected to spend up to $3.3 billion to order 5,244 M-ATVs for the US Army (2,598), Marine Corps (1,565), Special Operations Command (643), US Air Force (280) and the Navy (65), plus 93 test vehicles. FY 2010 budgets and purchases have pushed this total even higher, and orders now stand at over 8,000"¦

MRAP ATV: Requirements and Contenders
M-ATV Variants
Contracts and Key Events [updated]
Additional Readings
MRAP ATV: Requirements and Contenders


BAE USCS M-ATV
(click to view full)Monthly delivery rates of up to 1,000 vehicles were part of the solicitation; when combined with requirements around classified data and regulatory compliance, the only reasonable contenders were firms that already produced MRAPs, trucks, or tactical vehicles for American forces: BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Force Protection, Navistar, and Oshkosh.

M-ATV vehicles will hold 4 passengers, including the driver, and a gunner. That seems very similar to the MRAP Category I vehicles, and it is. On the other hand, a WIRED Danger Room story noted:

"As Captain Charles O'Neill, commander of B Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, told me, a few of the MRAPs had "gone into the wadi" – i.e., rolled over – during operations in Helmand. "The MRAP is an outstanding vehicle for force protection," he said. "It would do great on paved roads. However, here in southern Helmand province, the roads don't facilitate the MRAP necessarily that well."

One option has involved refitting existing MRAP vehicles. Over 1,300 of Force Protection's Cougars will receive Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspensions, which are already in use on the Marines' MTVR trucks, in order to improve their all-terrain handling. Other MRAP types are also receiving similar suspension refits from Oshkosh or from Arvin-Meritor.


LRAS3 in Fallujah
(click to view full)The other response was the M-ATV competition, which aims to field a vehicle with an (empty equipped) curb weight under 25,000 pounds, and the protection and mobility characteristics described above. That's still considerably heavier than a Hummer; the ubiquitous M1114 maxes out at 12,000 pounds with its add-on armor, and the top of M-ATV's range is similar to a number of MRAP Category I contenders' curb weights. Its mission is small unit combat operations in highly restricted, rural, mountainous and/or urban environments.

M-ATVs will be used for mounted patrols, reconnaissance, security, convoy protection, communications, command and control and combat service support. To that end, it will be qualified for fit out with a variety of equipment, from LRAS3 surveillance and targeting systems, to accompanying ROVER IV systems for working with UAV video feeds and TacAir support, to TOW ITAS anti-armor missiles, to CREW frequency jammers as land-mine protection, to Boomerang or Doubleshot anti-sniper systems, to CROWS II remote weapons systems, as required.

A number of firms competed. Dave Hansen of JPO MRAP says that the initial competition involved about 10 candidates, which was narrowed down during source selection. Some known candidates include:


BAE GTS M-ATV
(click to view full)BAE's Global Tactical Systems division submitted a model that is based on their Caiman Light MRAP, which in turn is based on the Army's standard FMTV medium trucks. GTS M-ATV includes a number of changes, most notably a smaller crew compartment and a lengthened "nose" to provide better balance.

BAE U.S. Combat Systems' M-ATV looks somewhat like its Valanx JLTV entry, but has greater protection levels, with a smaller and more protected crew capsule purpose-built to M-ATV requirements. The Arvin-Meritor suspension, the drive train, and the power train are shared with their Valanx, as is the 6 liter V8 engine.


Cheetah
(click to view full)Force Protection teamed with General Dynamics to submit their Cheetah vehicle, which has been in development since 2005. The Cheetah has been evaluated by the US Marines, and had a curb weight of just 14,000 pounds when introduced. Subsequent variants have reportedly passed sponsored Army testing to MRAP I survivability levels, and has undergone initial mobility and durability testing at the Nevada Automotive Test Center. The Cheetah was a new addition for Force Dynamics, which had previously been confined to producing the Cougar vehicles that did so much to spark the MRAP program.

Force Dynamics, LLC added Raytheon to their team, in order to provide a comprehensive command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system (C4ISR) plug-and-play ready architecture for the M-ATV Cheetah, using the C4ISR Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF). It would allow plug-and-play integration of a wide range of Army electronics, while also improving the vehicles' monitoring capabilities.


Husky TSV at DVD 2009
(click to view full)General Dynamics Land Systems attempted to field a variant of the RG-31. This vehicle, offered in partnership with BAE and the Canadian government, had been ordered by American units before the MRAP program began, received additional MRAP orders, and reportedly earned good reviews for its Afghan performance. GDLS initial 2 M-ATV prototypes were not accepted for testing, however leaving General Dynamics with its Force Dynamics partnership as its only M-ATV option. Its partnership with Hummer manufacturer AM General remains intact for the JLTV, and that partnership did not field an M-ATV candidate.

Navistar led the MRAP competition, and submitted an M-ATV design based on the MXT/Husky design that won one of Britain's OUVS orders for future Tactical Support Vehicles. Their derived M-ATV prototype used a specially-designed, light-weight armor. That advantage is compounded by a smaller base that allows them to weigh significantly less than its MaxxPro Dash MRAP, while using the same MaxxForce D 6.0 liter V8 engine.

Navistar would be able to support its M-ATV units in theater through its existing dealer and parts and support network, which includes locations in Afghanistan.


MTVR + PS armor
(click to view full)Oshkosh Defense had far less success to build on. In the MRAP competition, its PVI partnership entry for MRAP Category I failed testing, while its Bushmaster partnership with Thales for MRAP Category II received no orders, despite a successful record of front line service with Australian and Dutch forces. Its JLTV entry with Northrop Grumman was not among the initial round's 3 picks, even as BAE participated in 2 of the winning entries, General Dynamics in one, and Navistar in one. A GAO protest failed to change that outcome, despite an attractive price for their entry. It had been a surprising series of setbacks for the firm that produces and supports the US Army's FHTV heavy truck fleet, and the US Marines' MTVR medium and LVSR heavy trucks.

The firm elected to submit a design that bears many visual similarities to their JLTV entry, but without the high-end systems like a hybrid drive, which would have required further development. The core of the vehicle is the MTVR medium truck chassis and its TAK-4 suspension. TAK-4 is being used to refit Cougar MRAPs, and already exceeds M-ATV's off road specifications by offering a 70% off road mobility profile (M-ATV: 50%) and more than 16 inches of independent wheel travel. An Oshkosh representative told DID that "generally speaking [TAK-4] will increase the speed of the vehicle by 1.5 – 2.5 times over the speed of the same vehicle with a straight axle suspension without sacrificing ride quality." The vehicle's Super Multi-Hit Armor Technology (SMART) armor is used in theater by NATO, and its C7 engine is currently used in more than 18,000 vehicles fielded in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vehicle has an empty "curb weight" of 25,000 pounds, and a Gross Vehicle Weight of 32,500 pounds, including the M-ATV objective maximum of 4,000 pounds of payload.

Northrop Grumman was not a partner for M-ATV, but Oshkosh did leverage its long-standing relationship with Plasan Sasa of Israel to develop an armoring approach that could meet full MRAP protection levels. Plasan Sasa had up-armored Oshkosh's MTVR trucks for the Marines, and was also Navistar's armoring partner for the successful MaxxPro MRAP family.

M-ATV Variants


M-ATV Ambulance
(click to view full)At present, their winning entry is known only as the "Oshkosh M-ATV". It now comes in 4 variants, including the basic M-ATV.

The M-ATV utility variant adds a flatbed to the basic M-ATV, and is suitable for light cargo duties in dangerous areas that need a lot of off-road travel.

The M-ATV tactical ambulance variant maintains the M-ATV's TAK-4 independent suspension systems, 16" of independent wheel travel with a 2-channel central tire-inflation system with 4 terrain settings. It uses a 370hp engine, with an Allison 3500 SP transmission, and seats 3 crew members plus 2 litters or 4 ambulatory patients. Feedback from the military led to a side-by-side litter layout.

The M-ATV SOCOM variant features a modified cargo deck, intended to accept swap-ins of specialized equipment, with the rear storage accessible through an armored cargo access hatch in the passenger capsule. Reconnaissance equipment is likely to be a least one such specialized package. It will also have a larger front windscreens for increased visibility.

By winning the competition, Oshkosh has secured 3 valuable prizes. One is significant representation in the USA's MRAP-type buys, with its attendant near-term cash flow. The second prize is a success story in the tactical vehicle category, something Oshkosh has not been known for in the past. The 3rd prize stems from the other 2, and involves the JLTV competition that will follow M-ATV to replace a sizeable portion of the USA's Hummer fleet. Since JLTV is designed as an open competition at each stage, the Oshkosh/Northrop Grumman team's loss in round 1 just forces Oshkosh to spend its own development dollars if it wants to remain in the race. By securing the M-ATV tactical vehicle design win and attendant production funding, those improvements and investments become much easier to make.

Contracts and Key Events


M-ATV on the right,
HMMWV at left
(click to view full)Under the M-ATV program, each competitor submitted 2 vehicles for initial testing, and some received a 2nd order for 3 more test vehicles. That was followed by a sole source contract, which could escalate to 10,000 vehicles.

Unless otherwise noted, Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI is the contractor, taking orders from the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command Contracting Command in Warren, MI.

July 2/10: An $8.75 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,750 kits (Command, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance suite and battery upgrade/silent watch) for Operation Enduring Freedom upgrades on the M-ATV. The silent watch kits allow M-ATV crews to run the vehicle's advanced sensors and other electronics, without having to run the engine all the time in order to handle the current. That makes less noise, which is a big tactical improvement. It also saves fuel, in an environment where it costs $7 in fuel just to haul $1 worth of fuel to the front lines.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. TACOM solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

June 1/10: A $66.9 million firm-fixed-price contract, covering 22 engineering change proposal modifications to incorporate into 421 M-ATVs. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

It turns out that these changes will produce a 4th M-ATV variant, for US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). To date, blast-resistant SOCOM vehicles have involved BAE's RG-31s and RG-33s, and the RG-33s are being upgraded with Oshkosh's TAK-4 independent suspension system. The M-ATV SOCOM variant features a modified cargo deck, intended to accept swap-ins of specialized equipment, with the rear storage accessible through an armored cargo access hatch in the passenger capsule. These vehicles will also have a larger front windscreens for increased visibility. The M-ATV SOCOM will be cut in on Oshkosh manufacturing lines in August 2010, and are scheduled to be delivered between September and November 2010. See also Oshkosh release.

June 1/10: A trio of contracts worth about $46.6 million, covering the purchase and installation of 3,137 Check-6 rear view sensor systems to the M-ATV. Note that Check-6 is a BAE Systems product. In all cases, the estimated completion date is May 31/12. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

A $20.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,400 systems. Work will performed in Oshkosh, WI.

A $15.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,039 systems. Work will performed in Oshkosh, WI.

A $10.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 698 systems. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%), and McConnellsburg, PA (50%).

May 20/10: A $72.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,460 M-ATV protection kits, designed to defend against the basic rocket propelled grenade anti-tank weapons. It also includes spares: 45 M-ATV prescribed loads lists and 8 deprocessing spares sets. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

May 20/10: A $68.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 509 explosively formed penetrator protection kits, and 12 months of an M-ATV field service representative in the continental U.S. EFPs are specially-shaped mines that are best thought of as an instant, one-shot cannon attack. The shaped charge creates a metal dart when it explodes, and fires it into the side or bottom of a vehicle.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

May 19/10: $93.2 million in firm-fixed-price contract orders for another 2,401 M-ATV protection kits, designed to defend against the basic rocket propelled grenade anti-tank weapons that are common in Afghanistan.

The day's announcements divide the purchase into a $21.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for another 554 kits, and $71.7 million for another 1,847 kits. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. TACOM, CCTA-ADCA in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

April 27/10: Oshkosh Defense announces a pair of awards for more than $19 million from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC), to provide in-theater support for MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) in Afghanistan. The $9.3 million April 9/10 award for 29 Field Service Representatives, and the announcement implies a similar 2nd award, as it describes "an additional 60 Oshkosh field service representatives (FSR) that will provide support in Afghanistan through May 2011." See also Oshkosh Defense release.

April 21/10: NIKed. The US Army announces M-ATV related technology experiments, as part of its Brigade Combat Team Modernization Increment 1 fielding program:

"The U.S. Army has outfitted a handful of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, more commonly referred to as MRAP, vehicles with Network Integration Kits designed to give the bomb-defeating vehicles the ability to share real-time information such as sensor data from robots and UAVs while on-the-move in combat"¦. To date, five M-ATVs, and six MRAPs have been outfitted with NIKs, Army officials said; The MRAPs with NIKs will deploy to Afghanistan with the first unit equipped with Increment 1 technologies"¦. The NIKs, now being built onto MRAPs and M-ATVs at Fort Bliss, Texas, are engineered with technology that can receive and distribute data, voice, video and images across the force using multiple high bandwidth waveforms; they consist of software-programmable Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) such as the Ground Mobile Radios (GMR), a"dual-enclave" Integrated Computer System (ICS) built to handle classified and unclassified information, and a Blue Force Tracking display screen. The software and operating systems are connected through use of a middle ware called System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE).... The networked MRAPs and M-ATVs will particpate in a large scale test later this year."

April 20/10: An $11.1 million "firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 1,037 Remote Weapon System / Crew Remote Operated Weapons System final production configuration for the Mine Resistant Ambush All Terrain Vehicle."

What this actually means is that they're paying Oshkosh Defense to set their M-ATV patrol vehicles up so that everything is in place to accept a CROWS remotely-operated gun system: power, electronic interlinks, structural support, etc. The CROWS systems themselves are provided independently, as Government-Furnished Equipment. US Army TACOM in Warren, MI says that 5 bids were solicited, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh Defense release.

April 14/10: A $68.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,770 rocket propelled grenade protection kits. Oshkosh will install these kits on the production lines, and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) will install the kits on previously delivered vehicles. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by US Army TACOM, CCTA-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh Defense release.

April 9/10: A $9.3 million firm-fixed-price contract covers 29 field service representatives and 348 person-months of M-ATV services to support Afghan operations. Work will be complete in May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).


Check 6
(click to view full)March 26/10: A $41.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,080 rocket propelled grenade protection kits. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by US Army TACOM, AMSCC-ASCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

March 26/10: BAE Systems announces a $45 million multi-year contract to provide Oshkosh with Check-6 rear-view camera lights to equip 2,399 M-ATVs. See Dec 29/09 entry for the original contract.

March 22/10: Oshkosh Defense and General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada announce that they'll offer Oshkosh's blast-resistant M-ATV for Canada's 500-600 vehicle TAPV competition, and Oshkosh's Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) trucks in Canada's Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS-SMP) truck program. Both vehicle types use Oshkosh's proprietary TAK-4 independent suspension system, for off-road mobility. This consortium is considered to be a leading contender, in part because of GDLS' existing armored vehicle plant in London, ON.

Oshkosh will serve as the prime contractor for both programs. General Dynamics Land Systems Canada will provide systems integration and testing support for the vehicles, as well as the complete spectrum of in-country sustainment support. Oshkosh uses Valley Associates to provide marketing and business development in Canada, which is why the vehicles display in the Valley Associates booth during CANSEC 2010 in June. Oshkosh | CANSEC announcement | Defence Watch.

March 10/10: Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $10.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,401 M-ATV RWS kits that will let the vehicles support CROWS remote weapon systems. CROWS systems pack advanced sensors and machine guns, and can be controlled from inside the vehicle using a joystick and screen.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. TACOM, CCTA-ADCA in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh Defense release.

March 5/10: Oshkosh Defense announces 3 awards valued at more than $35 million in total for M-ATV upgrades and in-theater support.

They include 2 awards totaling more than 6,400 M-ATV Self Protection Adaptive Roller Kits (SPARKS) upgraded interface brackets. The brackets allow soldiers to attach advance mine rollers to the vehicles. The US government has requested changes to SPARKS, and the new brackets will allow the upgraded systems to be fitted on M-ATVs. Upgrade kits will be shipped to the Defense Distribution Depot Red River in Texarkana, TX, in June 2010. The government will then ship the brackets to receiving units in theater for installation.

Those installations will be supported by an expanded roster of field service representatives (FSR) in-theater. A 3rd contract will place 18 additional Oshkosh in Afghanistan, and 6 in Iraq, at bases that require them. U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) manages these contracts.

Feb 24/10: Oshkosh unveils 2 new M-ATV variants at the AUSA 2010 convention: an ambulance variant, and a utility variant designed to haul cargo. Oshkosh release

Feb 23/10: A $640 million contract for 1,460 M-ATVs. Oshkosh says it has received awards valued at more than $4.74 bilion for 8,079 M-ATVs, as well as spare parts kits and aftermarket in-theater support.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI with an estimated completion date of May 2012. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Israel's Plasan secured a $170 million subcontract from Oshkosh to supply vehicle protection kits for the 1,460 M-ATVs, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports. The subcontract brings to 5,000 the number of vehicles Plasan has armored for the Americans since June 2009, for total revenues of $586 million. All told, Plasan has sold $940 million worth of armor kits to the U.S. military, for 8,079 vehicles. Oshkosh release | Ha'aretz report.

Feb 19/10: A $52.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,451 retrofit kits for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance suite and battery upgrade/silent watch. Oshkosh says the total potential order is more than 2,090 upgrade kits, which will include communications hardware, jammer systems, tracking technology, driver vision enhancement for safer operation at night, and the aforementioned "silent watch" capability.

The latter item points to an ongoing issue with advanced long range day/night sensors in overwatch roles, and modern communications gear. They often consume so much power that engines have to be kept running, just to power all of the electronics. That's fuel-expensive, in a theater where it takes $7 in fuel to deliver $1 worth to the front lines. It also tends to remove tactical surprise in key situations, especially in already-difficult urban terrain.

Work is to be performed in Ishkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicted with 5 bids received by TACOM in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). Oshkosh release.

Feb 5/10: A $84.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for the partial exercise of the option for 627 M-ATV explosively formed penetrator (EFP) kits. The Oshkosh-supplied kits will include EFP armor to protect against those shaped-charge land mines, base door armor, and a door-assist mechanism.

Delivery of the kits is expected to begin in April 2010, and be complete by the end of August 2010. The add-on armor kits will include EFP armor, base door armor and a door-assist mechanism.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. 5 bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). Oshkosh Defense release

Jan 25/10: Oshkosh announces 2 delivery orders valued at $325.7 million from the U.S. Army TACOM LCMC to supply spare parts and repair kits for the MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Deliveries are expected to begin in August 2010, and to be complete by the end of January 2011. DefenseLINK breaks down the orders as:

A $258.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to exercise the option for 90 lots of authorized stockage list kits, 90 lots of prescribed load list kits, 23 each deprocessing spare kits, and 132 lots battle damage repair kits for the M-ATV. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%) and McConnellsburg, PA, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by TACOM, CCTA-ADC-A in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

A $67.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for a partial exercise of an option: 2 lots of authorized stockage list kits, 2 lots of prescribed load list kits, and 65 lots of battle damage repair kits for the M-ATV. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%) and McConnellsburg, PA, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by TACOM, CCTA-ADC-A in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

To date, Oshkosh says it has received awards valued at more than $3.9 billion to deliver 6,619 M-ATVs, as well as spare kits and aftermarket in-theater support.

Jan 21/10: Oshkosh announces 4 awards from the US Defense Logistics Agency, valued at $89 million, for its M-ATVs and FHTV heavy trucks.

Oshkosh will supply M-ATV spare parts, including engines, transmissions, transfer cases and alternators. Work under the orders is expected to be completed by October 2010. Oshkosh is providing the M-ATV's spare parts to the DLA to be used as in-the-field replacements after the original vehicle parts have been consumed. These parts will ship without delay, to help maintain readiness rates in theater. Discussions with Oshkosh representatives indicate that the M-ATV orders are worth about $50 million.

Jan 6/10: Harris Corp.'s RF Communications Division in Rochester, NY received orders totaling $119 million to supply Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)-approved Falcon III AN/PRC-152-C handheld radios with the RF-5980-SA001 vehicle amplifier adapters for the Mine Resistent Ambush Protected (MRAP) all-terrain vehicle (M-ATV).

Separate contracts for items like these help illustrate what is meant by the term "government furnished equipment." The AN/PRC-152 [PDF] provides M-ATV users with multiband Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) and Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) satellite communications interoperability in the 30-512 MHz frequency bands. It is just one aspect of the communication suite that equips each M-ATV.

Jan 6/10: At a Pentagon press conference, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell provides an update regarding the M-ATV program. He says that higher-capacity sealift options aren't being considered for getting M-ATVs that currently sit in the USA into Afghanistan (via Karachi or Gwadar, Pakistan, then overland), even though the drawdown from Iraq and surge to Afghanistan are straining available transport capacity:

"We are at now, as of January the 5th – and I want to double-check these – we were at 239 [M-ATVs] delivered, 164 fielded, 12 awaiting transport. And then there are obviously many more vehicles than that that have been produced. And as they vie for space for airlift and absorption in Afghanistan, they are being used, many of them, for training purposes domestically.

But we are now, as we are in the midst of this surge, going to be dealing with this herculean effort of trying to get not just 30,000 additional forces over to Afghanistan, but getting all their equipment as well. So this is going to be a real—a real test of our TRANSCOM [Transportation Command] folks, as well as CENTCOM. And they have a priority list based, you know, in terms of space available, what has the top priority to flow in at what time.

I can tell you this. It's our goal that come this spring, we'll be sending over about 500 a month.

Q. So when would sealift begin? Is it this—
MR. MORRELL: I couldn't – no, I don't think we would do – I don't think we're at the point where we'd do sealift, but we can check on that for you."


Afghan winter delivery
(click to view full)Dec 29/09: Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $33.9 million firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for a change order modification for 2,277 Check-6 rear view sensor systems, to be fitted to M-ATV vehicles. BAE's Check-6 tail-light duplicates a feature found in some civilian cars, which uses a rear camera to show the rear of the vehicle and objects behind it on a screen. Unlike civilian camera-screen combinations, however, Check-6 tail lights are derived from BAE Systems' expertise with weapon sights. They work in infrared as well as visible light, making them useful for noticing people as well as obstacles, and improving awareness in darkness, sandstorms, and other difficult situations. They install as a complete tail-light assembly, and require no drilling or welding.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%), and McConnellsburg, PA (50%), with an estimated contract completion date of May 31/12. Work is actually expected to begin in March 2010, and be complete in May 2010. Five bids were solicited, with 5 bids received by TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh release | "Check 6! Now a Possibility for Vehicles, Too."

Dec 28/09: Ceradyne in Costa Mesa, CA announces that it received a multi-million dollar blanket purchase order from Plasan Sasa Ltd. in Israel for the production of armor components for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Ceradyne plans to produce these parts in its expanded armor assembly plant in Irvine, CA for delivery to prime contractor Oshkosh to assemble the components and deliver the M-ATV to the government.

All manufacturing procedures for these M-ATV components have been approved, and Ceradyne production commenced this month. It is anticipated that production and delivery will continue throughout 2010.

Dec 24/09: Oshkosh receives a maximum $22.2 million total set-aside, sole-source, undefinitized delivery-order contract for M-ATV sustainment spare parts. The date of performance completion is Oct 2/10. The Defense Logistics Agency in Warren, MI manages the contract (W56HZV-09-D-0111-VD01).

Dec 24/09: Oshkosh Defense announces an order from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to supply "more than 170" M-ATV explosively formed penetrator (EFP) armoring kits through April 2010, and 800 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) kits through May 2010.

Uncharacteristically, Oshkosh's release comes in advance of the Dec 29/09 Pentagon DefenseLINK announcement, which cites a $54.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for 800 RPG armoring kits and 172 EFP kits as "the partial exercise of an option." It offers May 31/12 as the formal end of contract date. Five bids were solicited, with 1 bid received by US Army TACOM's AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). Oshkosh Defense is teamed with Plasan North America to provide the M-ATV's armoring solutions.

The US military, and its contractors, will not discuss details regarding these kits. EFPs are a form of land mine that uses the explosion to form a slug from its copper lining, creating what is in effect an impromptu tank sabot shell that fires into the victim vehicle. Rocket Propelled Grenades like the ubiquitous RPG-7 are bazooka-like anti-tank rockets with a shaped charge warhead. The RPG threat are usually addressed by "cage armor" slats like BAE's LROD, which are not 100% effective, or by Explosive Reactive Armor tile sets that are shaped to fit the vehicle. Less conventional approaches like Tarian cloth armoring are also beginning to emerge.




Minimize videoPromo clip
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Dec 22/09: Oshkosh announces that it has reached the production rate of 1,000 M-ATV vehicles per month, ahead of schedule. The milestone was reached on Dec 18/09, and Oshkosh reached the milestone by using production capacity at existing manufacturing facilities in Oshkosh, WI and McConnellsburg, PA. Production will continue at this rate of 1,000+ vehicles per month through May 2010, when all current orders would be filled.

Dec 10/09: A $175.4 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract exercises an option on Delivery Order #0003, and buys another 400 M-ATV vehicles and associated basic items. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%), and McConnellsburg, PA (50%), with a formal contract completion date of May 31/12. The original contract solicited 5 bids, and received 5 (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

To date, Oshkosh has received 6 awards valued at about $3.33 billion; when a contract for 25 test vehicles is included, they will deliver a total of 6,644 M-ATVs. The company has ramped up production to achieve 1,000 vehicles per month in December 2009, and this new award will extend production into May 2010. See also Oshkosh release.

Nov 30/09: Oshkosh hands the 1,000th MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) over to the U.S. Armed Forces, at a ceremony in Oshkosh, WI. Marine Corps Systems Command's commander Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, and the MRAP Joint Program Office' M-ATV product manager Lt. Col. Coll Haddon, were the keynote speakers. Oshkosh release.

Nov 19/09: The way Army vehicles must be driven, and where they must be driven, means that the ability to get out of a vehicle quickly matters almost as much as what the vehicle can do for while you're in it. Oshkosh Defense announces received a $5.6 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army for the procurement of 26 "egress trainer cabin modules" for the Oshkosh M-ATV, and initial spare parts for a stateside training and certification standard program.

The modules are simulators that can train soldiers to get out of an M-ATV vehicle, even if it is flipped or in otherwise abnormal situations. a shift in Army thinking has encouraged M-ATV training to take place stateside versus in theater. The M-ATV cabin modules will be manufactured at the company's facilities in McConnellsburg, PA.

Nov 19/09: Oshkosh meets the November M-ATV production requirement ahead of schedule, marking the 5th consecutive month. Oshkosh says that it will continue to increase production to meet December's requirement of 1,000 vehicles, with output remaining at that high level through April 2010.

Nov 11/09: Oshkosh announces an additional $438 million, 1,000 vehicle order from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC). This is the 5th award Oshkosh has received to supply M-ATVs, and brings total orders to 6,219 vehicles and more than $3.2 billion. An option for 400 more M-ATVs and Basic Items of Issue is also included in this delivery order, which would bring the production total to 6,619.

Nov 11th is the Veteran's Day holiday, so the Pentagon doesn't announce the firm-fixed-price contract until Nov 12/09. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited in the original contract, with 5 bids received by the U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center AMSTA-TAC-ATBC in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Nov 11/09: BAE Systems announces a "multi-million dollar" sub-contract from Plasan North America to provide M-ATV armoring kit components to the program. Work on the contract will begin this month at BAE Systems' production facilities in Fairfield, OH. Tony Russell, president of BAE Systems' Security & Survivability business, said:

"The partnership between BAE Systems and Plasan represents the first of what we believe will be many collaborative efforts between our two companies."

Nov 10/09: Oshkosh announces that it beat October 2009's M-ATV delivery schedule of 385 vehicles, producing more than 435 vehicles during that month. This marks the 4th consecutive month Oshkosh has beaten the schedule, as it ramps up toward a planned production rate of 1,000 vehicles per month.

Oct 28/09: President Obama signs the FY 2010 defense budget. That budget includes $6.656 billion in funding for MRAP vehicles, $1.2 billion above the Pentagon's original request. Significant chunks of that funding will be devoted to M-ATV purchases. White House | House-
Senate Conference Report summary [PDF] & tables [PDF] | Pentagon AFPS article.

Oct 27/09: Oshkosh announces 2 M-ATV contracts valued at more than $28 million. They include a $16 million contract from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for spare parts, and a $12 million contract from rom the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) for field service representatives (FSR) to support the M-ATV program in-theater through September 2010.

Oshkosh expects to complete production of the current M-ATV contract for 5,219 vehicles in March 2010.


Kandahar: M-ATV arrives
(click to view full)Oct 22/09: An initial 8 M-ATVs arrive in Kandahar by aerial transport. These vehicles will be used to train drivers and mechanics from units selected to receive M-ATVs.

Note that earlier Pentagon announcements indicated M-ATVs in theater at the end of September, whereas this release places the initial use date into late October and tags it as a training set. One possibility is that the initial shipments were Special Forces vehicles. Another is that this announcement refers only to one Afghan sector, and that eastern sectors may have received the vehicles first. Pentagon DVIDS.

Oct 12/09: Oshkosh announces that it will be submitting its M-ATV and Sandcat vehicles for Australia's PMV-L component of Overlander. Their partners in these 2 proposals are Plasan SASA, Ltd., who supplies the armoring solutions for both vehicles and developed the Sandcat/ Caracal; and local Oshkosh division JLG Australia, who will assist in manufacturing the vehicles and handle through-life support.

Australia has also indicated that they will be continuing onto the next phase of the American JLTV competition, which does not presently include these Oshkosh vehicles.

Oct 9/09: Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $408.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of another 923 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs) and aftermarket parts package that includes basic issue items. This brings total announced M-ATV orders to $2.76 billion for the full expected amount of 5,244 vehicles – a total that includes unannounced government orders for 25 test vehicles.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. The company plans to ramp production up to 1,000 vehicles per month in December 2009, and continue at that level through at least March 2010. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received by TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also: Oshkosh release.

Oct 5/09: SCHOTT DiamondView Armor Products LLC exhibits its DiamondView transparent armor window technology at AUSA. The DiamondView windows were selected for Oshkosh's M-ATVs, and use a transparent glass-ceramic combination. It is hoped that DiamondView windows will be able to reduce lifecycle costs normally associated with windows delaminating, discoloring or peeling. The firm has been a defense industry supplier for 40 years, and currently holds world records for producing the world's thinnest piece of glass (0.025mm, for medical technology and electronics), and the world's largest piece of glass (8m tall, for astronomy).

In order to fill the Oshkosh contract, SCHOTT DAP has ramped up manufacturing at both its Boothwyn, PA and Vincennes, IN production facilities. The Vincennes/ now County facility currently processes and finishes glass-ceramic cooktops and flat glass for the home appliance industry, but the firm will invest $7.2 million over the next few years to add the transparent armor line. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered SCHOTT North America up to $2.32 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans, and the city of Vincennes will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of the Knox County Development Corporation. Hiring is underway, and the company expects to add more than 200 employees at peak production. SCHOTT DiamondView release | SCHOTT Vincennes release.

Oct 2/09: Oshkosh announces a $33 million award from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to supply a rear mounted, infrared-enabled camera system on more than 2,200 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV).

The camera system has been deployed on other MRAPs. It integrates with existing vehicle video displays to provide a 40-degree vertical and 54-degree horizontal field of view. The system uses an infrared camera core in an LED-equipped tailgate assembly, and provides visibility through dust, obscurants and incremental weather in day and night operations. We all know drivers who could use one of these; on a battlefield they can save your life, as well as your vehicle bumper.

Oct 2/09: A release from the Marines says that M-ATV vehicles have started to flow from Oshkosh to Us Navy Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic. Oshkosh delivers the base vehicle, but modern military vehicles have a wide array of electronics and equipment to install, from jammers, to radios and other communications devices, to weapons like RWS turrets. The cost adds up, and so does the time required to install everything. According to M-ATV Joint Program Executive Officer, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, they're using lessons learned from the MRAP program to speed up delivery to the front lines – something that became a problem early in the MRAP program:

"We were able to feed back to Oshkosh specific bracketry, racks and cabling so all that can be installed in the vehicle during manufacture; which means we dont have to do it at SPAWAR. The goal was to push as much of that work that was getting done at SPAWAR, particularly the touch labor, upstream into the manufacturing process. Because we knew it going into this, we were able to include it into the design. That clearly is one of the lessons learned from Baseline MRAP that will speed the process at Charleston."

Oct 1/09: Oshkosh announces that they have exceeded M-ATV delivery requirements for the 3rd consecutive month. The September 2009 production target of 100 vehicles was met on Sept 22/09.

FY 2009


Oshkosh M-ATV
(click to view full)Sept 29/09: The Pentagon announces that the first Oshkosh M-ATVs have been deployed to Afghanistan.

Sept 14/09: Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $189.1 million firm-fixed-price IDIQ contract for another 352 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles, and aftermarket parts packages that include Basic Issue items (35 LLO), Authorized Stockage (14 LO), Prescribed Load (14 LO), and Battle Damage and Repairs (14 LO). This brings total announced M-ATV orders to $2.31 billion for 4,296 vehicles.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited, with 5 bids received by TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh release.

July 31/09: Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives another M-ATV order, The $1.064 billion firm-fixed-price contract modification exercises an option for another 1,700 M-ATVs, Field Service Representative Support, and associated parts support packages to include Authorized Stockage Lists (ASL), Prescribed Load List (PLL), Reprocessing Spares, Battle Damage Repair parts (BDR) and Basic Issue Items (BII).

This order raises its total to $2.12 billion for 3,924 vehicles. They also announce that Oshkosh has exceeded the July 2009 delivery schedule of 45 M-ATVs by delivering 46.

Vehicles will be provided to the US Marine Corps, Army, Special Operations Command and US military testing. Vehicles and parts support packages will be fielded to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Field Service Representatives will be providing support in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

Work is to be performed in McConnellsburg, PA, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2010. U.S. Army TACOM LCMC in Warren, MI manages this contract (W56HZV-09-D-0111, delivery order #0002, modification 02).

June 30/09: Oshkosh Corporation. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $1.056 billion firm-fixed price delivery order (W56HZV-09-D-0111, #002) for of 2,244 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs), Basic Issue Items, Field Service Representative Support, Equipment, Engineering, Authorized Stocking List Parts Packages and Prescribed Load List parts packages. The US Army Tank Automotive Command in Warren, MI manages this contract.

Stars and Stripes reports that the first M-ATV vehicles will be fielded to Afghanistan beginning in October 2009. The challenge will be getting them there. US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, head of Marine Corps Systems Command:

"We are flowing additional forces into Afghanistan right now, Army brigade combat teams as well as Marines units, and so the air bridge into Afghanistan is completely full."

While the military sorts out its transport options, Oshkosh Chairman & CEO Robert G. Bohn issued an unequivocal statement, and an implicit offer to other firms:

"Due to the urgent need of our Armed Forces for a survivable and highly mobile vehicle, our Corporations number one priority is meeting the Department's accelerated delivery schedule of the Oshkosh M-ATV. Oshkosh Corporation will put whatever resources are necessary to meet or exceed the government's delivery schedule. While we believe we can meet or exceed the government's current delivery requirements, we intend to enter into discussions with other manufacturers [emphasis DID's] to determine if they can assist in the production of the Oshkosh M-ATV.

...our full-service aftermarket support network will be available with replacement parts, technical support, and repair or refurbishment services."

Oshkosh Corporation is expected to eventually produce up to 1,000 vehicles a month, and plans to reach that monthly mark by December 2009. Efforts began even before the contract award. Oshkosh Defense President Andy Hove was quoted in Oshosh's release, saying that firm had already begun daily production of Oshkosh M-ATVs on their flexible manufacturing line, a few weeks prior to the decision, after making "significant" investments in materials. Subsequent discussions with Oshkosh clarified that unusual step, and the thinking behind it. Andy Hove:

"As I said, our top priority is the delivery these vehicles to the Soldiers and Marines who need them. But we also knew that there would be a market for our offering should it not have been selected. Additionally, the early M-ATV production was a part of our pre-award production and engineering investments. We felt it was crucial to do what we could, in advance of a possible award, to ensure these vehicles would be delivered to the warfighters in Afghanistan as soon as possible. We also had conducted more than 7,500 miles of independent testing of our vehicle, separate from the government's evaluation of our production-representative vehicles."

See also: US Marine Corps | Oshkosh release | DoD Buzz | Stars and Stripes | UPI | York Daily Record .

June 30/09: Navistar and Force Protection both announce their disappointment at their M-ATV loss, while reiterating their firms' strong points for investors.

June 2/09: The Pentagon's Joint Requirements Oversight Council approves a plan for 5,244 M-ATVs to the US Army (2,598), Marine Corps (1,565), Special Operations Command (643), US Air Force (280) and the Navy (65). An additional 93 vehicles would be set aside for testing. Source.

May 15/09: USMC Commandant General James T. Conway speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank. An excerpt [PDF]:

"We are seeing an increasing sophistication on the part of the IED [land mines].... We are looking at an MRAP ha has greater off road capability because you do not have the road network hat you have in Iraq. You become fairly predictable, fairly easy to plot if you're always going to be on those roads. Our MRAPs, and we have about 2,000 of them plus in the Marine Corps, don't do that well off road. Now the favorite vehicle in Afghanistan today is the seven-ton truck, the MTVR. In an innovative fashion, our engineers and our people at Quantico said, let's put the suspension of the MTVR on our CAT-1 MRAPs and see how it does. Well, it did pretty well"¦. Now, when we went to blow it up it did not perform do well because we created additional space and surface area underneath the vehicle. We have now blown it up three times. The third time looked pretty good"¦. We will have it in the hands of our troops potentially by mid-summer. It will cut cost. For the long-term utility of our CAT-I [4×4] MRAPs, which is mostly what we own"¦ we have a much more multi-capable vehicle for the long term.

We are not divorcing ourselves from the MATV program at this point"¦. We are going to follow both with interest, and we will see where we want to park our monies and our effort as both these vehicles continue to mature."

May 4/09: The Force Dynamics partnership announces their delivery of 3 additional production M-ATV Cheetah vehicles to the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test and Evaluation Center.

The release adds that Force Dynamics, LLC and Raytheon have agreed to provide a comprehensive command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system (C4ISR) plug-and-play ready architecture for the M-ATV Cheetah, using the C4ISR Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF). It provides immediate access to services including sophisticated radio switching, networked video, navigation systems, Blue Force Tracking, Counter-Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare, and weapons systems.

Under the original MRAP program, vehicles required extensive modifications, integration, and testing to fully integrate various C4SIR configurations. This new architecture is designed to make that process much simpler.

The system is also designed to assist with remote monitoring of integrated vehicle and C4ISR systems via one monitoring platform, to offer complete systems status in real time. Remote data transfer, monitoring of platform usage, and capture of failure information are all part of that element, and each M-ATV Cheetah is registered in Raytheon's Force Logistics System II, which is electronically integrated to the DoD's current force support systems.

May 1/09: BAE Systems' entries pass initial testing, as it receives a follow-on contract for 3 more GTS M-ATVs and 3 more USCS M-ATV test vehicles of each type. Other firms that have passed testing and received orders for 3 more vehicles include Force Protection's Cheetah, Navistar's Husky, and Oshkosh's entry.

April 2/09: Navistar Defense, LLC is in discussions with the government over a technicality in the evaluation of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program. Navistar was required to formalize its request for a review of the evaluation within a certain period of time, and wants its vehicle to be considered for M-ATV. Navistar release.

March 11/09: A Bloomberg report quotes General Dynamics spokesman Ken Yamashita, who said that their M-ATV offer, based on its RG-31 partnership with BAE, "was not accepted"¦. He didn't say why, and Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said she couldn't comment."

That failure still leaves GDLS in contention, via the Force Dynamics partnership's Cheetah vehicle.

March 6/09: Oshkosh Defense announces a $1 million contract with the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) for government purchase of the 2 production-ready Oshkosh M-ATVs that were delivered on Feb. 23rd. This contract award is one of the required phases in the U.S. military's evaluation of M-ATV submissions, and is awarded after the delivered vehicles are certified to meet the government's initial design requirements.

All other M-ATV candidates also receive these awards, with 1 exception (see March 11/09).

Feb 23/09: M-ATV candidate vehicles are due from vendors for 2 months of testing and evaluation. Several of them announce deliveries on this day: BAE Systems, Force Protection ($1 million contract), Navistar, and Oshkosh.

Feb 19/09: An Oshkosh release claims that its M-ATV team can produce the military's most probable delivery order of 2,080 M-ATVs "within months of an awarded contract." The Oshkosh team says that it is able to produce several hundred to 1,000 M-ATVs on a monthly basis, and Oshkosh Defense President John Stoddart adds that:

"Oshkosh's warm production lines coupled with our mature M-ATV design allow us to ramp up production of this vehicle without impacting our current military programs."

Of course, the same is true for competitors like BAE and Navistar, both of whom have MRAP production lines that are closing out, and substantial military truck production lines that continue to run.

Jan 15/09: Force Protection, Inc. and General Dynamics Land Systems Inc.'s Force Dynamics, LLC joint venture has focused on delivering Cougar MRAP vehicles, but Force Protection's Cheetah vehicle had been excluded – until now. The joint venture announces that it has submitted the Cheetah for the U.S. Army's MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) solicitation.

The Cheetah began development in 2005 has completed Force Protection-sponsored blast testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD, and initial mobility and durability testing at the Nevada Automotive Test Center. It has undergone a range of enhancements since it was first developed, including the addition of independent suspension. Force Protection is commencing low-rate production at Force Protection's Ladson, SC plant.

Jan 9/09: Oshkosh Corporation submits its M-ATV proposal, based on the combat-proven Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) medium truck chassis. The firm has produced about 10,000 of these trucks for the US Marine Corps, which have been deployed all over the world. Oshkosh release.

Nov 14/08: The US government issues a pre-solitication notice for a subsidiary competition called M-ATV, essentially an "MRAP Lite" bridge buy to the JLTV. FBO pre-solicitation #W56HZV-09-R-0115 states a buy that begins an an expected order of just 2,080 vehicles, but could reach up to 10,000.

M-ATV's top weight is just 12.5 tons empty, which is heavier than a Hummer or JLTV, but lighter than an MRAP. Even so, the RFP still demands significant protection against both conventional and EFP land mines. A draft issued on Nov 25/08 stated that M-ATV would receive the same top-priority DX production rating employed by the original MRAP program, adding that the first vehicles are expected to be fielded in the fall of 2009.