US Army

Rappel du premier message :

Citation :

« J'aime les USA, et je combats pour elle», c'est ainsi que Lamia Lahlou commente son adhésion à l'armée américaine, et sa participation à la guerre contre l'iraq- depuis déjà 8 mois-. Née au Maroc en 1986, Lamia Lahlou rejoint l'armée américaine 3 ans après les attentats du 11 septembre 2001.

Tempérée par sa propre volonté, «la marocaine», ne mâche pas ses mots pour affirmer que ce pas emboité s'inscrit dans le cadre d'un «vrai Jihad». Rapporte une idéo diffusée largement sur Internet (Voir ci-aprés).

Choquée par la mort de sa meilleure amie, Lamia croit dur comme fer que l'adhésion à l'armée américaine est le seul et unique moyen susceptible de calmer le feu de sa vengeance.

A noter que les USA continuent à «renforcer » son armée via le recrutement des marocains, à l'heure où ALQIADIA ciblent d'autres recrues du Maroc vers la Hollande et la Belgique, tout en passant par la Syrie, l'Espagne et l'Iraq.

source: emarrakech.info

Rafi

Citation :

Un coup de peinture qui en dit long sur les intentions US en Europe





Le renforcement des capacités militaires US en Europe se poursuit.

Certaines mesures semblent ponctuelles; c'est le cas des Raptor déployés vendredi dernier en Allemagne. Quatre F-22 du 95th Fighter Squadron ont quitté la base de Tyndall en Floride pour l'Allemagne, en vue d'exercices avec les forces polonaises. Aux quatre Raptor s'ajoutent un C-17 et 70 aviateurs.



D'autres mesures sont pérennes. Ainsi l'US Army a annoncé qu'elle allait repeindre en "Woodland green" (l'équivalent du camouflage Centre Europe français) les blindés (Abram et Bradley) déployés au cours du dernier semestre. Ces blindés étaient arrivés avec leur camouflage "desert tan".


200 de ces blindés qui stationnent à Coleman Barracks, en Allemagne, vont bénéficier de ce coup de peinture qui n'a rien d'inattendu; il témoigne en effet que ces équipements sont là pour rester un bon moment, ainsi que l'a reconnu mardi le général Hodges, patron des troupes de l'US Army en Europe.

On notera aussi que 450 hommes du 227th Aviation Regiment (1st Cavalry Division) sont en cours de déploiement.

70 hommes du 147th Reconnaissance Wing (Texas Air National Guard) sont arrivés lundi en Lettonie avec deux drones Predator. Deux A-10 sont arrivés le 26 août dans ce pays et stationnent aussi sur la base de Leilvarde.

Enfin, 160 marines et une dizaine de blindés sont en Bulgarie pour 6 mois. Ils stationnent sur la Novo Selo Training Area.

http://lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr/archive/2015/09/02/un-coup-de-peinture-qui-en-dit-long-sur-les-intentions-us-en-14615.html

Citation :

CGI to continue support for US Army's IMMOS application suite

CGI has received a contract from the US Army Sustainment Command (ASC) to continue support for the Integrated Materiel Management Operations System (IMMOS) over the next five years.
Under the contract, which includes a one-year base period and four option years, the company will continue software development and support IMMOS application suite.
The base year has been incrementally funded at $3.1m, and the contract will reach a maximum ceiling of $55.8m, if all options are exercised.
CGI senior vice-president Pat Dougherty said: "We are gratified to see our logistics systems expertise recognised and intend to continue supporting this vital client with high quality service and support for years to come."


The company has developed and supported IMMOS logistics software applications since 1994.
System innovations during this timeframe include real time care of supplies in storage (COSIS) and warehouse management functionality, radio-frequency identification tag and network management tools, business intelligence, accountability, inventory and maintenance reporting, as well as automated equipment hand-off and receipt-back capability.
The ASC uses the IMMOS suite to execute asset tracking and maintenance management tasks for army prepositioned stocks, while helping to ensure that the deploying units receive the right equipment at the right time to complete their missions.
The army should be able to track and identify equipment stored and serviced at designated facilities across the globe, to successfully perform missions ranging from warfighting to humanitarian relief.

Work under the contract is scheduled to be performed in Virginia, Illinois, Sierra Army Depot, California, South Carolina, Alabama, as well as at multiple locations worldwide, including Italy, Germany, Qatar, Kuwait, Korea, Japan, and Afghanistan, with an estimated completion in July 2020.




http://www.army-technology.com/news/newscgi-to-continue-support-for-us-armys-immos-application-suite-4662505

Citation :

U.S. Army and U.S. Navy Award Lockheed Martin $66 Million Contract for Joint Air-to-Ground Missile

The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $66.3 million contract for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) program.



“Since contract award in August, we conducted a fifth flight test that further demonstrated the high degree of design maturity and readiness for operational testing that will support future JAGM production,” said U.S. Army Project Manager Col. James Romero. “The Aug. 25 test was the first JAGM test using the Active Fire and Forget, Lock-On After Launch engagement mode against a stationary armored target. Throughout all five tests, we have demonstrated that both sensors - onboard radar and semi-active laser - effectively operate together to provide an enhanced capability against stationary and moving targets for precision point or fire-and-forget targeting.”

The 24-month EMD phase will include JAGM production, test qualification and integration on the AH-64 Apache and AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters. The EMD phase also establishes an initial low-rate manufacturing capability in support of two follow-on low-rate initial production options.

“The EMD contract validates the merits of our mature, modular and proven JAGM design,” said Frank St. John, vice president of tactical missiles and combat maneuver systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “We will continue to work closely with the Army and Navy as we move through the EMD phase and into low-rate initial production, ensuring we meet Initial Operational Capability in 2018 on budget and on schedule.”

Prior to EMD contract award, Lockheed Martin completed the Army’s Continued Technology Development (CTD) phase, which included design, test and demonstration of the JAGM guidance section. During CTD flight testing, Lockheed Martin’s JAGM achieved 100 percent mission success.

JAGM is the next generation air-to-ground missile for use on joint rotary-wing and unmanned aircraft systems for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. JAGM’s multi-mode seeker provides the warfighter with precision strike and fire-and-forget capabilities against moving targets


http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/u.s._army_and_u.s._navy_award_lockheed_martin_$66_million_contract_for_joint_air-to-ground_missile.html

Citation :

The United States Army has issued on 27 August a Request for Information for the potential revamp of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle data link equipment.



The letter outlines the requirement for a kit that would include satellite, primary and back-up, communications and line of sight data links, mode

ms, receivers, power amplifiers and other related equipment.





The potential revamp is a result of the US Army’s effort to enhance its manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) and from the lessons learned while deploying the Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to Afghanistan. These platforms cooperated with unmanned systems for more than half of their missions. Nevertheless, the Apache pilots did not receive the tactical picture in their cockpits but coordinated with the ground stations or waited for a higher command’s authorization to use them, instead.

The MQ-1C is the Army’s version of the Predator family of UAS, with its use seen increasing over time. Therefore, these systems cannot cover the full extent of the operational requirements. The Army’s plan is to equip as many UAVs as possible with a data link that will be allow communication in different frequencies.

Furthermore, according to a Wall Street Journal report, the Army has a plan to increase drone flights by 50% in the next four years. Operations in Afghanistan and mainly those against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, have taken most of the available means. With most of the burden falling on the USAF it is now time for the Army and the Special Operations Command to beef up their means. Based on the WSJ report, the Army will fly as many as 16 sorties per day by 2019.

The recent Letter of Intent calls the industry to provide quantity price breaks for an order of up to 180 units, with a starting delivery date around March 2018.

It is expected that the Army’s UAVs will bridge the gap created from the withdrawal of the OH-58 Kiowa/Kiowa Warrior armed reconnaissance helicopters and further to that, they will probably be able to share their picture with the Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters.



http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/us_army_issues_rfi_for_the_mq-1c_revamp_40709152.html

Citation :

Watervliet Arsenal to manufacture weapon system components for US Army



Watervliet Arsenal has received five contracts to supply various weapon system components for the US Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command.
Valued at more than $18m, the contracts will ensure that the arsenal retains a base of critical skills to support the future requirements of soldiers.
Under the first $4.5m contract, the arsenal will manufacture 105mm howitzer cannons and breechblocks, while a second $13m contract covers the production and supply of 120mm Abrams Tank barrels and tank forgings.
The facility will also manufacture 81mm mortar baseplates with a contract value exceeding $560,000.
Watervliet Arsenal manufacturing chief Bill Dingmon said: "What makes these new contracts significant is that in an era of fiscal uncertainty in the US defence budget these contracts will add more than 36,000 direct labour hours to the Arsenal's future workload.
"Additionally, the majority of the direct labour hours will help to retain the Arsenal's entire range of critical skill capability that has supported every US soldier since the War of 1812."
While the arsenal has identified 11 critical skill capabilities that it needs to retain to continue as the Defense Department's large calibre weapons manufacturer of choice, not all of the production requirements exercise all of these core capabilities.

The latest contracts are expected to ensure the army's manufacturing centre at Watervliet retains a full complement of manufacturing capability to respond to any crisis.
The facility is currently manufacturing several of these product lines from previous army contracts, with the exception of the 105mm cannons, which have not been manufactured at the arsenal since 2013.
The arsenal has already received more than $60m in contracts earlier this year for work that is scheduled to be carried out from 2016 to 2018.
Having commenced operations during the War of 1812, the Watervliet Arsenal is relied upon by both the US and foreign militaries for production of advanced, high-tech, high-powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems.


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newswatervliet-arsenal-to-manufacture-weapon-system-components-for-us-army-4665338

Citation :

AM General to build Humvee ambulances for disaster relief

Daniel Wasserbly, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
09 September 2015


AM General was awarded a USD428 million firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for new M997A3 Humvee Ambulance Chassis Vehicles for the US Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard's disaster relief missions.

Through an initial USD89.5 million order, AM General is to provide the Army National Guard with 654 M997A3s, the company said on 8 September.

A 4 September Pentagon contract announcement said that funding levels and work location would be determined through each successive M997A3 order under this contract, and that work is estimated to be completed in September 2021.

The M997A3 is a modified M997 ambulance box integrated on a modified M1152 chassis, and was developed to meet a National Guard ambulance shortage.

M997A3s

Citation :

Lockheed-Martin conteste le contrat attribué à Oshkosh pour le remplacement du Humvee


Posté dans Amériques, Forces terrestres, Industrie par Laurent Lagneau Le 10-09-2015



L’on aurait pu penser que le contrat attribué fin août par le Pentagone à Oshkosh pour le remplacement des véhicules de type Humvee de l’US Army et de l’US Marines Corps allait être contesté par AM General, l’un des concurrents malheureux. En effet, l’industriel avait dit étudier la « décison du gouvernement » et examiner « toutes les options possibles ».

Finalement, AM General n’en fera rien. Même s’il continue d’avancer que le véhicule tactique [ndlr, le BRV-O] qu’il avait proposé restait le meilleur choix possible, le groupe a estimé qu’il devait se concentrer sur ses secteurs d’activité en croissance plutôt que de se perdre en recours et en procédures judiciaires.

En outre, l’industriel a obtenu un lot de consolation, si l’on peut dire, avec un contrat de 428 millions de dollars pour fournir à l’US Army des véhicules M997A3 HMMWV configurés pour intervenir en cas de catastrophe.

En revanche, pour Lockheed-Martin, qui avait également soumis une offre, il n’est pas question de laisser filer un marché évalué – au total – à 30 milliards de dollars. Et cela, même s’il est déjà le premier fournisseur du Pentagone. D’où son dépôt d’un recours auprès du Government Accountability Office (GAO).

« Nous croyons fermement que notre solution était la plus efficace et la plus abordable », a fait valoir Lockheed-Martin, qui ne manque pas de soutiens au Congrès.

À commencer par celui du sénateur John Boozman, élu de l’Arkansas, État où auraient dû être produits les véhicules du programme JLTV si Lockheed-Martin avait été désigné par le Pentagone.

« Je crois que Lockheed Martin a des préoccupations légitimes sur l’attribution du contrat JLTV et, dans de telles circonstances, il convient de déposer une protestation et d’en demander un examen indépendant », a-t-il déclaré. « J’attends les résultats avec impatience et je suis sûr que le GAO va procéder à un examen approfondi afin de s’assurer que l’armée a respecté toutes les lois et réglementations applicables en matière d’acquisition », a-t-il ajouté.

Le GAO a désormais 100 jours pour examiner ce contrat attribué à Oshkosh et rendre une décision. Pendant ce temps, toutes les activités liés à l’exécution de ce dernier sont suspendues.

http://www.opex360.com/2015/09/10/lockheed-martin-conteste-le-contrat-attribue-oshkosh-pour-le-remplacement-du-humvee/

Citation :

M119 howitzer still plays critical role for US Army
By Army News Service -September 14, 2015


More than two decades have passed since the first M119 howitzer rolled off the production line at Rock Island Arsenal – Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, or RIA-JMTC, yet it remains one of the Army’s primary direct and indirect fire support assets.

This lightweight, air-mobile, towed howitzer has been the workhorse for the Army’s infantry brigade combat teams’ direct support artillery battalions.

Throughout the past 13 years, it has seen extensive use in both Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, or OEF and OIF. The Army has employed this howitzer in some of the most austere conditions in the world, firing multiple-round, high-angle, high-charge missions on a daily basis in support of combat troops.

High-angle fire is used for firing into or out of deep defilade such as that found in heavily wooded, mountainous and urban areas. It is also used to fire over high-terrain features near friendly troops.

To counteract the effects of these high operational-tempo combat conditions and to increase the survivability of the howitzer, the Project Manager for Towed Artillery Systems, or PM TAS, which manages the M119A3 howitzer within the Program Executive Office for Ammunition, or PEO Ammo, has developed an ongoing system modernization program.

Through this program, the howitzer has received several significant upgrades that improve performance, maintainability and safety. The most recent upgrades incorporated into the current configuration include digital fire control; increased low temperature capability, from -25 to -51 degrees Fahrenheit; and the M20 breech.

PM TAS has now shifted its attention to upgrading the howitzer’s legacy recoil system, which in the past has been plagued with reliability and maintainability issues. PM TAS is working with the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, or ARDEC, and RIA-JMTC on a program to enhance reliability and maintainability and reduce current manufacturing complexity, which in turn results in an overall reduced module cost.

WHY REDESIGN?
Although the M119 has proven to be one of the most reliable and responsive fire support assets over the past two decades, its Achilles’ heel has been the legacy recoil system. Field reports from OEF and OIF, relayed through formal systems and in anecdotal reports, have exposed shortfalls with the legacy system that negatively affect performance as well as sustainment costs.

Shortfalls of the legacy system include reliability issues in the form of frequent seal leakage from both the recuperator and buffer, resulting in increased maintenance time. Additionally, the variable recoil linkage, which sets the recoil length based on the elevation of the gun, is prone to breaking and binding. Both modules are rigidly mounted, allowing little or no movement, which causes binding and premature wear of the metal parts and seals within the buffer and recuperator.

As the operational artillery community drives the requirements for a higher-performing, more reliable recoil system, the sustainment side drives requirements for overall system cost. The legacy recoil system is very complex and includes a lot of moving parts. This complexity means constant maintenance and adjustment during normal and combat operations, resulting in high replacement rates.

Supplying spares to keep up with the high demand can be difficult because of the complexity of manufacturing the required parts. Additionally, the assembly process requires specialized tooling, increasing costs and leading to problems with availability.

RECOIL SYSTEM COMPONENTS
The M119 howitzer’s recoil system consists of a recoil brake (a damping system) and a hydropneumatic recuperator (a gas spring system). A recoil system’s main function is to absorb and control the rearward movement of the cannon and return it to its original firing position, thus avoiding violent shock to, or movement of, the carriage.

The buffer, the damping aspect of the system, absorbs the reaction forces of the firing howitzer and brings it to a controlled rest within a determined length along the sleigh, the part of the carriage that provides immediate support for the howitzer tube and houses the recoil system. The recuperator, precharged with gas, uses the rearward movement of the cannon to increase its gas pressure, creating the energy to return the cannon to its original firing position.

The redesigned system modifies and simplifies some of the components, but operates on the same fundamentals as the legacy system. The new design modifies the buffer by splitting the front head of the legacy buffer into two pieces, compensating for potential misalignment within the system and internal recoil length. The redesigned recuperator is a modified version of the legacy version with a majority of the components removed.

This is possible because of the Suspension Lockout System, or SLOS, and fixing the recoil length at 25 inches. The SLOS is an easily installable, field-deployable device used to stabilize the M119 during high-angle firing. It removes the problematic variable-recoil hardware, and works in conjunction with the fixed recoil system to reduce accelerations and stresses on the carriage and lower buffer rod forces.

In the legacy recoil system, recoil length varied from 14.5 inches to 42 inches depending on the elevation of the gun. The combination provides more stability by reducing platform displacement, resulting in more responsive fires and making it safer for the Soldier to operate.

COMPONENT REUSE CUTS COST
When redesigning a system as complex as the M119 recoil system, the challenge is to improve reliability, availability and performance to meet threshold requirements while controlling the overall cost. In addition to increasing reliability and stability and eliminating the frequent need to add or remove oil, the recoil redesign also reduces the overall weight of the system by approximately 45 pounds, a significant weight reduction.

Using a combination of unmodified and modified legacy parts along with the newly manufactured ones reduced overall costs. The legacy system consists of approximately 124 total parts. The redesign will reduce that number by 40 percent to approximately 75, reusing 47 parts from the legacy system – 65 percent – and manufacturing 28 new parts. The redesign efforts will reduce the estimated cost of the recoil system from $60,000 to $40,000.

Although the number of parts has been reduced, the system is as functional as but more reliable than the legacy system and meets all the threshold requirements. Incorporating the SLOS and the M20 breech with the recoil redesign maintains functionality. As with any artillery weapon system, excessive movement during firing adversely affects performance, with the problem being most pronounced at high-charge zone, high-angle firings.

LAST STEPS: PROTOTYPING AND PRODUCTION
PM TAS, ARDEC and RIA-JMTC developed an extensive prototyping effort that targeted program affordability and cost before making a full-rate production decision. Working with the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, ARDEC engineers obtained several Code F (unserviceable but repairable) recoil modules that were used in the prototyping effort.

The Code F modules from TACOM and PM TAS were sent to RIA-JMTC, which handled teardown and inspection. RIA-JMTC, along with ARDEC engineers, oversaw reworking of legacy parts and manufacture of new parts from the technical data package, and RIA-JMTC assembled the recoil modules. Then strength-of-design testing began. The prototyping effort at RIA-JMTC gave the PM TAS-ARDEC team the opportunity to work directly with manufacturing experts at RIA-JMTC, who provided valuable feedback on the technical data, highlighting design changes that increased manufacturability as well as cost savings.

The original acquisition strategy was to decide if, after the completion of the prototyping effort, commercial industry or RIA-JMTC would produce the new system. However, as coordination for the make-buy decision proceeded, it became apparent during the prototyping that the best value for the Army, taking into account cost, schedule, performance and risk, was to have the M119A3 recoil redesign production effort performed by RIA-JMTC.

During the prototyping, PM TAS, the program manager, ARDEC and RIA-JMTC developed a partnership approach that leveraged each group’s strengths. The ARDEC engineers provided technical and engineering support, while RIA-JMTC provided manufacturing process support and valuable feedback on the technical data package. This relationship, along with constant, open and candid communications, is the underlying reason the prototyping effort was so successful.

RIA-JMTC has all the critical tooling and machining needed to manufacture new parts and rework any reused legacy parts. The hydraulic clean room, where the teardown and assembly of the recoil modules is accomplished, features state-of-the-art tools and fixtures. For the manufacturing portion, RIA-JMTC’s in-house test facilities cut testing expenses by more than half. Program discussions indicated that the estimated cost for industry to perform the testing would have been $43.7 million; RIA-JMTC was able to execute testing for $20.7 million.

In addition to providing a more reliable and less maintenance-intensive howitzer, the recoil redesign project is an example of expanding the operational capabilities of the field artillery while maintaining cost. The largest portion of savings for the recoil redesign program is gained from reusing and modifying 65 percent of the legacy system parts, making an existing system better at a fraction of the cost.

Even in the current resource-constrained environment now facing the Army, the need for modernization does not stop. The future challenge will be to keep up with this high demand for modernization with limited resources. By maintaining strong relationships with the combat development community and the organic industrial base, which have proven that they can produce a high-quality product on time and within budget, PM TAS has set the conditions to meet future modernization needs for light field artillery.


http://www.defencetalk.com/m119-howitzer-still-plays-critical-role-for-us-army-65380/

Citation :

US and Ukrainian soldiers complete second rotation of Operation Fearless Guardian

Paratroopers from the US Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade have completed the second rotation of an initiative to train and equip the newly formed Ukrainian National Guard.
Dubbed Fearless Guardian, the congressionally-approved, Departments of State and Defense initiative under the Global Security Contingency Fund-Ukraine, aims to train several battalions of the national guard over six months.
The second rotation concluded with the graduation of more than 200 Ukrainian National Guard personnel at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre in Yavoriv, Ukraine.
During the eight weeks of training, the paratroopers trained Ukrainian personnel in individual soldier skills including movement techniques, marksmanship skills and first aid.
The soldiers then advanced to squad and platoon-level exercises with the use of live ammunition, requiring the guardsmen to work together.
Company B commander captain Zachary Savarie, 2nd Battalion said: "The Ukrainian national guard have proven themselves to be competent and capable.
"The training and hard work has paid off. The guardsmen are ready to do what their country asks of them."
The training culminated with a two-day field exercise featuring a fictitious scenario, which tested the guardsmen on every level.

Preparation for Fearless Guardian's third rotation has already started as the guardsmen prepared to leave and a new company of US paratroopers from the brigade arrived from Vicenza, Italy, to train the next iteration.
Operation Fearless Guardian began in April with focus on defensive and civil military operations, including instruction on how to shoot, how to move, how to communicate and other individual soldier skills.
The programme also includes medical training, casualty evacuation, counter-unmanned-aerial-vehicle tactics, counter-insurgency training, as well as counter-improvised-explosive-device training.
In addition, human rights and use-of-force training is undertaken, alongside common soldier and collective tasks such as individual conduct and law of war, first aid, survival, land navigation, communication, unit operations, as well as counter-chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training.




http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsus-and-ukrainian-soldiers-complete-second-rotation-of-operation-fearless-guardian-4669784

Citation :

Oshkosh ordered to stop work on US Army's $6.75bn JLTV contract

14 September 2015

Oshkosh has been directed by the US Army to stop work on the recently awarded $6.75bn contract to manufacture joint light tactical vehicles (JLTV).
The stop-work order comes after one of the losing contractors Lockheed Martin lodged a formal protest with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) citing concerns regarding the evaluation of its proposal.
Last month, Oshkosh was selected over Lockheed and AM General for a contract that covers delivery of approximately 17,000 new armoured trucks and sustainment services.
The entire contract is expected to have a maximum potential ceiling of up to $30bn. AM General decided against protesting the contract award, which includes both low rate initial production and full rate production.


US Army spokesman Michael Clow was quoted by Reuters as saying that the stop-work order, or stay of contract performance, must be issued under the federal procurement law.
The army remained confident that the new JLTV to be manufactured by Oshkosh will provide a substantial capability improvement to the US soldiers and marines at an affordable cost, Clow added.
GAO managing associate general counsel for procurement law Ralph White had earlier confirmed to the news agency that a decision on the protest by will be issued by 17 December.
The JLTV programme is a multi-service initiative aimed at replacing the US Army and Marine Corps' fleet of ageing high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs), which have been in active service for more than 25 years.
Oshkosh has offered Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle, which is said to combine the latest in automotive technologies with the Oshkosh CORE1080 crew protection and TAK-4i independent suspension systems to offer next-generation performance.
Vehicle deliveries were supposed to start approximately ten months after the contract award.






http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsoshkosh-ordered-to-stop-work-on-us-armys-675bn-jltv-contract-4669772

Citation :

US Army Driving Toward FVL Production in 2030


By Dylan Vosman - Sep 15, 2015

 

For those who know defense acquisition, it’s never a surprise when timelines to bring revolutionary weapon systems to life slip to the right, but the US Army’s new program office to manage the acquisition of a Future Vertical Lift (FVL) aircraft is laser-focused on getting to low-rate production by its goal of 2030.

Over the past several years, Army leaders and analysts have discussed varying timelines for the program, often with more pessimistic estimates of when the helicopters could come online, such as 2040 or even as late as 2045.

But according to Richard Kretzschmar, who leads the Army’s new Improved Turbine Engine and Future Vertical Lift program office, if things go well, FVL could reach low-rate initial production even earlier than 2030.

Considering the type of efforts to develop a new helicopter from scratch — from both industry and government perspectives — the schedule is a “sporty” one, a “low- to medium-risk approach to acquisition,” Kretzschmar said Monday at a rotorcraft conference at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition. “We are doing what we can to explore moving that to the left and shortening that timeline, we are certainly leveraging the [Joint Multi-Role, or JMR] tech demonstrator.”

The JMR technology demonstration is a science and technology effort to study what is in the realm of the possible for a future helicopter — one that can fly twice as far, twice as fast, with low maintenance needs at an affordable cost. Boeing and Sikorsky are building one air vehicle demonstrator and Bell Helicopter, partnered with Lockheed Martin, is building another. Both will undergo flight tests starting in fiscal 2017 through 2019.

The demonstration will feed into the FVL program of record and help the Army define its requirements for the helicopter.

The Army could move its timeline up, Kretzschmar said, if the established FVL requirements line up with the requirements of the JMR program. “If they are drastically different, then obviously there is more development on the industry side required in the early part of the program, so really our ability to do that is going to hinge on how far the technology has matured under the JMR [technology demonstrator],” he said.

Keith Flail, Bell Helicopter’s program director for future vertical lift, said at the same conference, “There is an opportunity to bring the program to the left. … I would argue a lot of what you’d typically do in a [technology-maturation and risk-reduction] phase … JMR is doing a lot of those activities.”

Bell Helicopter and the Boeing Sikorsky team, are burning down risk through the JMR program, not just by test-flying air demonstrators but also by “fabricating parts, we are showing this intense focus on design for manufacturing, design for affordability, gathering a lot of data, actuals, that they can provide to the costing community,” Flail said.

Yet even if the program is able to enter low-rate production earlier, it would only be by a margin of one or two years, Kretzschmar said in an interview with Defense News at the conference. “2030 is really what we are driving toward,” he said. “I think it’s going to be driven really more by resources from the Army perspective in when we can fit FVL into the portfolio.”

The establishment of Kretzschmar’s program office in May — that will oversee FVL acquisition as well as the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program within the Army’s Program Executive Office Aviation — can be seen as a symbolic gesture that the service is getting serious about making its development projects a reality.

At the same time, Army Training and Doctrine Command stood up a capability manager for the two programs, he added.

Kretzschmar is focused on reaching a materiel development decision in October 2016, which will trigger the start of an analysis of alternatives. The service will likely choose to develop a smaller helicopter first, he said, potentially a “special ops, street fighter-type aircraft.”

Ultimately, the Army will develop a family of future vertical lift helicopters to replace the current fleet of utility, armed reconnaissance, attack and heavy-lift helicopters, but that development won’t happen concurrently.

The Army expects to enter into a five-year technology-maturation and risk-reduction phase in 2019 then another five-year engineering and manufacturing development phase in 2024 or 2025 leading up to low-rate production in 2030.

http://defence-blog.com/news/us-army-driving-toward-fvl-production-in-2030.html

Citation :

Engility wins US Army medical product research and development contract
15 September 2015

Engility has been selected as one of the prime contractors on the US Army's $900m medical product research and development (MPRD) contract.
The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract covers the provision of professional and technical services supporting MPRD for the army and other Department of Defense entities, and has a five-year base performance period, as well as five, one-year options.
Under the contract, Engility subsidiary, TASC, will provide technical / administrative services, meeting and informational products, clinical and non-clinical development, medical product manufacturing, as well as regulatory, training protocol and information technology.
Engility president and CEO Tony Smeraglinolo said: "Engility appreciates the opportunity to provide unique technical support and innovative thought on this vital medical product research and development program, which ensures the servicemen and women who defend our country have the best medical supplies and medical assistance available.

"The MPRD contract is a very meaningful award and is projected to be a vehicle that is used throughout DoD for medical product research and development and support."
The MPRD programme provides a mechanism for all aspects of medical product research and development and lifecycle support to maintain US troops.
Managed by the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, the contract will streamline the process, in which military medical products move through the development process and progress through Food and Drug Administration clearance or approval before fielding the product or knowledge to the soldier.
Other contract awardees include Dynport Vaccine, Leidos, and Pharmaceutical Product Development.


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsengility-wins-us-army-medical-product-research-and-development-contract-4670259

Citation :

Saab receives US order for AT4CS RS systems

Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the US Army for the shoulder-launched AT4CS RS (reduced sensitivity) anti-armour weapon system. Deliveries will take place during 2016.

The AT4CS RS is a disposable, preloaded weapon with a specially developed, unique shaped-charge warhead that delivers outstanding behind-armour-effects inside the target. Thanks to this new warhead the AT4CS RS also has improved insensitive munition (IM) characteristics.

"This is another great milestone for Saab and the AT4 system. This new order demonstrates the continued belief by the customer in the capabilities and versatility of our product, as well as its future potential. Together with the major December 2014 order from the French armed forces, this order emphasises that Saab is the leading supplier in the shoulder-launched product segment," says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab Business Area Dynamics.



The AT4 is one of the most successful anti-armour weapons ever developed. Great flexibility means it is not limited to combating tanks and heavy combat vehicles; it is equally effective against threats in buildings and fortifications. It can also be employed to protect fixed installations, supply points and other vital assets. The product range includes AT4 HEAT (high explosive anti-tank), confined space (CS) and anti-structure tandem (CS AST) variants.

In 2014 new versions of the weapon were introduced to the market. These new variants are part of the proven AT4CS family and build upon Saab's modular 84-mm product range including the Carl-Gustaf multi-purpose reloadable weapon system and the AT4 family of disposable weapons. The new AT4 variants – the AT4CS ER (extended range) and AT4CS HE (high explosive) -- provide multi-purpose, direct fire support with confined space capabilities.


http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/saab_receives_us_order_for_at4cs_rs_systems_41509152.html

Citation :

US Army awards $227m contract to Lockheed for GMLRS system


The US Army has awarded a $227m contract to Lockheed Martin for Lot 10 production of the guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) Unitary.
The contract, which includes the first order of GMLRS alternative warhead production, will also cover a US Government foreign military sale of GMLRS Unitary rockets to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Tactical Missiles vice-president Ken Musculus said: "GMLRS is a combat proven precision-strike system.
"We are confident that the new GMLRS Alternative Warhead will also provide reliable, highly accurate capability for our domestic and international customers."
Work on the contract will be performed at the company's facility in Camden, Arkansas, US.


To date, more than 25,000 GMLRS rockets have been produced by the company at its Camden facility.
Packaged in an MLRS launch pod, the all-weather GMLRS rocket is fired from the Lockheed HIMARS or M270 family of launchers during combat operations.
The alternative warhead has been designed to achieve area-effects requirement similar to the old MLRS submunition warheads and can engage the same target set, while eliminating the danger of unexploded ordnance.
Production of MLRS rockets with submunition warheads was stopped by the company nearly seven years ago.
The GMLRS rocket is also used by the armed forces of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Japan, Jordan, Singapore, Bahrain and the UAE.




http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsus-army-awards-227m-contract-to-lockheed-for-gmlrs-system-4671699

Citation :

Raytheon to research optimised information flow for US military operations


Raytheon BBN Technologies has secured a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to research optimised information flow for military operations over wide area networks.
Valued at $12.2m, the contract is awarded under the Edge-Directed Cyber Technologies for Reliable Mission Communication (EdgeCT) programme.
The EdgeCT programme is aimed to make sure mission-critical communications are less susceptible to possible network failures that result from both cyber-attacks and common network errors.
Raytheon BBN EdgeCT principal investigator Greg Lauer said: "Recovering from network attacks or working around mis-configurations can disrupt traffic for hours.
"Our aim on the EdgeCT programme is to minimise that disruption to minutes or less. Our approach does not require control or direct observation of the wide area network and so it can be easily deployed in end user enclaves."


The programme uses a new approach to achieve improved reliability by focusing on adding new capabilities to the communications devices at the edges of the network, the company stated.
In order to support the mission, Raytheon BBN-led team plans to develop a network that interconnects users through secure connections.
With these connections, the software would be able to continuously monitor events in the larger network and their effect on traffic flow.
In addition, the network would be capable of exchanging information between nodes in each user group about network conditions.
It would further dynamically configure the way the network handles application traffic to enhance performance, ensuring critical communications are transmitted as quickly as possible.
In August, Raytheon received a multiple-award contract to provide mission support to the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
As part of this development, Raytheon Blackbird Technologies will be responsible to provide professional, programme management, and technical services to special operations forces (SOF) across the globe.

http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsraytheon-to-research-optimised-information-flow-for-us-military-operations-4672648

Citation :

US Army contracted Alion to support new technologies for ground vehicles

Researching and developing new technologies to ensure military ground systems can perform at optimum levels and meet emerging threats is an ongoing challenge. To assist, Alion Science and Technology, a global engineering, technology and operational solutions company, has been named an awardee of a $634 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract by the Army’s Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM).






Under the contract, Alion will provide research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) services to include: test planning, systems engineering and integration, modeling and simulation, technology development, design for survivability engineering and human factors engineering. Work performed will assist TACOM organizations, including the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), Program Executive Offices for Combat Support & Combat Service Support and Ground Combat Systems, Integrated Logistics Support Center and Program Manager Light Armored Vehicles.

“The multi-faceted challenges of current and emerging threats, diverse operating environments and evolving technical standards require a flexible, agile approach to R&D and engineering,” said Chris Amos, Alion Senior Vice President and Manager of the Technology Solutions Group. “Alion’s long history and experience identifying, developing and delivering ground systems solutions will allow us to help the Army fulfill its mission needs rapidly and cost-effectively.”


http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/us_army_contracted_alion_to_support_new_technologies_for_ground_vehicles_41809151.html

Citation :

LM GMLRS for the US Army, Bahrain and the UAE
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) received a $227 million contract from the U.S. Army for Lot 10 production of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), and the the first order of GMLRS Alternative Warhead production.


Published: Friday, 18 September 2015 16:12


Defence & Security News - (Lockheed Martin)



LM GMLRS for the US Army, Bahrain and the UAE
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) received a $227 million contract from the U.S. Army for Lot 10 production of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), and the the first order of GMLRS Alternative Warhead production.

LM GMLRS for the US Army Bahrain and the UAE
HIMARS (Source: Lockheed Martin)

“GMLRS is a combat proven precision-strike system,” said Ken Musculus, vice president of Tactical Missiles for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “We are confident that the new GMLRS Alternative Warhead will also provide reliable, highly accurate capability for our domestic and international customers.”

Included in the contract is a U.S. government Foreign Military Sale of GMLRS Unitary rockets to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

GMLRS is an all-weather rocket designed for fast deployment that delivers precision strike beyond the reach of most conventional weapons. GMLRS Unitary rockets greatly exceed the required combat reliability rate and have established a reputation for affordability.

The Alternative Warhead is designed to engage the same target set and achieve the same area-effects requirement as the old MLRS submunition warheads, but without the lingering danger of unexploded ordnance. MLRS rockets with submunition warheads ended production approximately seven years ago.

In combat operations, each GMLRS rocket is packaged in an MLRS launch pod and is fired from the Lockheed Martin HIMARS orM270 family of launchers. GMLRS customers include the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, U.K., Japan, Jordan, Singapore, Bahrain and the UAE.

Production on the contract will be carried out at Lockheed Martin’s award-winning facility in Camden, Arkansas. Lockheed Martin has produced more than 25,000 GMLRS rockets at Camden, which has received more than 60 awards over the last decade, including the 2012 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Shingo Silver Medallion Award for Operation Excellence.


http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/lm_gmlrs_for_the_us_army_bahrain_and_the_uae_41809155.html

Citation :

Obama Nominates Fanning as US Army Secretary
By Joe Gould 6:15 p.m. EDT September 18, 2015





WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama announced he is nominating Acting Under Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning to replace Army Secretary John McHugh, which would make Fanning the first openly gay civilian service secretary.

“Eric brings many years of proven experience and exceptional leadership to this new role. I am grateful for his commitment to our men and women in uniform, and I am confident he will help lead America's Soldiers with distinction," Obama said in an announcement Friday. "I look forward to working with Eric to keep our Army the very best in the world."

Fanning has been serving as the acting under secretary of the Army since June. Before that, he served as Carter’s chief of staff. If confirmed by the Senate, Fanning will succeed McHugh, who has said he will leave the post by Nov. 1 after six years on the job.

The announcement ended months of speculation around Fanning, considered one of the most capable leaders in the Pentagon. In June, Defense News was first to report Fanning was the leading candidate.

Fanning now faces congressional confirmation.





http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/policy-budget/2015/09/18/obama-names-fanning-us-army-chief-nominee/72415612/

Citation :

L-3 receives US Army's Apache MUMT-X upgrade programme

21 September 2015

L-3 Communications has received a contract to support communications upgrade of the US Army's AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
Awarded by Science and Engineering Services, the $11.9m contract, L-3 will supply its Manned / Unmanned Teaming - eXpanded Capabilities (MUMT-X) solution to help offer increased communications capacity between the Apache and unmanned systems.
Based on the proven MUMT-2 system, the technology is expected to deliver high-speed transmit and receive capability of wideband video and data.
The MUMT-2 system provides Apache with the enhanced capability of transmitting both Apache and UAS video to the soldiers on the ground, as well as ship-to-ship.
L-3 Communication Systems president John Mega said: "We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the US Army to provide Apache crews with a superior in-theatre communications capability that will give them an important tactical advantage.


"This work is an ideal fit with our industry-leading expertise and strategy of developing mission-critical technologies that enable us to expand our business base while contributing to the army's effectiveness in protecting our national security."
The MUMT-X communications suite features advanced equipment, including a Rover 6 modem, multiband radio frequency equipment, and an innovative directional antenna that can transmit multiple video streams back to the command centre.
The technology is said to be capable of increasing the Apache aircrews' situational awareness and combat effectiveness, while shortening decision-making timelines.
Work under the contract is now underway at L-3 Communication Systems-West in Salt Lake City in Utah, US, with completion anticipated in August 2017.

http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsl-3-receives-us-armys-apache-mumt-x-upgrade-programme-4673824