The Army’s next armored vehicles may have V-hulls and tracks, and should be better protected than the canceled Future Combat Systems vehicles, according to a draft paper that will shape the formal requirements for the Ground Combat Vehicle. The service plans to buy hundreds of GCVs over the next 10 to 20 years for use throughout the force. The first models are slated to be ready within five to seven years.
Gen. Peter Chiarelli laid out new details of the Army's new modernization strategy at an Association of the United States Army breakfast, focusing on the Ground Combat Vehicle effort. Army acquisition officials announced the GCV effort after Defense Secretary Robert Gates killed the 27-ton Manned Ground Vehicles portion of the Army's Future Combat Systems program in the fiscal 2010 defense budget, criticizing the design as ill-suited to survive current battlefield threats.
"The Ground Combat Vehicle represents one of the most important combat development and acquisition decisions we are going to make in a long time," Chiarelli said.
These futuristic vehicles, which the Army hopes to develop and begin fielding within seven years, will be designed to be flexible enough to fight in any environment and adaptable enough to be upgraded with technology that surfaces decades into the future, Chiarelli said.
The outdated M113 personnel carrier will be the first to go between now and 2018, according to a chart Chiarelli referred to in his talk. While he gave no specific date, the Bradley fighting vehicles will likely be retired as well.
"When it comes to the Bradley, we will reset the Bradley, but we know there is a point in time in the future where we will divest ourselves of the Bradley," Chiarelli said. "We want to develop the Ground Combat Vehicle which we see in its first iteration as an infantry fighting vehicle."
The Army plans to continue upgrading the M1 tank, the Stryker family of vehicles and the Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzer, Chiarelli said.
The vice chief's comments came as the Army senior leadership is preparing to brief Gates on the findings of "Task Force 120," a working group led by Training and Doctrine Command's Army Capabilities Integration Center, to create a new strategy for modernizing Army BCTs. The task force's findings will include a blueprint for how BCTs will fight in the future.
"I can't tell you what the GCV will look like, but I will tell you that in the past 120 days, we have thought our way through how we are going to move forward," Chiarelli said.
The Army officially began the acquisition process for the GCV Sept. 3 when it issued a "sources sought" solicitation to the defense industry, inviting companies to show the service what they have to offer in future vehicle concepts. The Army will hold two industry days, one in October and one in November, to discuss requirements with industry, Chiarelli said. The dates have not yet been set.
In addition to the new vehicles, Chiarelli also described how the Army intends to develop and field "capability packages" to BCTs in two-year increments out to 2026 to coincide with how brigades deploy for roughly a year, return home, reset, train-up and prepare for their next deployment.
The Army is conducting a 23-day Limited User Test at Fort Bliss, Texas on the first of these capability packages. The equipment, formerly known as "spin-outs" under the FCS program, includes sophisticated network gear, unattended ground sensors, a small unmanned ground vehicle, a hovering unmanned aerial vehicle and the Non Line Of Sight Launch System, also known as "rockets in a box." The plan is to field the first set to BCTs beginning in 2011.
But not all sets will look alike, Chiarelli said. Based on battlefield conditions, the Army plans to tailor these packages at the beginning of each two-year increment to ensure units have the equipment they need. Packages could include former FCS spin-out technology, vehicle upgrades, battlefield innovations or Mine Resistant Ambush Protective vehicles if necessary, Chiarelli said.
However, all capability sets will include what Army leaders maintain as the key to the BCT modernization effort - the network.
"Soldiers get four important things from the network - I know where I am, I know where my friends are, I know where the enemy is and I can bring precision fires on that enemy," Chiarelli said. "The information they receive over the network isn't simply nice to have; it can often mean the difference between living and dying on today's battlefield."
Showing posts with label M113 APC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M113 APC. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
DTN News: U.S. Army Details Ground Combat Vehicle Plans
DTN News: U.S. Army Details Ground Combat Vehicle Plans
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - September 13, 2009: The U.S. Army's vice chief of staff said September 10 that the service plans to begin replacing its M113 and Bradley armored vehicles with a new infantry carrier vehicle within the coming decade. The Army’s next armored vehicles may have V-hulls and tracks, and should be better protected than the canceled Future Combat Systems vehicles, according to a draft paper that will shape the formal requirements for the Ground Combat Vehicle. The service plans to buy hundreds of GCVs over the next 10 to 20 years for use throughout the force. The first models are slated to be ready within five to seven years.
Gen. Peter Chiarelli laid out new details of the Army's new modernization strategy at an Association of the United States Army breakfast, focusing on the Ground Combat Vehicle effort. Army acquisition officials announced the GCV effort after Defense Secretary Robert Gates killed the 27-ton Manned Ground Vehicles portion of the Army's Future Combat Systems program in the fiscal 2010 defense budget, criticizing the design as ill-suited to survive current battlefield threats.
"The Ground Combat Vehicle represents one of the most important combat development and acquisition decisions we are going to make in a long time," Chiarelli said.
These futuristic vehicles, which the Army hopes to develop and begin fielding within seven years, will be designed to be flexible enough to fight in any environment and adaptable enough to be upgraded with technology that surfaces decades into the future, Chiarelli said.
The outdated M113 personnel carrier will be the first to go between now and 2018, according to a chart Chiarelli referred to in his talk. While he gave no specific date, the Bradley fighting vehicles will likely be retired as well.
"When it comes to the Bradley, we will reset the Bradley, but we know there is a point in time in the future where we will divest ourselves of the Bradley," Chiarelli said. "We want to develop the Ground Combat Vehicle which we see in its first iteration as an infantry fighting vehicle."
The Army plans to continue upgrading the M1 tank, the Stryker family of vehicles and the Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzer, Chiarelli said.
The vice chief's comments came as the Army senior leadership is preparing to brief Gates on the findings of "Task Force 120," a working group led by Training and Doctrine Command's Army Capabilities Integration Center, to create a new strategy for modernizing Army BCTs. The task force's findings will include a blueprint for how BCTs will fight in the future.
"I can't tell you what the GCV will look like, but I will tell you that in the past 120 days, we have thought our way through how we are going to move forward," Chiarelli said.
The Army officially began the acquisition process for the GCV Sept. 3 when it issued a "sources sought" solicitation to the defense industry, inviting companies to show the service what they have to offer in future vehicle concepts. The Army will hold two industry days, one in October and one in November, to discuss requirements with industry, Chiarelli said. The dates have not yet been set.
In addition to the new vehicles, Chiarelli also described how the Army intends to develop and field "capability packages" to BCTs in two-year increments out to 2026 to coincide with how brigades deploy for roughly a year, return home, reset, train-up and prepare for their next deployment.
The Army is conducting a 23-day Limited User Test at Fort Bliss, Texas on the first of these capability packages. The equipment, formerly known as "spin-outs" under the FCS program, includes sophisticated network gear, unattended ground sensors, a small unmanned ground vehicle, a hovering unmanned aerial vehicle and the Non Line Of Sight Launch System, also known as "rockets in a box." The plan is to field the first set to BCTs beginning in 2011.
But not all sets will look alike, Chiarelli said. Based on battlefield conditions, the Army plans to tailor these packages at the beginning of each two-year increment to ensure units have the equipment they need. Packages could include former FCS spin-out technology, vehicle upgrades, battlefield innovations or Mine Resistant Ambush Protective vehicles if necessary, Chiarelli said.
However, all capability sets will include what Army leaders maintain as the key to the BCT modernization effort - the network.
"Soldiers get four important things from the network - I know where I am, I know where my friends are, I know where the enemy is and I can bring precision fires on that enemy," Chiarelli said. "The information they receive over the network isn't simply nice to have; it can often mean the difference between living and dying on today's battlefield."
The Army’s next armored vehicles may have V-hulls and tracks, and should be better protected than the canceled Future Combat Systems vehicles, according to a draft paper that will shape the formal requirements for the Ground Combat Vehicle. The service plans to buy hundreds of GCVs over the next 10 to 20 years for use throughout the force. The first models are slated to be ready within five to seven years.
Gen. Peter Chiarelli laid out new details of the Army's new modernization strategy at an Association of the United States Army breakfast, focusing on the Ground Combat Vehicle effort. Army acquisition officials announced the GCV effort after Defense Secretary Robert Gates killed the 27-ton Manned Ground Vehicles portion of the Army's Future Combat Systems program in the fiscal 2010 defense budget, criticizing the design as ill-suited to survive current battlefield threats.
"The Ground Combat Vehicle represents one of the most important combat development and acquisition decisions we are going to make in a long time," Chiarelli said.
These futuristic vehicles, which the Army hopes to develop and begin fielding within seven years, will be designed to be flexible enough to fight in any environment and adaptable enough to be upgraded with technology that surfaces decades into the future, Chiarelli said.
The outdated M113 personnel carrier will be the first to go between now and 2018, according to a chart Chiarelli referred to in his talk. While he gave no specific date, the Bradley fighting vehicles will likely be retired as well.
"When it comes to the Bradley, we will reset the Bradley, but we know there is a point in time in the future where we will divest ourselves of the Bradley," Chiarelli said. "We want to develop the Ground Combat Vehicle which we see in its first iteration as an infantry fighting vehicle."
The Army plans to continue upgrading the M1 tank, the Stryker family of vehicles and the Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzer, Chiarelli said.
The vice chief's comments came as the Army senior leadership is preparing to brief Gates on the findings of "Task Force 120," a working group led by Training and Doctrine Command's Army Capabilities Integration Center, to create a new strategy for modernizing Army BCTs. The task force's findings will include a blueprint for how BCTs will fight in the future.
"I can't tell you what the GCV will look like, but I will tell you that in the past 120 days, we have thought our way through how we are going to move forward," Chiarelli said.
The Army officially began the acquisition process for the GCV Sept. 3 when it issued a "sources sought" solicitation to the defense industry, inviting companies to show the service what they have to offer in future vehicle concepts. The Army will hold two industry days, one in October and one in November, to discuss requirements with industry, Chiarelli said. The dates have not yet been set.
In addition to the new vehicles, Chiarelli also described how the Army intends to develop and field "capability packages" to BCTs in two-year increments out to 2026 to coincide with how brigades deploy for roughly a year, return home, reset, train-up and prepare for their next deployment.
The Army is conducting a 23-day Limited User Test at Fort Bliss, Texas on the first of these capability packages. The equipment, formerly known as "spin-outs" under the FCS program, includes sophisticated network gear, unattended ground sensors, a small unmanned ground vehicle, a hovering unmanned aerial vehicle and the Non Line Of Sight Launch System, also known as "rockets in a box." The plan is to field the first set to BCTs beginning in 2011.
But not all sets will look alike, Chiarelli said. Based on battlefield conditions, the Army plans to tailor these packages at the beginning of each two-year increment to ensure units have the equipment they need. Packages could include former FCS spin-out technology, vehicle upgrades, battlefield innovations or Mine Resistant Ambush Protective vehicles if necessary, Chiarelli said.
However, all capability sets will include what Army leaders maintain as the key to the BCT modernization effort - the network.
"Soldiers get four important things from the network - I know where I am, I know where my friends are, I know where the enemy is and I can bring precision fires on that enemy," Chiarelli said. "The information they receive over the network isn't simply nice to have; it can often mean the difference between living and dying on today's battlefield."
Saturday, April 04, 2009
BAE Wins $169 Million For M-113, M-88 Vehicle Work
BAE Wins $169 Million For M-113, M-88 Vehicle Work
(NSI News Source Info) April 4, 2009: Pentagon Contract Announcement
-- BAE Systems, Anniston, Ala., was awarded on Mar. 31, 2009, an $87,735,664.00 firm fixed price contract for the reset of 697 M113 Family of Vehicles. Work is to be performed at Anniston, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2009.
One bid was solicited and one bid received.
U.S. Army Tank & Automotive Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-G-0005).
The M88 is one of the largest all weather armored recovery vehicles currently in use by U.S. Armed Forces and Israel Defense Force, almost 10 tons heavier than the M1 Abrams main battle tank. There are currently three variants, the M88, M88A1 and M88A2 Hercules. The M88 series has seen action most noticeably in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and to a lesser extent during the Kosovo War where they were deployed to help recover heavy armored vehicles of the Allied ground units. The current M88A2 replacement cost is around $2,050,000.
-- BAE Systems, York, Pa., was awarded on Mar. 31, 2009, an $81,419,445.00 firm fixed price contract for production of 39 Army-configured M88A2 HERCULES recovery vehicles, and three sets of Authorized Stockage List Spares. Work is to be performed at York, Pa., (98 percent) and Aiken, S.C. (2 percent), with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2012.
One bid was solicited and one bid received.
U.S. Army Tank & Automotive Command Contracting Center, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0408).
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Jordan Orders 300 Upgrade Kits For M-113 APCs / Pentagon Contract Announcement
Jordan Orders 300 Upgrade Kits For M-113 APCs / Pentagon Contract Announcement
(NSI News Source Info) April 1, 2009: BAE Systems, Santa Clara, Calif., was awarded on Mar. 13, 2009, a $43,300,000 firm fixed contract to implement Jordanian M113A2MK1 Upgrade program (conversion effort) 300 vehicle upgrade kit conversion.
A huge number of M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants have been created, ranging from infantry carriers to nuclear missile carriers. The M113 Armored Personnel Carrier has become one of the most prolific armored vehicles of the second half of the 20th century, and continues to serve with armies around the world into the 21st century. Not without its faults, the otherwise versatile chassis of the M113 has been used to create almost every type of vehicle imaginable. Few vehicles ever created can claim the application to such a wide range of roles. Jordan Amred Forces have approx. 300 M113 APC in service.
A huge number of M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants have been created, ranging from infantry carriers to nuclear missile carriers. The M113 Armored Personnel Carrier has become one of the most prolific armored vehicles of the second half of the 20th century, and continues to serve with armies around the world into the 21st century. Not without its faults, the otherwise versatile chassis of the M113 has been used to create almost every type of vehicle imaginable. Few vehicles ever created can claim the application to such a wide range of roles. Jordan Amred Forces have approx. 300 M113 APC in service. Work is to be performed at Zarqa, Jordan with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited one bid received.
U.S. Army Contracting Command, TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0236).
Friday, March 27, 2009
Australia Program Delivers 42 Upgraded M113s In 9 Years / Management Of The M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier Upgrade Project (Summary)
Australia Program Delivers 42 Upgraded M113s In 9 Years / Management Of The M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier Upgrade Project (Summary)
(NSI News Source Info) March 27, 2009: M113s are the only tracked vehicle in the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) fleet of armoured troop transports used for transporting and supporting infantry in a battlefield. M113s first saw service with the ADF during the Vietnam War and are undergoing a major upgrade to improve protection, lethality, mobility and habitability.
2. Currently, 431 upgraded M113s are on order for delivery by the end of 2011 under Project Land 106: Upgrade of M113 Armoured Vehicles. The initial purchase in July 2002 of 350 upgraded vehicles for delivery by December 2010 was extended in December 2008 to include an additional 81 upgraded M113s as part of the Enhanced Land Force (ELF) initiative.
Nine years on, Australia’s A$ 1 billion M-113 upgrade program has only delivered 42 vehicles out of the 431 that are due to be delivered by late 2010.
Nine years on, Australia’s A$ 1 billion M-113 upgrade program has only delivered 42 vehicles out of the 431 that are due to be delivered by late 2010. 3. With total anticipated expenditure in the order of $1 billion, the upgrade is one of Defence’s top 30 projects by forecast 2008–09 expenditure, with some $100 million in expenditure under Project Land 106 forecast for this financial year.
4. Upgraded M113s are to be a core component of the ADF’s capability. They are fundamental equipment for Army’s two mechanised battalions, the 5th and 7th Royal Australian Regiments (7RARand 5RAR), and are currently forecast to be in service until 2020.
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) previously examined the Department of Defence’s (Defence’s) progress in delivering this project in Audit Report No.32005–06, Management of the M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier Upgrade Project. Given the continuing significance of this project and developments since the 2005–06 audit, the ANAO scheduled this audit to provide updates on the progress against Project Land 106’s stated schedule, cost and technical performance objectives, and on Defence’s implementation of the recommendations and findings of the previous audit.
8. The M113 Major Upgrade Project commenced in July 2002 and has suffered a series of delays. Army has so far received 42 of the vehicles to be upgraded (see Table 1.3). Of these, 16 are in service with 7RAR, five are awaiting issue to units and the remaining 21 are allocated primarily to driver and crew training units.
9. Many of the initial technical difficulties with the Project were resolved by the end of 2007, at which time extensive negotiations with the Prime Contractor were successfully concluded. Those negotiations enabled final production to get under way and reaffirmed the December 2010 delivery date.
Subsequently, however, production has been slow. In July 2008, the Prime Contractor informed Defence that the existing production facilities at Bandiana, Victoria, were not adequate to the task and, at December 2008, there was a potential shortfall of around 100 upgraded vehicles by December 2010.
11. Defence is currently working with the Prime Contractor on measures to improve and expand the M113 production facilities and recover the anticipated production shortfall. On 28 October 2008, the Minister for Defence announced that additional production will occur at Williamstown, Victoria, and Wingfield, South Australia. ANAO notes that recovering the production schedule will be challenging.
12. Defence advised that the upgradedM113s achieved a limited Initial Operational Capability as of December 2007 and could, if circumstances required, be deployed. However, Defence has yet to complete the Operational Testing and Evaluation of the upgraded vehicles, which is necessary to achieve Operational Release. In light of increasing threats, Defence is considering additional protection for its M113s, at a potential additional cost of up to $0.2million per vehicle, if they are deployed on more hazardous missions.
13. As of September2008, the 16 upgraded M113s delivered to 7RAR had travelled less than 1000 kilometres. They were first used in a training exercise in November 2008 and, by December 2008, had travelled almost 9000 kilometres. Defence advised ANAO in December 2008 that, notwithstanding delays in the delivery of the upgraded M113s, demands on capability had been manageable. This was due, in part, to Defence’s ability to use alternative armoured troop transports, and because troops who would otherwise have been assigned to M113s were necessarily deployed elsewhere on operations.
Defence advised ANAO in December 2008 that: The development of the [upgraded M113] capability is adversely impacted by support to operations. This cost has been assessed and accepted by Chief of Army as Capability Manager. Indeed, the cost is manageable within Army’s wider priorities and strategic guidance.
14. Until it receives all its upgraded vehicles, Defence will continue to operate its fleet of original M113s, many of which are over 35 years old. At the time of this audit, Defence’s assessment was that there were no viable alternatives to the upgraded M113.
Click here for the full report (126 pages in PDF format) on the ANAO website.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Australia Upgrade M113 APC With Better Improved Armour Protection, Mobility, Firepower and Habitability
Australia Upgrade M113 APC With Better Improved Armour Protection, Mobility, Firepower and Habitability
(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: The current Land 106 project will upgrade 431 M113 vehicles to improve armour protection, mobility, firepower and habitability. The Australian Government provided second pass approval for the project in June 2002 to upgrade 350 vehicles, and a contract was signed with Tenix Defence (now BAE Systems Australia Defence Pty Ltd (BAESAD) on 15 July 2002. 
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that formed the backbone of the US Army's mobile infantry units from the time of its introduction in the 1960s. It was partly replaced by the M2 Bradley which was one of many later vehicles designed from the outset to be more heavily armed and protected infantry fighting vehicle. Though it was never designed to serve as a light tank, the M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the US Army in the Vietnam War, earning the nickname 'Green Dragon' among the Viet Cong,as well as APC and ACAV (armored cavalry assault vehicle) by the allied forces, as it was used to break through heavy thickets in the midst of the jungle to attack and overrun enemy positions.
The M113 introduced new aluminum armor that made the vehicle much lighter and stiffer than earlier vehicles. This protected the crew and passengers against much of the small arms fire available to enemy infantry. Yet compared to heavier tanks, it had excellent cross-country performance and amphibious capabilities, while remaining airmobile. Its versatility led to it spawning a wide variety of adaptations that live on even in US service, representing about half of US Army armored vehicles today. To date, over *80,000 M113s of all types have been produced and used by over 50 countries worldwide, making it one of the most widely used armored fighting vehicles of all time. The Military Channel's "Top Ten" series named the M113 the most significant infantry fighting vehicle in history.
The Government approved the upgrade of a further 81 vehicles in October 2008 for Army’s Enhanced Land Force initiative and a contract change proposal was signed with BAESAD in December 2008.
Technical problems between 2002 and 2006 delayed completion of vehicle testing and the planned date for initial introduction into service was moved from December 2006 to November 2007, placing pressure on the overall project schedule. The vehicles began reliability testing in February 2007 and the testing was concluded on 11 May 2007.
“Despite the technical and schedule issues the project remains well within its budget and the only change in project cost since Government approval in 2002 has been for the additional 81 vehicles and for inflation or currency exchange rate variations,” said Bob Lumley, Director, M113 Upgrade Program.
43 of the production vehicles have now been accepted from Tenix/BAESAD and another 16 vehicles are on the production line. BAESAD is preparing its marine facilities in Williamstown, Victoria and its site at Wingfield, South Australia as additional locations for hull conversion to accelerate production.
“The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has considered a number of options to provide the capability that the Army requires. The upgrade of the M113 remains the most cost effective option for providing the highly mobile and protected capability,” says Mr Lumley. “The key features of the upgrade include applique armour, spall curtains, enhanced mine protection and a new armoured turret. All vehicles will have the capability to attach add on armour for increased protection.”
The upgraded vehicle is one of the best protected light armoured vehicles around the world.
The armour protection has been developed after extensive research by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). This represents a marked improvement in protection over the original M113 vehicle.
The DMO is now investigating potential survivability enhancements to be ready to adapt new protection measures if needed.
A U.S. Army armored M113 personnel carrier finds shelter in a Panama City laundramat. The use of heavy forces mounted in M113's were key to success in combat in the city, providing firepower, protection, and mobility.
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