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GM Selected to Provide Infantry Squad Vehicles for US Army

Tuesday, June 30th, 2020

In what many would consider an upset, GM Defense was selected to provide over 1,000 Infantry Squad Vehicles to the US Army. They beat out SAIC/Polaris and Osh-Kosh/Flyer both considered incumbents.

The Polaris DAGOR is in service with the 82nd Abn Div and the Flyer developed GMV 1.1 is in use with USSOCOM and the 173rd Abn Bde.

GM Defense LLC, Detroit, Michigan, was awarded a $214,297,869 firm-fixed-price contract for acquisition of the Infantry Squad Vehicle, installation kits, ancillary hardware and logistical support. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 24, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0066).

The GM ISV Is powered by a 186-horsepower, 2.8L diesel powerplant and six-speed automatic transmission, the nine man crew is protected by a Roll Over Protection System which serves as a roll bar, but can be stored for air transport.

Based on their successful Chevrolet Colorado midsize truck architecture and its ZR2 and ZR2 Bison variants, this GM truck could make the beginnings of an entire fleet of commercial off-road vehicles to handle the US military’s dat-to-day tasks in a similar fashion to the Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle programs of the 70s-00s.

Below, is the US Army announcement.
Infantry Squad Vehicle to ‘motorize’ IBCTs

DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. – The Army today announced it has selected GM Defense, LLC, Detroit, Mich., to produce the Infantry Squad Vehicle, or ISV, to motorize Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. Delivery of this modernized capability is slated to begin with the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, as the designated First Unit Equipped next winter. The contract is valued at $214,297,869 and the Army intends to purchase 649 vehicles.

It is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 architecture, which will derive 90 percent of its parts from commercial-off-the-shelf components.

The ISV program provides IBCTs an additive lightweight vehicle to move Soldiers and their equipment quickly over complex and difficult cross-country terrain. ISVs will provide greater mobility to IBCTs, as they are designed to move across restrictive terrain, allowing Soldiers to close on objectives with less fatigue and greater readiness. The Army can deliver the vehicle to the field by airdrop or helicopter, which increases the flexibility of Soldiers on the move.

This is the second important production contract award for Army light tactical wheeled vehicle modernization programs of record in the last year. The Army announced in June 2019 the production contract of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. JLTV is modernizing the Army’s and U.S. Marine Corps’ light tactical wheeled vehicle fleets with a leap-ahead balance of payload, performance and protection.

“The Infantry Squad Vehicle meets the challenges we’ve faced to give our IBCT Soldiers greater mobility and increased survivability,” said Chris Stone, the Maneuver Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate’s deputy Army capability manager – Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Fort Benning, Ga. The CDID is the Army’s proponent for generating and validating the operational need for the Infantry Squad Vehicle.

“As the Army’s newest light tactical vehicle, ISV will allow IBCTs more flexibility and a greater advantage getting to the objective,” he added.

The ISV’s basic operational capabilities include:

Nine-man squad carrying capability

Payload of 3,200 lbs.

External sling load by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter

Internal load/external lift by CH-47 Chinook helicopter

Low-velocity air drop by fixed-wing C-130 or C-17 transport aircraft

Exceptional mobility over all terrains

The comprehensive team responsible for bringing the ISV program to production contract award involves not only Army acquisition professionals, but also relevant stakeholders representing the Army’s funding and testing communities, Army Futures Command, and Forces Command. Soldier evaluation via user-acceptance efforts has been a key element of the ISV program from the outset, and has helped compress the time it takes to field a modernized capability that meets infantry Soldiers’ needs.

“The Infantry Squad Vehicle program has focused on meeting the Army’s emphasis on enhancing Infantry Soldier mobility and survivability by rapidly fielding modernized capabilities. Our product management team for Ground Mobility Vehicles undertook a great challenge to develop a strategy using experimentation and technical demonstrations to streamline the ISV acquisition process,” said Timothy G. Goddette, the Army’s program executive officer for Combat Support and Combat Service Support, or PEO CS&CSS, headquartered here.

“Using an innovative acquisition approach through an Other Transaction Authority — a flexible, collaborative tool designed to speed acquisition and modernization — the ISV team awarded the production contract for this capability in 16 months. Using normal acquisition processes, it could have taken as many as 36 months,” Goddette explained.

The ISV acquisition strategy was structured to promote the highest level of competition possible, including affordability. Due to competition, the program office will realize a reduction from the original independent government cost estimate for the program. This provides best value to American taxpayers. What’s more, a senior Army officer who has commanded at all levels in an IBCT was tapped to serve as the ISV program’s Source Selection Authority.

According to Steve Herrick, the Army’s product lead for Ground Mobility Vehicles, PEO CS&CSS, the next steps in the ISV program include GM Defense delivering eight ISVs to Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland within four months. “Following delivery, our program office, along with Army testers, will execute an aggressive and tailored testing plan,” he said.

Herrick went on to explain the Army will conduct tailored production qualification testing to address the vehicles’ ability to meet the performance specifications in areas not previously tested. This will also build confidence in areas already tested, he said. The ISV will also undergo transportability certification, which includes low-velocity air drop and helicopter sling loading. Next summer and fall, the Army will hold an initial operational test and evaluation.

“The program office is marching toward delivering ISVs to the first unit, the 1/82nd at Fort Bragg, approximately eight months after the contract award,” Herrick added. “We are excited about the commercial nature this product brings to the Soldier, and in the future, we could possibly see greater leaps in technology and concepts to include reconnaissance or electric vehicles.”

By Rae Higgins, Program Executive Office for Combat Support & Combat Service Support

Posted in Guest Post, Mobility | 25 Comments »

Mack Defense Headquarters Relocates to the Mack Customer Center

Tuesday, June 30th, 2020

ALLENTOWN, PA (June 25, 2020) – To better serve customers, as well as enhance its capability to support military and government contracts, Mack Defense has relocated its headquarters to the Mack Customer Center (MCC) located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The move, which was recently completed, also provides Mack Defense additional working space and access to other MCC amenities.

“The Mack Customer Center is an outstanding facility and presents our company and the Mack brand in a way we could not replicate at our previous location,” said David Hartzell, president, Mack Defense. “We have easier access to a number of unique features at the MCC, such as the test track and industrial space, while still retaining the robust security requirements that are required when working on military contracts.”

Military and government contracts often include classified information, which requires additional security measures. Mack Defense worked with the U.S. Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) and the MCC facility team to ensure the required physical and technological security requirement are in place.

In addition to meeting security needs, the new space also offers prospective customers a more complete representation of Mack Defense and its capabilities.

“When hosting current and prospective customers, the MCC facility paints a completely different picture than our previous location, demonstrating the wide range of solutions we can offer our customers,” said Hartzell.

Mack Defense’s move was timed specifically to utilize the enhanced capabilities available at the MCC to support the current active contract with the U.S. Army to provide heavy dump trucks. Mack Defense was awarded a firm-fixed-price $296 million contract in May 2018 from the U.S. Army to produce up to 683 M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks (HDT).

Mack Defense has relocated its headquarters to the Mack Customer Center (MCC) located in Allentown, Pennsylvania to better serve customers through enhanced ability to support its contracts. The recently completed move also provides Mack Defense additional working space and access to other MCC amenities.

Mack Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mack Trucks, is responsible for the sale of heavy-duty trucks to federal- and ministerial-level customers globally. For more information, please visit www.mackdefense.com.

Posted in Industry, Mobility, Press Release | Comments Off on Mack Defense Headquarters Relocates to the Mack Customer Center

Mount Accessories To Your Rokon 2×2 UAR

Friday, June 26th, 2020

I remain fascinated by the Rokon 2×2 and it’s Universal Accessory Rail. It’s amazing how much stuff you can mount to this 2-wheel drive work horse.

For example, it will accept a GI entrenching tool.

Or a GI machete, pioneer shovel and ammo can. The versatility is awesome.

All photos courtesy of Rokon.

Posted in Mobility | 4 Comments »

High Speed Gear Releases ReFlex Vehicle Mount

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020

SWANSBORO, N.C. – June 23, 2020 – High Speed Gear® is proud announce the expansion of the ReFlex™ line with the ReFlex Vehicle Mount, a companion accessory for the ReFlex IFAK System.

The ReFlex Vehicle Mount is designed specifically to mount the Med Roll to the back of most detachable headrests. The elastic cinch strap design allows the Med Roll, or similarly-sized pouches/items, to be quickly pulled out to the side without disengaging the side-release buckle. This mounting platform can also hold a tourniquet with a 3” elastic loop for easy vehicle storage.

“This is just a logical accessory that brings the ReFlex IFAK System directly into the everyday,” said Bill Babboni, HSGI® vice president of sales and operations. “The ReFlex Vehicle Mount is exactly what you need to keep your medical gear within easy reach.

Posted in Advertiser, Load Carrying, Medical, Mobility, Press Release | Comments Off on High Speed Gear Releases ReFlex Vehicle Mount

Milrem Robotics Revealed Type-X RCV with John Cockerill CPWS II Turret

Thursday, June 18th, 2020

Tallinn, June 17, 2020 – Milrem Robotics and John Cockerill Defense today showcased the Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle with the Cockerill Protected Weapons Station Gen. II (CPWS II) to select military forces from around the world.

The Type-X vehicle chassis is a revolutionary design for a mobile modular multi-mission vehicle that provides a platform for a family of unmanned armored vehicles. It is the first combat vehicle that is purposefully designed to be unmanned intended to be an integral part of mechanized units.

The Type-X is designed to deploy at a weight below the 12-ton mark for rapid deployment into the combat theater, either by parachute or by heavy lift helicopter.

A combination of augmented Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a remote system operator, the Type-X is a tracked vehicle with armor protection that can supplement troop formations or operate independently, in unmanned formations.

“The Type-X is modular and will accept larger turrets, but current turret designs are optimized for operations under armor,” Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics stated. “The CPWS II is a step in the right direction, as it is designed from the beginning to be a remotely controlled configuration (unmanned) and easy access from the outside of the turret, allowing for reload and maintenance,” Väärsi added.

Simon Haye, the Chief Marketing Officer for John Cockerill Defense adds: “One of the first realistic roles for unmanned fighting vehicles will be convoy defense and perimeter or base defense. The Type-X with the CPWS can be placed in the front and rear of a convoy to provide additional eyes and firepower for the convoy. Rarely does a convoy have available 25mm firepower and given the system is unmanned, tactics like rushing an ambush site, or maneuvering on the enemy’s position are now legitimate options for a convoy under fire. The lead / follow functions of unmanned vehicles is well developed technology and spreading some operator stations through the convoy can provide redundancy and quick response. Further FOB security can now be in the form of a mobile unmanned fighting vehicle. Instead of putting soldiers at risk on the wire, these Guardian Systems can provide relentless observation and the capability to maneuver and disperse an attack instead of just absorbing it.”

The CPWS II is a low profile, light weight turret, with a revolutionary hatch opening and can mount the M242 25mm X 137mm Bushmaster cannon or the 230LF, 30mm X 113mm cannon. The CPWS II is a remotely operated turret, designed to fit onto 4X4 and 6X6 vehicles. It is the revolutionary hatch, which can operate in three modes that makes the turret a desirable selection for unmanned vehicle operations.

The opening roof capability will allow a rapid reloading of the unmanned vehicle from the outside. Equipped with a 360-degree panoramic sight, with CCD, thermal and fused imaging, the CPWS represents a suitable partner to the Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle. The turret can come with Anti-Tank Missiles such as Alcotan, MMP, Javelin or SPIKE.

“Eventually, combining self-driving unmanned logistics vehicles with the Type-X and you can reduce the personnel required for a convoy to a few operators, while actually increasing the capabilities of defending the convoy,” Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics said. “This is not just a leap forward in force protection but a force multiplier.”

During the demonstration Milrem Robotics unveiled their Intelligent Functions Kit (IFK), which converts any vehicle into a self-driving or remotely controlled one. Milrem Robotics’ IFK is a modular hardware and software kit providing ROS2 based environment for different functionalities, which can be provided by Milrem Robotics, the customer or a third party. The IFK has been developed for Milrem Robotics’ THeMIS UGV and Type-X but can be adapted to any other vehicle with drive-by-wire integration.

Both companies are excited about the future cooperation. “We are looking forward to developing a wide range of solutions with John Cockerill, as they have experience, not only in the medium caliber range but they are known for their expertise in the 90mm and 105mm cannons.” Väärsi stated.

Posted in Armor, Mobility, Press Release, Robotics | Comments Off on Milrem Robotics Revealed Type-X RCV with John Cockerill CPWS II Turret

PDW CC12 Cargo & Storage Duffel

Thursday, June 18th, 2020

Grab-and-Go Duffel Bag for Camp and Home Organization

Prometheus Design Werx introduces their new CC12 Cargo & Storage Duffel system. Made with rugged, durable, weather resistant 1000D tarpaulin material and designed to be used with or without the common industrial 12 gal tote/bin which nests perfectly inside for scalable versatility. Filling a niche between soft bags and hard cases, the CC12 is a versatile storage system in a standardized format that is ideally suited for overlanding, expeditions, camping, and home storage of gear and supplies. Many 4x4s can fit three CC12s across in their cargo areas. Gear and supplies in CC12s can be kept in storage at home or garage when nested with the standard 12 gal bins.

The Design and R&D Team at PDW states:

“We saw a gap between the typical soft duffel bag and hard case storage options being used by today’s overlander. We also wanted to have a uniform storage system that could easily go from 4×4 to home storage areas. The standard, industrial, rigid wall 12 gal tote/bin is just about available everywhere and many of us use these at home, work and for camping. We created the CC12 around this 12 gal bin so these bins could be more user friendly when carrying to and from the vehicle. The multiple carry handles and shoulder strap allows for a much easier time when carrying and transporting these bins when nested inside. Each CC12 duffel can store your select camping gear and supply load outs so they are easy to grab and go for the spontaneous outdoor adventure or stored emergency supplies and food for sheltering in place or egress to a safe zone. These duffels are sized so one person or two can easily handle them when it’s a heavy load. The loop area on the front of the CC12 allows users to use our optional Morale Patch ID Tags to identify the contents inside. If ever needed, this duffel used in conjunction with the 12 gal bin can be un-nested and instantly double storage capacity. ”

The Prometheus Design Werx CC12 is a smart, user friendly and easy to adapt storage system for today’s overlander and prepared user. Available in Universal Field Gray.

The PDW CC12 Cargo & Storage Duffel is available for $199.00 on prometheusdesignwerx.com.

Posted in Load Carrying, Mobility | 3 Comments »

Small Robotic Mule, Other Unmanned Ground Systems on the Horizon for US Army

Saturday, June 13th, 2020

FORT MEADE, Md. — The Army plans to award a contract this month to produce hundreds of robotic mules that will help light infantry units carry gear, a product manager said last week, as part of a line of unmanned ground systems the service is developing.

The Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport, or S-MET, was tested last year by two infantry brigades from the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

The six-month assessment included 80 systems from four vendors that were evaluated during home-station training and rotations to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Soldiers successfully tested the performance of the robotic vehicles to ensure they could at least carry 1,000 pounds, operate over 60 miles in a three-day period, and generate a kilowatt when moving and 3 kilowatts when stationary to allow equipment and batteries to charge.

“We were able to demonstrate that and got lots of Soldier feedback,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Bodenhamer, product manager of Appliqué and Large Unmanned Ground Systems, which falls under the Program Executive Office for Combat Support and Combat Service Support.

The S-MET will begin to be fielded in the second quarter of the next fiscal year, with a total of 624 vehicles in Soldiers’ hands by the middle of fiscal 2024, according to the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center.

Soldier feedback led to increasing the S-MET’s carrying capacity and mobility, creating alternative methods for casualty evacuation and robotic obscuration, as well as reducing its noise, said Col. Christopher Barnwell, director of the Joint Modernization Command’s Field Experimentation Division.

“Soldiers think outside the box,” Barnwell said of the importance of their input during last week’s Future Ground Combat Vehicles virtual conference.

The S-MET program is also leveraging modular mission payload capabilities, or MMPs, to expand its functions using a common chassis, Bodenhamer said.

“This is important because this shows one of the linkages between robotics efforts,” he said, adding his office often discusses plans across the Army’s robotics community to prevent replication. “Modular mission payloads is a great example of that synergy.”

In April 2019, the Army held a weeklong demonstration with the add-on payloads at Fort Benning, Georgia, to explore ways to enhance the effectiveness of the S-MET.

“Obviously there’s a lot of potential here for the Robotic Combat Vehicles to use some of this, too,” he said, referring to the light and medium RCV variants. “They’re looking closely at the efforts we’re undertaking with these MMPs.”

Requests for information have already been sent out to industry for two MMP capabilities: counter-unmanned aerial system and another for enhanced autonomy.

“We are going to try to quickly get these things out to Soldiers and let them see which ones do and don’t meet their needs,” he said, “and then hopefully procure a quantity of these payloads to further enhance the capability of the S-MET.”

Manned-unmanned teaming

The Army also completed an assessment in March on the Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle, or NBCRV, a modified Stryker vehicle with chemical detection sensors.

The assessment, conducted by the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, added new unmanned, surrogate systems to enhance NBC reconnaissance and surveillance. Each NBCRV controlled an unmanned ground vehicle as a wingman and three UAS aircraft, Barnwell said.

Manned-unmanned teaming operations “extended the range, the area of coverage and reduced the risk to the crew and enabled faster reporting of [chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear] hazards,” he said.

The requirement for the Assault Breacher Vehicle Teleoperation Kit, which is built on an M1A1 Abrams tank chassis, is also set to be finalized this summer after being tested in last year’s Joint Warfighting Assessment.

The kit allows the two-person crew to step out of the vehicle and remotely control it during dangerous breaching operations.

While the gun tube of the tank is removed, it can still launch mine clearing line charges and includes a lane marking system and front-end plowing attachments.

“It’s a great use of teleop,” Bodenhamer said. “Probably the best use we’ve ever come up with, in terms of how it fits into the overall impact of bringing the unmanned operation of a platform into the Army.”

As technology improves, artificial intelligence will continually play a larger role in operations, Barnwell said.

“These systems are going to have to be able to do more and more on their own to enable the human operators to focus on the big picture,” he said.

A tank commander, for instance, may need to order a few robotic “wingman” vehicles to drive themselves to a waypoint, avoiding obstacles along the way.

Or, a helicopter pilot may require a UAS to detect and destroy air defense systems ahead of him before arriving to a specific location, he said.

“We’re not talking Skynet,” he said, referring to The Terminator film. “We’re talking about simple things that these systems are going to have to do to enable us as warfighters to operate more efficiently.”

By Sean Kimmons, Army News Service

Posted in Guest Post, Mobility, Robotics | 1 Comment »

US Army Adopts New Path Forward for Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle

Friday, June 5th, 2020

OMFV adopts new path forward from lessons learned

FORT MEADE, Md. — The Army’s G-8 discussed a new strategy for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, following lessons learned after its first request for prototypes was canceled earlier this year.

The OMFV, which will replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, remains on track to be fielded to both active and National Guard armored brigade combat teams starting in fiscal year 2028.

About $4.6 billion is currently invested in the program from fiscal 2020-2026, said Lt. Gen. James Pasquarette during a presentation for the Future Ground Combat Vehicles virtual conference Thursday.

“The initial solicitation required a very aggressive set of initial capabilities on an equally aggressive timeline beyond what our partners in both government and industry could provide,” he said. “To be clear, the Army is absolutely committed to the OMFV program.”

Despite the adjustment costing the Army about $23 million in unrecoverable funds, he said it was still important to reset the program’s azimuth in the right direction.

“Rarely than fail late after spending billions of dollars, like we’ve done in the past many times, the Army learned early and inexpensively,” he said.

After pulling the solicitation, the Army garnered feedback from government and industry partners to chart the next move.

Army Futures Command then adjusted the traditional requirements approach by defining a set of nine characteristics to better focus efforts, he said.

The characteristics — survivability, mobility, growth, lethality, weight, logistics, transportability, manning, and training — will further be refined through a cooperative and iterative process with industry, digital design competitions and Soldier touchpoints to produce the final prototypes for testing, AFC officials said in February.

“The Army believes that this adjusted requirement strategy preserves flexibility much longer into the acquisition process before necessitating significant hardware investments,” Pasquarette said.

The general said the new strategy will spark innovation and competition through a collaborative process that offers several opportunities for Soldiers to provide input.

“Throughout this process, Soldiers will assist the Army and industry partners in refining the vehicle’s characteristics in design and forming the most feasible and acceptable set of technical requirements for final production,” he said.

While there will be challenges due to the complexity of such a program, he said he believes some industry partners will thrive in the non-traditional acquisition setting.

“This strategy is an approach the Army must take to harness the power of innovation of worldwide industry partners, drive new ideas through competition and produce a new infantry combat vehicle that Soldiers must have to fight and win against a near-peer threat in the future,” he said.

In the meantime, the Army has also invested $915 million from fiscal 2020-2026 to develop and field the latest A4 versions of Bradley vehicles to armored units starting in the second quarter of the next fiscal year, he said.

The A4 version will have upgrades to the suspension and track, powertrain, electrical system, mission command features, plus other enhancements and accelerated technologies, he added.

“The U.S. Army is committed to providing our Soldiers the best ground combat systems in the world,” he said. “And under Army Futures Command’s direction and oversight, I’m confident that the armored brigade combat team will remain the dominate ground combat formation for decades to come.”

By Sean Kimmons, Army News Service

Posted in Armor, Guest Post, Mobility, Robotics | 4 Comments »