Kiválasztásra került a döntőben megmérkőző két gyártó: GDLS és American Rheinmetall.
A program mostantól XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle néven fut tovább.
WASHINGTON — It’s again down to American Rheinmetall and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) for who will build the Army’s M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle replacement, after the service announced today that those two teams are the only ones moving forward in the high-profile race.
Under the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) competition, five teams two years ago received contracts to produce concept designs for the service. The service then reopened the competition to all interested parties and, based on those proposals submitted late last year, have now whittled the list down to two names. Rheinmetall and GDLS will split the $1.6 billion development funding pot and the ultimate winner may lay claim to a $45 billion production deal, the Army said.
“I think we are on much firmer ground this time, from an achievable realistic requirements standpoint,” Army acquisition chief Doug Bush told reporter today.
“This is our at least third, maybe fourth, attempt to replace the Bradley and this one’s going to succeed,” he later added.
BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, and Point Blank Enterprises are not receiving additional dollars to proceed, and service officials today did not disclose how many additional companies submitted ultimately unsuccessful bids. It was also not immediately clear if one or more of those companies would protest the decision but Bush said the service has “anticipated that potentiality.”
Today’s announcement is a slight change in plans for the service, which had previously it may select three companies to proceed with the next two program phases. In the end, the Army decided that would be too pricey.
“Focusing our resources on two ensures that both will be properly funded: it was a resource informed decision, but one that also lets us retain competition,” Bush said. “It’s kind of… a sweet spot between the two demands we had.”
The duo will now embark on the next two program phases and ultimately lead to what’s expected to be a single winner. For the next phase, Phase 3, the teams will be tasked with focusing on detailed design activities to mature their vehicle blueprint. This phase is expected to culminate in a critical design review that leads into Phase 4, or prototype build and test activities.
It is during this period where the two teams will build and test up to 11 prototypes each (seven for a contract award with an option for four more), along with two ballistic hulls and turrets, armor coupons, and digital model twins, according to a solicitation issued in July 2022 and Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the program executive officer for ground combat systems.
If the Army and industry can successfully make it through that performance period, the service intends to select one team to proceed with low-rate initial production in 2027, with the intent of achieving the first unit equipped milestone in 2029 ahead of full-rate production.
In separate statements to Breaking Defense, both winning teams praised today’s announcement.
Gordon Stein, GDLS’s vice president and general manager of US operations, said his team is “proud” of its innovation, research, development and investment for the program.
A program mostantól XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle néven fut tovább.
OMFV finalists: Rheinmetall, GDLS again square off for Bradley replacement competition
The service announced that the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program will now be called the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, and revealed new details about its basic design.
WASHINGTON — It’s again down to American Rheinmetall and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) for who will build the Army’s M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle replacement, after the service announced today that those two teams are the only ones moving forward in the high-profile race.
Under the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) competition, five teams two years ago received contracts to produce concept designs for the service. The service then reopened the competition to all interested parties and, based on those proposals submitted late last year, have now whittled the list down to two names. Rheinmetall and GDLS will split the $1.6 billion development funding pot and the ultimate winner may lay claim to a $45 billion production deal, the Army said.
“I think we are on much firmer ground this time, from an achievable realistic requirements standpoint,” Army acquisition chief Doug Bush told reporter today.
“This is our at least third, maybe fourth, attempt to replace the Bradley and this one’s going to succeed,” he later added.
BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, and Point Blank Enterprises are not receiving additional dollars to proceed, and service officials today did not disclose how many additional companies submitted ultimately unsuccessful bids. It was also not immediately clear if one or more of those companies would protest the decision but Bush said the service has “anticipated that potentiality.”
Today’s announcement is a slight change in plans for the service, which had previously it may select three companies to proceed with the next two program phases. In the end, the Army decided that would be too pricey.
“Focusing our resources on two ensures that both will be properly funded: it was a resource informed decision, but one that also lets us retain competition,” Bush said. “It’s kind of… a sweet spot between the two demands we had.”
The duo will now embark on the next two program phases and ultimately lead to what’s expected to be a single winner. For the next phase, Phase 3, the teams will be tasked with focusing on detailed design activities to mature their vehicle blueprint. This phase is expected to culminate in a critical design review that leads into Phase 4, or prototype build and test activities.
It is during this period where the two teams will build and test up to 11 prototypes each (seven for a contract award with an option for four more), along with two ballistic hulls and turrets, armor coupons, and digital model twins, according to a solicitation issued in July 2022 and Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the program executive officer for ground combat systems.
If the Army and industry can successfully make it through that performance period, the service intends to select one team to proceed with low-rate initial production in 2027, with the intent of achieving the first unit equipped milestone in 2029 ahead of full-rate production.
In separate statements to Breaking Defense, both winning teams praised today’s announcement.
Gordon Stein, GDLS’s vice president and general manager of US operations, said his team is “proud” of its innovation, research, development and investment for the program.
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