DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Finding Post-War Work For 20,000 MRAPs

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Finding Post-War Work For 20,000 MRAPs

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Strategy Page

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 27, 2013: The U.S. Army is converting 250 of its RG33 MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles for use by combat engineers who seek out and clear roadside bombs and mines. This will cost about $150,000 per vehicle. This is part of an effort to make some use of the 20,000 MRAPs the Department of Defense bought (mainly for the army and marines) over the last decade at a cost of $45 billion. Current plans are to put at least half of these vehicles into storage. 

About ten percent of them (the oldest and most beat up) will be scrapped and the rest will be donated (to American police departments and foreign armed forces) or used for training. Some will still be used in Afghanistan as long as there are American troops there. 

The RG33 is one of over a dozen MRAP models purchased. The RG33 has four wheels and weighs 22 tons. There is a RG-33L model that has six wheels, can carry twice as many people in the back, and weighs 26 to 37 tons depending on the version.

The RG33 is part of a family of similar vehicles. The RG31 came first (in 2007). Also called Nyala, it was developed and built in South Africa. It normally costs about a million dollars each (depending on accessories) and was designed to resist landmines and roadside bombs. 

It was developed from the earlier Mamba armored personnel carrier and has an excellent track record. This wheeled (4x4) vehicle weighs eight tons and can carry up to eleven people. Some models, depending on equipment carried, only seat five.

RG32 is a smaller version of the RG31 MRAP. The RG32 is similar to armored hummers and weighs 4.5 tons. It does not have the characteristic MRAP V shaped underbody. It is bulletproof and resistant to explosions and mines (but not as much as the MRAP version). The RG32 can carry five people and is popular with peacekeepers.

The RG-33 is a mine-resistant light armored vehicle initially designed by BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa (formerly Land Systems OMC) a South African subsidiary of BAE Systems. BAE Systems in the US extensively modified it with additional protection, new power train and suspension systems. It was built in a number of locations including York, Pennsylvania, USA. It is one of several vehicles being fielded by the US Armed Forces in Iraq under the MRAP program.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Strategy Page
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News: BAE Systems Awarded Contract $629M For MRAP Survivability Enhancements

DTN News: BAE Systems Awarded Contract $629M For MRAP Survivability Enhancements

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources including U.S. DoD issued August 27, 2010 - No. 773-10 & Other media.

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 30, 2010: BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle LP, Sealy, Texas, is being awarded a $628,999,998 firm fixed priced delivery order #0009 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5030) for the procurement of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Engineering Change Proposal for enhanced sustainability and safety of 1700 Caiman Multi-Theater vehicles (CMTV).

The sustainability includes: CMTV Chassis, Caiman Underbody Survivability Kit, CMTV Integration Recon, Kuwait; CMTV Training and Integration Support, Kuwait, Commercial Off The Shelf Manual (Operator and Maintenance), New Equipment Training package (Operator New Equipment Training and Field Maintenance New Equipment Training, CMTV Integration Manual, CMTV Deprocessing Kit, CMTV Authorized Stockage List, CMTV Prescribed Load List, and CMTV Battle Damage Assessment and Repair.

Work will be performed in Kuwait (90 percent) and Texarkana, Texas (10 percent), and work is expected to be completed by the end of December 2011. Contract funds willnot expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

The RG33 is a family of mine-protected vehicles manufactured by BAE Systems. The RG33 4×4 and 6×6 are in production in the United States for the US Marine Corps mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle programme. BAE Systems manufactures three of the US Marine Corps' five variants of MRAP vehicles: the Caiman, the RG31 and the RG33. The RG33 is manufactured in several configurations including the category I 4×4, category II 6×6, the heavy armored ground ambulance (HAGA) and the special operations command (SOCOM) vehicle. The RG33 series is in the medium weight class, providing survivability, advanced mobility, mission flexibility, rapid availability and vehicle commonality.

The RG-33 may be equipped with modular add on armor kits, TRAPP transparent armor that provides excellent visibility and situational awareness, and run-flat tires. The levels of protection of the RG33 vehicle depends on the armor package but the basic model offers small and medium caliber firearms and mine blast protection. BAE Systems has designed the RG33 platform to serve as Infantry Carrier, Ambulance, Command and Control, Convoy Escort, Explosive Ordnance Disposal vehicle, etc. To date, the RG-33 vehicle family includes the RG-33 6x6 or RG-33L, the RG-33 4x4, Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV) 6x6, and Mine Resistant Recovery and Maintenance Vehicle (MRRMV) 6x6 variants.

The RG-33 is a 4x4 utility MRAP Category I vehicle ordered by the US Army and the US Marine Corps (USMC) for its ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. These vehicles are also deployed as Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Sustainment Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) vehicles. As of December 2008, the US Armed Forces had ordered more than 500 RG-33 4x4s. Despite their outstanding protection demonstrated in Iraq, these vehicles result too heavy and lack off-road mobility to operate in harsh environments and rough terrains in Afghanistan.

**This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail

DTN News: BAE Systems Receives $90.6 Million Order For Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Special Operations Vehicles

DTN News: BAE Systems Receives $90.6 Million Order For Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Special Operations Vehicles *Source: DTN News / BAE Systems (NSI News Source Info) YORK, Pennsylvania - February 24, 2010: BAE Systems has received a delivery order from the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command worth up to $90.6 million to provide 58 U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The U.S. SOCOM vehicle is one of several MRAP variants based on the RG33 family of vehicles. "These vehicles have been in service with our forces in Iraq providing survivability against improvised explosive devices (IEDs), medium machine gun or small arms fire and mine blast protection," said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of New Vehicles and Amphibious Systems for BAE Systems. "The entire RG33 team is proud to be able to provide these highly survivable vehicles to support our troops." Work on the delivery order will be performed by the existing workforce and will begin immediately at BAE Systems facilities in York, Pennsylvania and Aiken, South Carolina; with assistance from Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD) and Spartan Motors Chassis' facility in Charlotte, Michigan. Under a Public/Private Partnership Agreement, BAE Systems will work with LEAD to deliver the vehicles. Vehicle hull production will occur at BAE Systems' York, Pennsylvania facility while final assembly, integration, and test will occur at the depot in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in September 2010 and run through December 2010. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is a global defense, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

BAE Systems Awarded $23.8 Million For Caiman MRAP Parts And Support

BAE Systems Awarded $23.8 Million For Caiman MRAP Parts And Support

(NSI News Source Info) HOUSTON, Texas – April 18, 2009: BAE Systems received a contract modification worth $23.8 million for replacement and spare parts, instructor and maintenance support and other services for Caiman Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The Caiman recently, as of July 2007, completed testing by the US Military at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. On 13 July 2007, Armor Holdings received a prime contract award by the US Navy on the behalf of the US Marine Corps for $518.5m under the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program. The contract specifies delivery of 1,154 Category I MRAP vehicles and 16 Category II MRAP vehicles by the end of February 2008. It is likely that the Cat I will be based on the LMTV, while the Cat II will be based on the MTV. The Cat I Caiman weighs 14 ton and the Cat II version weighs 24 ton which according to the Vice President of Armor Holdings, is lighter in weight than its competitors. The work will be performed at BAE Systems M&PS facilities located in Fairfield, Ohio and Sealy, Texas. A reinforced Caiman design submitted by BAE was one of the two eventual winners of the MRAP II competition at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Replacement and spare parts include improved front seats, electrical connectors for towing and to retrofit door assist system safety strips on the Caiman vehicles. Spare and replacement parts deliveries will be completed through January 2010 and will help the Army units in Iraq maintain the estimated 2,850 Caimans. The contract also covers Caiman instructor and maintenance support services through September 2009. “This contract will help keep vehicles in operating condition, which is essential to saving soldiers’ lives and supporting the success of the military mission in Iraq,” said Bruce Harrison, vice president of Product Support for BAE Systems in Houston, Texas. “We can continue to provide the parts, and instructors and maintenance support to our soldiers through our Forward Support Representatives and wherever and whenever the Army needs it.” The Caiman MRAP was designed in 2006 to fill the Department of Defense’s urgent need for vehicles to protect U.S. troops from roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenades and explosively formed projectiles. In 22 months of production, 2,868 Caimans were built. Caiman is one of the U.S. Army’s MRAPs operating in Iraq, boasts a 94 percent operational readiness rate and has helped soldiers survive roadside bomb attacks on numerous occasions. BAE Systems employs more than 2,700 people in Sealy and Houston, Texas and has nearly 900,000 square feet of manufacturing, storage and office space on approximately 200 acres. The Sealy facility has a long history with wheeled vehicle products and has established itself as a world-class designer, volume manufacturer and through-life supporter of high-quality, best value, military tactical trucks and wheeled vehicle systems with payload capacities from 2.5 to 18 tons. Today, BAE Systems’ Global Tactical Systems is the exclusive manufacturer of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles and is the producer of three Mine Resistant Ambush Protected variants, the Caiman, the RG33 and the RG31. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is the premier global defense, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.

BAE Systems Joins Battle For US Army Order

BAE Systems Joins Battle For US Army Order

(NSI News Source Info) February 20, 2009: BAE Systems, Europe's largest defence contractor, is gearing up to supply the United States with new armoured vehicles for President Obama's troop surge in Afghanistan. The company is competing to supply 2,000 all-terrain vehicles for the US Army, which will be deployed in Afghanistan as part of expanded operations there. President Obama said this week that he would send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan from the spring as part of efforts to combat the resurgent Taleban. The US Department of Defence is seeking a lighter version of the Mine Resistent Ambush Protected (MRAP) carriers it has ordered to protect troops in Iraq. The MRAP vehicles are designed to limit the damage to troops from roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These bombs became the major cause of death of troops in Iraq after the 2003 invasion. The US has bought 12,000 MRAPs and BAE, the largest supplier of armoured vehicles in the world, won nearly 60 per cent of the orders. Last year it delivered 4,700 MRAPs, which was a significant contributor to a 31 per cent increase in BAE's profits. The company said yesterday that revenue in 2008 had increased by 18 per cent to £18.5 billion and underlying profits were nearly one third higher at £1.9 billion. BAE's Land Systems division, which builds armoured vehicles in the US, the UK, Sweden and South Africa, increased sales by 38 per cent to £6.4billion. Ian King, the chief executive of BAE, said: “Land Systems was driven by MRAP last year. We always knew that MRAP would be a one-off gain but there is also good organic growth in that division.” BAE will announce next week the vehicles that will compete for the next phase of MRAP purchasing. It is likely to offer lightweight variants of the RG-33 and Caiman vehicles. The Pentagon's latest MRAP order is for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that will be smaller and more manoeuvrable than the troop carriers built for Iraq. The M-ATV, as the new version is being called, will weigh up to 10tonnes compared with up to 24tonnes for existing MRAPs. President Obama's determination to combat the Taleban has alleviated fears in the defence sector that he would immediately cut the military's budget. BAE received nearly 60 per cent of its sales from the Pentagon last year and expects continued strong demand this year. Mr King said that BAE would not be immune to the impact of a global economic downturn but investors believe that the company is better placed than most to weather a difficult 2009. BAE's share price has gained more than 20 per cent in the past three months while the FTSE 100 has experienced a small decline. The share price was up 13p to 400p yesterday. Mr King said: “We don't think we're recession-proof. We do have some insulation because of the length of the order book and the visibility we have, but we are very vigilant on what's going to happen when we look forward and look at what governments have done to fund the financial bailouts.” BAE's order book grew by 20 per cent last year to £46.5 billion. The company's strong results enabled it to increase its dividend by 13 per cent to 14.5p a share. Howard Wheeldon, senior strategist at BGC Partners, the brokerage firm, said: “In difficult global economic times such as these it is heartening to see a UK-based company that is both diverse and international producing not only sustainable growth in shareholder value but also rewarding shareholders with a decent dividend increase. At least there are no balance sheet concerns here.” BAE had to write down the value of its assets by £177 million last year, primarily because of the falling value of its 35 per cent holding in Saab, the Swedish aerospace company that makes the Gripen fighter jet.

BAE Opens New Facility, Adds Jobs To Produce Military Vehicle Armor

BAE Opens New Facility, Adds Jobs To Produce Military Vehicle Armor

(NSI News Source Info) Austin TX - February 19, 2009: BAE Systems has opened a new facility that will produce armor kits to protect U.S. Army ground vehicles. The 33,000-square-foot facility will allow the company to build its L-ROD(tm) bar-armor kits faster and at lower cost. The company is under contract with the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command and the Marine Corps Systems Command, with orders totaling $34 million. BAE Systems plans to manufacture L-ROD kits on a new, automated production line. The facility currently employs about half a dozen people, and about 30 more will be added this year. Several local businesses are subcontractors to the L-ROD production line, providing a further boost to the Austin economy. "From the beginning, the L-ROD team has been motivated by the recognition that this product saves lives," said Bill Kellner, L-ROD program manager for BAE Systems. "Our commitment to our troops and their families has led to innovations and enhancements in design, and now to a new manufacturing capability that will allow us to deliver this equipment to the frontlines faster and more efficiently." The low-cost L-ROD system protects vehicles without adding significant weight. It weighs less than half of comparable steel system, is bolted to the vehicle, and can be repaired easily in the field. BAE Systems developed the L-ROD system in 2005 under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program to protect military vehicles. The system can be adapted for installation on most military ground vehicles and is used on BAE Systems RG-31 and RG-33 series MRAPs.

ManTech To Support MRAP Sustainment

ManTech To Support MRAP Sustainment

(NSI News Source Info) FAIRFAX, Va., - February 5, 2009: The U.S. Army has contracted ManTech International Corp. to support mine resistant ambush protected vehicle sustainment initiatives. Virginia-based ManTech received the award from U.S. company VSE Corp. on behalf of the Army Program Executive Office, Combat Support and Combat Service Support and the Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, Product Manager for Assured Mobility Systems. The RG-33 is a mine-resistant light armored vehicle designed by BAE Systems Land Systems a South African subsidiary of BAE Systems and built in York, Pennsylvania, USA. It is one of several vehicles being fielded by the US Armed Forces in Iraq under the MRAP program. It is based on the RG-31, which itself is based on the Mamba APC, although it is roughly twice the weight of an RG-31. There are two variants, the standard RG-33 has four wheels and weighs 14 tons while the extended RG-33L variant has six wheels, can carry twice as many people in the back, and weighs 24 tons. Under the contract, worth approximately $355 million, ManTech will support rapid repair requirements for the Army's fleet of RG31 and RG33 MRAPs deployed to Afghanistan and Southwest Asia. Officials say the level of work on the contract will depend on U.S. operations in Southwest Asia and the scale of the ongoing campaign targeting the Taliban, among other militants. "ManTech has been supporting mine detection, mine retrieval and mine protected systems in Southwest Asia since 2003," Robert Coleman, ManTech president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. "We are proud to support these systems because we understand they play an important role in keeping our war fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan safe."