February 13, 2020 | International, Land
PENTAGON: Two of the three armored fighting vehicle programs being built by BAE System's factory in York, Pennsylvania have been slashed in the 2021 budget. While the Marine Corps continues to ramp up production of its eight-wheeled Amphibious Combat Vehicle, from 56 ACVs in 2020 to 72 in '21, that increase is swamped by Army cuts to two tracked vehicles, both derived from BAE's iconic but aging M2 Bradley:
Those 2022 figures are a forecast in the five-year budget plan, however, not a formal request to Congress, and they might change. “Once you start to get that production line facilitized — and again it's not going to be one of those things you figure out in a couple months — it's going to be an iterative every-year look at what's the right rate [and] what's the most effective and efficient way to run that line,” deputy assistant secretary John Daniels told reporters yesterday.
The Army had already reduced production of both BAE vehicles in its 2020 request last year – along with over 180 other programs – as it ruthlessly scrubbed its current programs for savings it could reinvest in higher-priority, higher-tech weapons for future wars with Russia or China. But BAE's York plant has also had trouble keeping up both quality-control standards – notably for welding armored hulls – and production rates as it tried to expand its tooling and its workforce to meet Army demand, attracting the personal attention of then-Army Secretary Mark Esper.
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“Part of the problem was “getting the production facility right-sized,” Daniels said, “[and] there were some additional unforeseen issues in the industrial base” – presumably a reference to the quality control issues.
So the Army decided to “slow the production curve to get a little bit of time to get a better vehicle,” he said. “It would delay it by about six months.”
We've asked BAE Systems for comment and will update this story as soon as they get back to us.
https://breakingdefense.com/2020/02/bae-york-plant-problems-trigger-big-army-cuts
September 26, 2022 | International, Aerospace
Hundreds of companies, large and small, will compete for work associated with Joint All-Domain Command and Control, an effort to link sensors to shooters.
February 4, 2019 | International, Land
The Pentagon seeks industry feedback on the draft request for proposals for Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) vehicle. The U.S. Army on 31 January posted a request for proposal (RFP) on Federal Business Opportunities for OMFV combat vehicle that will be designed for and used by military forces to maneuver Soldiers in the future operating environment (FOE) to a position of advantage, in order to engage in close combat and deliver decisive lethality during the execution of combined arms maneuver. In a notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities Website, the army called on companies to submit their plans to develop pre-production prototypes of new combat vehicles. The Next-Generation Combat Vehicle – OMFV must exceed current capabilities while overmatching similar threat class systems. It must be optimized for dense urban areas while also defeating pacing threats on rural (open, semi-restricted and restricted) terrain and be characterized by the ability to spiral in advanced technologies as they mature. Since its inception, the NGCV-OMFV program has represented an innovative approach to Army acquisition by focusing on delivering an essentially new capability to the Armor Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) while under a significantly reduced timeline, as compared to traditional acquisition efforts. This will be achieved by leveraging existing material solutions with proven capabilities coupled with new technologies to meet the requirements. The draft request sticks to the original target of awarding up to two EMD contracts during the second quarter of fiscal year 2020. Each contractor at that time will deliver 14 pre-production vehicles, as well as two ballistic hulls and turrets. One of the U.S. Army's top research centers has already achieved considerable success in developing a prototype of the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV). Some sources claimed that the United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) are now nearing production of demonstrator of new robotic vehicle build onto a surrogate platform. https://defence-blog.com/army/pentagon-releases-rfp-for-optionally-manned-bradley-replacement.html
October 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace
DH, Dresden, October 29, 2019 - In 2012, Terma completed a study program for Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) to identify the best possible way of protecting the NH90 aircraft against IR seeking missiles. The study pointed out the MASE system as the preferred choice giving the best compromise between improved self-protection, mission/aircraft compatibility, cost and fleet commonality. The MASE installation is based on the proven modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment concept consisting of the Terma ALQ-213 EW controller, a modular self-protection Pod equipped with Hensoldt MILDS-F Missile Warning System (MWS), and the latest generation Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser System from Terma. Based on inputs from key operational experts Terma was also contracted for installation of Hostile Fire Indicator System (HFI) to protect the aircraft against small arms fire. This additional capability is fully integrated into the MASE system based on data provided by the Missile Warning sensors. The architecture of the MASE system is highly modularized, thereby prepared for future growth such as Directed Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) or new sensors. The Pod is mounted on a dedicated carrier for optimum 360 deg. threat detection and countermeasures dispensing without compromising other NH90 capabilities. Control and operation of the system is provided through the Electronic Warfare Management System, ALQ-213. The MASE concept has previously proven its effectiveness on other aircraft types and has performed very well in several deployments. Providing better self-protection through improved situational awareness, optimized flare dispensing program and automatic mode of operation, thereby reducing aircrew workload. The modularity of the MASE pod has enabled tailoring for a number of helicopter platforms, including AH-64D, EH101, Mi-17, Mi-24, and AS 550 Fennec. We look forward to seeing you at Global Defence Helicopter in Dresden at our stand no. 37 on 29-31 October 2019. About Terma The Denmark based high-tech Terma Group develops products and systems for defense and non-defense security applications; including command and control systems, radar systems, self-protection systems for aircraft, space technology, and aerostructures for the aircraft industry. Follow us on www.terma.com Instagram Twitter Linkedin Youtube Media contact: Kasper Rasmussen T:+45 2022 6091 E:kar@terma.com View source version on Terma: https://www.terma.com/press/news-2019/rnlaf-nh90-helicopters-to-be-upgraded-with-hostile-fire-indicator-system/