By Ann Roosevelt
At least three of the original teams bidding for the Army’s potential Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV)–General Dynamics [GD], SAIC [SAI], BAE Systems-Northrop Grumman [NOC]–submitted bids for the technology demonstration phase of the program by the Jan. 21 Request for Proposals (RFP) deadline.
“January 21st, marked the date that the Ground Combat Vehicle Technology Development proposals were due from industry and we are pleased with the responses at this point,” said Col. Andrew DiMarco, project manager, Ground Combat Vehicle, in a statement. “Due to the federal prohibition on the release of procurement information, the program office will not release further source selection details until the selection process is complete.”
The Army expects to award technology demonstration (TD) contracts valued at about $450 million each, to as many as three companies or industry teams in the third quarter of fiscal year 2011. The development is expected to take two years.
The first vehicle is scheduled for delivery seven years after those TD awards.
General Dynamics spokesman Karl Oskoian confirmed submission of a GCV bid Jan. 21. The GD team included Lockheed Martin [LMT], Raytheon [RTN] and MTU Detroit Diesel.
The BAE-Northrop Grumman team submitted its bid. “Our proposal delivers an affordable, high-performing infantry fighting vehicle built from the ground-up that satisfies the needs of our soldiers today and has room for technological growth in the years ahead,” said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Ground Combat Vehicle at BAE, in a statement.
The BAE-Northrop Grumman GCV offering will be the first combat vehicle designed from the ground-up to meet the current IED-threat environment, the companies said. The team offering brings more affordability, survivability, mobility and versatility to the Army and is scalable to the level of protection required for a variety of operations. The team’s hybrid electric drive propulsion system enables its GCV to meet current operations while providing a robust platform for future technology integration and growth at low risk and cost.
“Together, we have designed an infantry fighting vehicle that will meet or exceed the stringent GCV requirements,” said Joe Taylor, Northrop Grumman Information Systems’ vice president for Ground Combat Systems.
The team includes QinetiQ North America, iRobot, MTU and Saft.
Team Full Spectrum, the SAIC team, submitted a revised GCV proposal. The team originally submitted a proposal in May, but the initial RFP was rescinded and a second request was issued in November. Team Full Spectrum continues with original members Boeing [BA], Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Defence.
“Our offering is designed to protect soldiers by decreasing their burden of mechanical tasks so they can concentrate on accomplishing their mission,” said Deb Alderson, SAIC group president. “In addition, our team’s high technical readiness levels will help us meet the Army’s timeline.”
Charles Toups, vice president and general manager of Boeing Network and Tactical Systems, said: “We have focused on the four key elements the Army has emphasized–capacity for a nine-soldier dismounted squad; a schedule that will allow production in seven years; force protection; and full-spectrum operations from civil relief through full combat operations. Our proposal offers mature technology for unequaled capability at the lowest possible risk.”
A fourth bidder, Advanced Defense Vehicle Systems (ADVS) Jan. 18 said it was withdrawing as a competitor. In a statement posted on the company website, ADVS’ CEO, James LeBlanc, said, “This drawn-out Army process does not fit with ADVS’ rapid development and fielding capabilities.”
The Army first wants an Infantry Fighting Vehicle GCV to provide a highly-survivable platform to deliver a nine-soldier infantry squad to a position on the battlefield where they can conduct combined arms maneuver and wide area security.
The goal of the 24-month TD phase is to reduce overall risk for entering into the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase by developing an “affordable, feasible and operationally effective preliminary design,” the service said.