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MELLS Guided Missile for the German Infantry: Bundeswehr Awards Rheinmetall Multi-Million-Euro Contract

Tuesday, November 26th, 2019

Rheinmetall and its joint venture partners Diehl Defence and Rafael have won an order to supply the Bundeswehr with the advanced MELLS antitank guided missile. Rheinmetall is tasked with supplying key components to Eurospike, the company that manufactures the MELLS multirole lightweight guided missile system. For Rheinmetall, this represents an order intake of over €30 million without valued added tax.

Delivery begins in 2020 and continues through to 2023. A framework agreement contains an option for the fabrication and delivery of around 100 additional weapon systems and a five-figure number of component sets for the MELLS guided missile during the 2024-2031 timeframe. This would mean incoming orders for Rheinmetall in the three-digit million-euro range.

The MELLS missiles now ordered by the Bundeswehr are intended for infantry operations. Rheinmetall will be supplying over a hundred integrated command and launch units, including transport and storage containers, as well as 1,500 sets with components for the long-range Spike LR missile produced by Rafael.

Produced by Eurospike – a joint venture of Rheinmetall, Diehl Defence and Rafael – the MELLS is a state-of-the-art effector capable of engaging armoured targets at ranges of up to 4,000 metres.

Rheinmetall can point to abundant expertise and experience with the MELLS. The Düsseldorf, Germany-based company has already integrated this advanced missile system into the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, and is doing so again in the Puma IFV. In addition, another contractor is currently integrating the system into Rheinmetall’s air-portable Wiesel/Wiesel weapons carrier.

Looking ahead, more extensive networking of the command and launch units and guided missiles with Rheinmetall-made soldier systems like the Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES) and the TacNet battle management system offers significant future potential, which will further optimize the sensor-to-shooter sequence.

www.rheinmetall.com

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SIG SAUER Delivers Milestone 100,000th M17 / M18 Handgun to U.S. Military

Monday, November 25th, 2019

NEWINGTON, N.H., (November 19, 2019) – SIG SAUER, Inc. is proud to announce the delivery of the 100,000th M17 and M18 for the Modular Handgun System program to the U.S. Military, ahead of schedule, and surpassing the performance standards and requirements since the official contract award in January 2017.

“In the month of October SIG SAUER exceeded our manufacturing requirements by thirty percent and delivered a record-setting 12,100 handguns to the U.S. Military to achieve this historic milestone for SIG SAUER and the MHS program,” began Ron Cohen, President & CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc. “With the strict accuracy and acceptance specifications that the M17 and M18 are continuously exceeding, it’s clear that the success of this program can be directly attributed to the reliability, durability, and accuracy of the handgun, which has resulted in the high demand for both the M17 and M18 from every branch of the U.S. Military.”

The M17 and M18 handguns are a 9mm, striker-fired, P320-based handgun platform, featuring coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slides with black controls and utilize both 17-round and 21-round magazines. The handguns are equipped with SIGLITE front night sights, removable night sight rear plates, and manual safeties. To date SIG SAUER has delivered M17 and M18 handguns to all branches of the U.S. Military and the U.S. Coast Guard.

“From the very beginning the MHS program has been a true partnership between SIG SAUER and the U.S. Army which has resulted in the overwhelming success of the program, and ensuring that the M17 and M18 handguns are entering service, and in the field with our military,” concluded Cohen.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, Press Release, weapons | 5 Comments »

Rheinmetall at MILIPOL 2019 – a Strong Partner of the Security Services

Tuesday, November 19th, 2019

When it comes to equipping the men and women who protect our liberty and security, only the best will do. From 19 to 22 November 2019, Rheinmetall will be on hand at the MILIPOL international security show in Paris at Stand 5 K 026, displaying a selection of its extensive portfolio of products for law enforcement agencies and security forces.

The Survivor R protected special operations vehicle

The Survivor R epitomizes Rheinmetall’s commitment to the twin imperatives of security and mobility. It is extremely well suited for police special operations. In Germany, state-level police forces in Berlin, North Rhine Westphalia and Saxony have already opted to equip their SWAT teams with the Survivor R. The Survivor R is now in the running to become the standard special operations vehicle for Germany’s federal and state police agencies.

Developed in cooperation with special vehicle maker Achleitner and based on a high-performance 4×4 MAN truck chassis, the Survivor R is fitted with a steel armour cab. Capable of reaching speeds of over 100 km/h, the vehicle combines tried-and-tested automotive technology from major production runs with the latest force protection concepts from Rheinmetall.

Systematic use of off-the-shelf civilian parts and serially produced military components make the vehicle an affordable option, while users can rely on Rheinmetall MAN’s global service network for maintenance and repairs. This makes the Survivor R a cost-effective, easy-to-maintain vehicle platform with low lifecycle costs and a high level of operational readiness.

An armoured monocoque cab with add-on protection elements can be individually and discreetly modified to meet evolving threat situations, while a ventilation system for filtering out nuclear, biological and chemical agents is standard equipment in every Survivor R vehicle. Well-lit and ergonomically designed, the interior is spacious enough to seat up to eleven personnel with their personal equipment as well as extensive C4I and communications equipment. This versatile vehicle can also be equipped with remotely operated weapon stations. At MILPOL 2019, Rheinmetall is showcasing a Survivor R fitted with a Fieldranger weapon station. This variant is designed for protecting airports, for instance, as well as for operations against terrorists employing military tactics and equipment.

Special effects technology

Rheinmetall offers a comprehensive array of pyrotechnic products. When it comes to SWAT team-type operations, the Group’s portfolio of multi-bang grenades and improved-performance flash-bang grenades with bottom-top venting (BTV) technology offers the perfect solution. They are extremely safe to handle, highly precise and very reliable.

Rheinmetall has developed a wide assortment of flares for signalling and for illuminating the area of operations at night. These include the handheld Mithras, with ranges of 300, 600 and 1,000 metres, with versions available for the visible and infrared sector.

Rheinmetall’s new 60mm mortar for infantry and special forces

Rheinmetall has developed a new 60mm mortar for infantry and special forces. The RSG60 features innovative design and engineering characteristics which make this indirect fire system very light and easy to handle. A few quick manual adjustments turn the 15.8 kg standard infantry version into a commando mortar weighing just 6.8 kg, with no need for tools. This makes the RSG60 a two-in-one solution. Depending on the ammunition and charges, the standard version can attain ranges of up 3,200 metres. Equipped with a thirty centimetre-longer barrel, the range increases by around 500 metres. The commando variant of the RSG60 has a range of around 2,000 metres.

40mm system family

As a leading maker of munitions, Rheinmetall’s extensive portfolio of 40mm products covers multiple operational scenarios. These range from distraction rounds and marking charges as well as non-lethal impulse ammunition and highly effective special solutions for methods of entry, or MOE, including airburst technology.

Moreover, as a top maker of military systems and equipment, Rheinmetall offers a wide variety of relevant weapon concepts. These include the Magazine-Fed Grenade Launcher, or MFGL, which features integrated hydraulic shock absorption. The Group’s fire control and aiming devices – including the Vingmate family – make Rheinmetall a one-stop shop for 40mm system technology.

Laser light modules

Rheinmetall has recently added further modular components to its “VarioRay” family of laser light modules. The new Variable Tactical Aiming Laser (VTAL) laser is extremely robust and compact. The system is specially designed for today’s shorter assault rifles. VTAL is compatible with all standard night observation devices. Furthermore, the system can be coupled with other tactical weapon lights such as Rheinmetall’s modular Lumenator weapon light and operated using a combined two-button cable switch. The new products are key components for boosting the operational effectiveness of modern small arms. Moreover, visitors to the Rheinmetall stand at MILIPOL 2019 can learn about other members of the VarioRay family as well as the Group’s TAC-Ray Ballistic sniper build-on module with integrated ballistic computer.

www.rheinmetall.com

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IWI Expands Marketing to the European Commercial Market

Tuesday, November 19th, 2019

Will Offer Their Semi-Automatic Weapons TAVOR Family, GALIL ACE Family and UZI Pro To Europe’s Hunting & Sport Shooting Fans

November 19, 2019 – IWI Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), SK Group Member – a leader in the production of combat-proven small arms for law enforcement agencies, governments and armies worldwide, as well as commercial markets in the US ? announces its expansion, reflected in the marketing of its semi-automatic weapons to the European commercial markets of sport-shooting and hunting. The weapons to be marketed include the TAVOR family, the GALIL ACE family, and the UZI Pro, all of which will be soon displayed in the next-coming Milipol Paris and Defense & Security Thailand trade shows.

Ronen Hamudot, Corporate VP Marketing and Sales, SK Group, explains: “In light of IWI’s success in marketing these weapons to the US commercial market, the company has decided to expand its reach towards the commercial market in Europe as well”

IWI’s offering to the European commercial market has so far focused mainly on pistols for personal use, such as the popular JERICHO and MASADA.

According to Hamudot “We greatly appreciate the distinguished history of sport shooting and hunting in Europe, and believe that our high quality solutions will be very successful in this market and will meet the high demands.

Among these weapons is the new member to the TAVOR family – TAVOR TS12 shotgun – which has so far been offered only to the US market and will now be showcased in Europe for the first time.

The TAVOR TS12 shotgun is a gas regulated bullpup shotgun. With an innovative design it feeds from one of three individual magazines which can each hold four 3inch or five 2¾ inch shotgun shells. This results in a potential overall capacity from all three individual magazines of 15 rounds plus one additional round in the chamber. The TS12 has a unique feature that automatically loads a round in the chamber once the subsequent loaded magazine is rotated into position. It can be fed and unloaded from either side. Additional features of the TS12 include four sling attachment points, M-LOK compatible rails, a continuous Picatinny rail on top, Benelli/Beretta choke tube compatibility, and the reliability expected of all IWI products. Although the TS12 has an 18.5 inch barrel, the overall length is still only 28.34 inches.

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PEO Soldier Team Wins 2019 Packard Acquisition Award For Sub Compact Weapon

Thursday, November 7th, 2019

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — The Sub Compact Weapon Team, part of the Program Executive Office (PEO) for Soldier, has received the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award for its work to use an other-transaction authority (OTA) to deliver a new subcompact weapon system in 12 months.

The team, part of PEO Soldier’s Project Manager for Soldier Weapons, is one of five teams across the DOD that received the prestigious award, given by the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment to organizations that have demonstrated exemplary performance and innovation in acquiring and delivering products and capabilities for the warfighter.

Managed by the Product Manager for Individual Weapons, the team includes representatives from the product management office as well as the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) — Armaments Center; the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center; the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command; the CCDC Army Research Laboratory’s Human Research and Engineering Directorate; Army Contracting Command — New Jersey (ACC-NJ): and the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM).

The team was responding to an urgent request issued in the spring of 2018 from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command for a new weapon that would support the U.S. Army’s Protective Services Battalion mission to provide continuous, protective close-in security to senior high-risk personnel while maintaining stringent discretion in attire and profile.

Based on the guidance from the secretary of the Army to select the weapon in 12 months, the team moved from a standard DOD 5000.01 acquisition approach using Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based contracting to an OTA approach.

In July 2018, ACC-NJ released a prototype opportunity notice to support the procurement of subcompact weapons for evaluation, testing, two phases of down-selection, and fielding. To maintain the accelerated schedule, offerors submitted videos in the first stage of down-selection to visually demonstrate how their weapons met the minimum requirements, along with pricing information.

Technical testing on the candidate systems began at Aberdeen Test Center, Maryland, in November 2018, and a Soldier touch point was conducted in January 2019 at Quantico, Virginia. The team’s logistics and fielding leads coordinated closely with TACOM Total Package Fielding and Defense Logistics Agency Distribution in Anniston, Alabama, to ensure that weapons were quickly processed through Army logistics systems to meet the required first unit equipped date of May 31, 2019.

On March 29, the Army awarded a production delivery order to Brugger and Thomet USA for its APC9K Semi-Automatic Carbine. The award will furnish 350 APC9Ks, with an option to acquire up to 1,000 of the subcompact 9 mm weapons, with a total ceiling amount of $2.5 million. On May 31, the team fielded the first set of 10 weapons to the 701st Military Police Protective Services Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia–approximately two and a half years earlier than it would have if the program had pursued a FAR-based approach with a formal Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System-approved requirement.

Also receiving Packard Awards were the Department of the Air Force Launch Enterprise Team and the U.S. Air Force Pitch Day team, as well as two teams from the U.S. Special Operations Command: Distributed Common Ground/Surface System — Special Operations Forces, and the Tactical Assault Kit Configuration Steering Board.

A ceremony honoring the winners will be hosted by Hon. Ellen M. Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, and David L. Norquist, deputy secretary of defense, Dec. 2 at the Pentagon.

Posted in Guest Post, PEO-Soldier, weapons | 2 Comments »

Saab and Raytheon Complete Successful Test Firings of Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

Saab and U.S. defence company Raytheon have successfully completed a series of guided flight tests for the shoulder launched Guided Carl-Gustaf® Munition, featuring a semi-active laser guidance system. The tests were performed at the Mile High Range in Sierra Blanca, Texas, United States and at Saab Bofors Test Centre in Karlskoga, Sweden.

The test firings in Sweden that were performed during September 25-26, 2019 was in the presence of an international audience. Three munitions were fired in total; two against static targets and one against a moving target. A semi-active laser was used to guide the munitions to target impact. Other seeker technologies (e.g. imaging IR) were also demonstrated as optional solutions for the final product. The demonstration in Sweden further included dynamic warhead tests against various targets.

Saab’s Carl-Gustaf weapon system is used by the U.S. Armed Forces as well as the ground forces of more than 40 other countries. The guided munition will allow Armed Forces to accurately engage stationary or moving targets up to, and beyond 2,000 meters. The increased range, in combination with a Confined Space capability will offer troops greater tactical flexibility when selecting a firing position.

“The Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition is a next step in the evolution of the Carl-Gustaf system. It will be the most advanced Carl-Gustaf munition yet and will offer greater precision, minimise collateral damage and deliver outstanding performance with pin-point accuracy and multi-target capability,” says Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab business area Dynamics.

“Raytheon and Saab have been working together to start development of a precision-guided munition that will penetrate multiple types of targets, such as light armor, bunkers and concrete structures, at extended ranges. This lightweight round will overmatch potential adversaries while decreasing collateral damage, making it an ideal weapon when fighting under restricted rules of engagement,” says Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president.

In 2017, Saab announced its partnership with Raytheon to develop new weapons for infantry forces. The Guided Carl-Gustaf munition will be designed to increase the capability of the combat proven, shoulder-launched, multi-role weapon system Carl-Gustaf.

Video from the demonstration in Karlskoga

www.saabgroup.com

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USSOCOM To Buy M110K1 Upper Receivers In 6.5CM From Knight’s Armament Co

Tuesday, October 29th, 2019

According to a pre-solicitation notice published yesterday by Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane, Knights Armament Company has offered to the Government an improved, capability upgrade to the upper receiver assembly for the M110K1 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS). The new upper receiver is 6.5mm Creedmoor (versus 7.62mm, CLIN 0001 on current contract) and provides longer distance shots and increased range.

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane has a requirement for M110K1 new upper receiver (6.5mm Creedmoor conversion kit) assembly (Technology Improvement). NSWC, Crane Division, Crane, IN intends to modify the existing sole-source, Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract (N00164-18-D-JN50) for technology improvements with Knights Armament Company.

Last year, USSOCOM adopted the 6.5 Creedmoor caliber to replace certain uses of 7.62mm NATO.

Posted in Contracts, SOF, weapons | 11 Comments »

Rheinmetall Signs Risk Mitigation Activity Contract for testing of Lynx KF41 for Australia’s Land 400 Phase 3 Program

Sunday, October 27th, 2019

Rheinmetall is pleased to confirm it has signed the Risk Mitigation Activity (RMA) contract with the Commonwealth of Australia for participation in the RMA, including the delivery of three Lynx KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicles to compete in trials for the AUD 15 billion (EUR 9.5 billion) LAND 400 Phase 3 program. The RMA contract now signed has a value of AUD 50 million (about EUR 30 million).

Lynx KF41 is a next generation tracked, networked and highly protected IFV which meets the stringent military requirements of LAND 400 Phase 3, and offers a platform with significant growth potential. The Australian Army needs a networked, protected and enabled IFV for close combat – to close in and defeat an enemy in the most dangerous and lethal environments for Australian soldiers.

Under the LAND 400 Phase 3 RMA contract, the Commonwealth will undertake an extensive technical and programmatic assessment of the two bidders over a period of 24 months. The vehicles will be operated by Australian Army personnel and tested in Australian terrain under extreme conditions, undertaking lethality, transportability, mobility, troop assessments, blast and ballistic testing. In parallel, the Commonwealth will work with the two bidders in a structured assessment phase in order to optimise technical capability, growth, value for money and national prosperity.

Rheinmetall is currently delivering 211 Boxer 8×8 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) to the Australian Army after the vehicle was selected by the Australian Government following 12 months of RMA trials in 2016-2017. These RMA trials were recognised globally as an exhaustive assessment of the vehicle’s capability and have equipped Rheinmetall with the experience and expertise to deliver the best outcome for LAND 400 Phase 3.

Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director Gary Stewart said the three vehicles designated for RMA trials in Australia would incorporate significant Australian Industry Capability.

“Development, integration and test of the Lynx KF41 vehicles will also take place during RMA at Rheinmetall’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Australia from next year in support of the RMA trials,” Mr Stewart said.

Key vehicle elements of the Lynx KF41 are also being developed and manufactured in Australia by local companies including the alternator (Milspec in Albury), running gear (Supashock in Adelaide) and cables (Cablex in Melbourne).

The modular Lynx KF41 vehicle includes the digital Lance turret with electronic architecture common with the Boxer 8×8 CRV. This will enable the Australian crew to access sensor systems, advanced automatic tracking & targeting capabilities and weapon-integrated battle management all in one connected and enabled platform.

“Should Rheinmetall secure a contract to deliver LAND 400 Phase 3, the Lynx KF41 fleet will be manufactured at the MILVEHCOE, located at Redbank and south west of Brisbane,” Mr Stewart said.

Rheinmetall is already delivering an Australian Industry Network for LAND 400 that builds an industrial capability in Australia. This includes creating high technology enduring jobs for hundreds of Australians by localising design and manufacturing expertise in electro-optics, weapon systems, fire control and sensor systems, turret manufacturing, variant design and manufacture, integration, armour systems, simulation, training and fleet sustainment.

– For more information about Rheinmetall Defence visit: www.rheinmetall-defence.com

– For more information about Lynx KF41 for Land 400 Phase 3 visit: www.lynxifv.com.au

– To follow Rheinmetall Defence Australia visit: @RheinmetallAus

– To follow Lynx KF41 on twitter visit: @lynxifv

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