MRAP ILS work awarded

Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded two contract modifications to purchase Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Sustainment Parts and support.

One contract mod ($28,456,471) is for Welders. The second ($15,220,882) is for Field Service Representatives.

Work will be done in Ladson and in Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom area’s of responsibilities. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Source: DoD Photo: Force Protection

UK to get more MRAPS

Force Protection Industries has been awarded a $91,549,216 contract modification under previously awarded contract for 151 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and associated spares. This action fulfils a requirement under a foreign military sales order with the United Kingdom, Ministry of Defence.

Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., with the first vehicle deliveries scheduled to begin in July 2008, and completed by July 2009. Funds for this action are provided by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and do not expire. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Source: DoD
Photo: Force Protection

Force Protection gets logistics support work

Force Protection Industries has been awarded a $15,279,151 modification tunder a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) sustainment parts.

Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., and work is expected to be completed Oct. 2008.

Source: DoD
Photo: Force Protection

Force Protection MRAPS for Marines

Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded $9,849,420 for delivery order under a previously awarded contract to acquire 12 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Category I vehicles and 6 MRAP Category II vehicles.

Force Protection has also been awarded $7,690,529 for the purchase of 11 Category III (Buffalo) Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.

Source: DoD
Photo: Force Protection

Foreign orders for Force Protection

Force Protection of Ladson, SC has announced new foreign sales.

The UK MoD has added an aditional 174 Cougar Mastiff vehicles, vehicle spare parts, and field support to its' current arrangement. The cost is $115,167,467 and work is expected to be completed in July 2009.

Force Protection has also received an order from he Italian Ministry of Defense for six Cougar 6X6 troop transports and four Buffalo route clearance vehicles. This is an additional $8,353,715 for the company.

Sources: DoD and Force Protection
Photo: Force Protection

UMaine engineers to unveil blast-resistant wood building technology

New technology, developed at the University of Maine, has led to the construction of a prototype blast-resistant wood building at the university's Advanced Engineered Wood Composites (AEWC) Center. Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud will be at the center on Tuesday Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. to unveil the building for the first time.

UMaine engineers, including undergraduate and graduate students, have constructed the building inside the AEWC facility. AEWC technology, including a design methodology and coating treatments applied to the construction material, gives the building properties that will allow it to withstand blasts and severe weather. This construction has potential applications for military troop deployments, homeland security and hurricane-resistant construction.

This project follows the AEWC development of ballistic tent panels for the U.S. Army. The prototype version of those panels, which go inside tents and protect soldiers living in combat situations from nearby blasts, was presented to the Army last year. That technology was recognized for the American Composites Manufacturing Association as the "Best of the Best," signifying its status as the top composites technology innovation in the world in 2007.

Sen. Olympia Snowe and Rep. Tom Allen will send representatives to help celebrate that award at the Feb. 19 UMaine event.

Prof. Habib Dagher, AEWC director, will host Tuesday's event, which will include UMaine President Robert Kennedy and Reed Mosher from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Source: University of Maine

Joint IED defeat report

The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) has released its' 2007 Annual Report.

The bottom line is that while IED attacks in Iraq are down it's the opposite story in Afghanistan. "The number of IEDs employed against U.S. forces in FY07 reached an all-time high, more than doubling over the last half of the fiscal year."

The 20 page report is an interesting read but it may raise as many questions as it answers. Just how successful is counter-IED technology? Is it the "best bang for the buck"?

Source: As cited
Photot: DoD

Problems at Protected Vehicles deepen

MRAP builder Protected Vehicles Inc. of North Charleston, SC has filed for Chapter 11. Protected Vehicles was founded by Garth Barrett, a former Force Protection executive.

In July, Force Protection, of Ladson, SC, launched a suit claiming, among other things, computer fraud and misappropriation of trade secrets.

Of course the Marine Corps announced in December '07 that they were drastically cutting back on MRAP purchases and looking toward the JLTV.

Protected Vehicles and Rafael had developed the GOLAN MRAP platform.

Sources: Various
Photo: Protected Vehicles

JLTV update

An RFP has been issued for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).

"JLTV will replace all the HMMWVs for the Marine Corps and will be the centerpiece of the light tactical wheeled vehicle fleet as part of the tactical mobility triad to maintain our expeditionary capability," Lt. Col. Ben Garza, JLTV program manager for the Marine Corps at Quantico, Va., said.

Like the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle will stress a commonality of capabilities and components. There are expected to be 10 sub-configurations in three different payload categories.

Sources: Various

Force protection "over-roofing" test developed

QinetiQ’s force protection engineering team took just 10 weeks to establish and deliver a method of testing over-roofing structures for protection of UK forces against indirect fire mortar and rocket attacks in Iraq – currently a daily occurrence in camps across the country.

A number of potential protective systems had to be tested against the blast, fragmentation and ballistic penetrative capabilities of dynamically fired rockets and mortars so an intensive series of technically challenging trials were planned and executed. These used QinetiQ’s long test track facility at Pendine and were undertaken by the force protection engineering team from QinetiQ Land Division, working in conjunction with its Test and Evaluation Capability Services Division.

“Special test sleds were designed to secure rockets to the track that allowed them to spin at several thousand RPM, arming them in flight – something that had never been attempted before,” explained Angus Williams, head of QinetiQ’s force protection engineering team. “The launch point on the track was also adjusted to achieve an impact velocity of 300 metres per second, replicating real events in theatre. The joint team worked together extremely well to overcome the technical challenges and tight timescales, including the development of a method of dynamically firing the armed rockets down the track reliably, consistently and safely.”

Major Bob Sheldon, HQ Engineer in Chief and military subject matter expert for the project, added: “I was delighted by the success of the trial and the dedicated effort put in by QinetiQ to providing increased levels of protection for British Service personnel in camps in Iraq.”

The trial was completed successfully within the timescales and the recommendations are being incorporated into the design. QinetiQ’s initial success has also led to significant interest from the US, Canada and Israel amongst others and a second phase of trialling is being planned.

Source: Press Release
Photo: QinetiQ

Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Update

For over twenty years the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, HMMWV or "humvee", has been quite the success story. Thousands have been produced for the U.S. Armed Forces. More than a dozen variants were created from an ambulance to a TOW missile carrier. It even spawned the civilian Hummer.

The days of the HMMWV are, however, numbered. Like it's predecessor the Jeep, the HMMWV was designed for use behind the front lines. Times and the battlefront have changed. These vehicles were finding themselves confronted by heavy small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), IEDs and other threats they were never designed to face

In response the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program was launched. JLTV program is looking to procure an acceptable next-generation vehicle probably about half the size and price of an MRAP. Speed and mobility will be demanded in five variants: Reconnaissance; Utility; Combat/Tactical and C2. This means billions of dollars and this story will really begin to heat up with an expected RFP in February.

The most recent news on this front is an announced new partnership. Northrop Grumman has joined with Oshkosh Trucks to compete with Boeing/Textron, General Dynamics/Force Protection and Lockheed Martin/Armor Holdings (now part of BAE). Stay tuned.

Sources: Various

Additional vehicle armor delivered to Canada

April last year saw a strategic alliance formed between Canada's DEW Engineering and ArmorWorks of Chandler Arizona.

At that time Tim Dear, DEW President, said "The first of many projects we are focusing on is mine blast attenuating seats. They are not in themselves a panacea against Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), but when installed in the right vehicle with ballistic, fragment and blast overpressure protection, they are the final link to save lives."

ArmorWorks has announced the early completion and delivery of a production contract to deliver vehicle armor to Canadian special operations forces.

These are the same type of advanced armor protection provided by ArmorWorks that are currently used by U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sources: Press releases

More MRAPs go into production

Production of MRAPs continues with Force Protection placing a $99 million dollar order with General Dynamics' Land Systems for the delivery of 183 Cougar vehicles for the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program.

Force Protection and GDLS have a partnership agreement. Production will take place in Alabama, Michigan and Ohio.

Sources: Various

MRAP vehicle orders top 11,900

"The Department of Defense today announced a contract award for an additional 3,126 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to be manufactured and completed by end of July 2008. Four manufacturers received the delivery orders totaling just under $2.66 billion.

" ... Stewart and Stevenson Tactical Vehicle, a Division of Armor Holdings and more recently BAE Land Systems, received a firm fixed priced delivery order for the purchase of 668 Category II vehicles with Category I seat configuration. The company is now operating under the name, BAE-TVS.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments, increased their participation in the program by 600 bringing their total vehicle count to more than 1,730. The vehicles will be Category II vehicles.

Force Protection Industries, Inc. will add another 358 (178 Category I and 180 Category II) vehicles to their vehicle commitment.

The largest single delivery order to date has been issued to International Military and Government LLC for 1,500 Category I vehicles.

All four delivery orders include vehicles, integrated logistics support (ILS), sustainment items and engineering change proposals designed to increase vehicle capability."

Source DoD Press Release

Photo: Force Protection