The U.S. Military introduced at this time the award of a $1.14 billion contract to Normal Dynamics Land Programs, Sterling Heights, Michigan, for the manufacturing and fielding of as much as 96 Cellular Protected Firepower, or MPF, autos. The award comes simply days after the Military closed out the MPF middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping part and transitioned to a serious functionality acquisition program with a good Milestone C determination — an incremental step within the Division of Protection’s acquisition course of that strikes into the manufacturing and deployment part. MPF will present infantry brigades better survivability, the flexibility to determine menace programs earlier and at better distances, and won’t limit motion in off-road terrain. MPF can even enable Troopers to maneuver at a sooner tempo, defending the assaulting drive. The Milestone C determination got here on schedule and was underpinned by sturdy assist and overwhelming dedication from Military management.
“The MPF program did precisely what the Military requested, which was to finish a aggressive and accelerated fast prototyping effort with Soldier touchpoints,” mentioned Mr. Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Military for Acquisition, Logistics and Know-how, and the Military’s acquisition government. “MPF is a benchmark program, because the acquisition and requirement communities labored collectively to finish the part and transfer this technique into manufacturing in slightly below 4 years.”
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“MPF represents a brand new functionality for the Military, permitting our mild maneuver forces to overmatch adversaries. Via a number of Soldier touchpoints, our Troopers have operated the prototypes and offered essential suggestions to the design group, guaranteeing our forces can have the asset they want on the longer term battlefield,” mentioned Maj. Gen. Ross Coffman, director of the Subsequent Era Fight Automobiles Cross Purposeful Workforce.
Through the middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping part, the Military efficiently examined and evaluated 24 prototypes throughout a pandemic. Center-tier acquisition authorities enable the Military to have the flexibleness to get prototypes into Troopers’ arms shortly to allow constancy on recognized dangers and develop knowledgeable plans shifting ahead. The MPF would be the Military’s first new design car fielded in over 4 many years, with first unit geared up deliberate for late fiscal 12 months 2025. Through the low-rate preliminary manufacturing part the Military will take supply of MPF autos and conduct manufacturing qualification testing to incorporate lethality, mobility, survivability, full-up system live-fire, and reliability, Availability and maintainability testing. Moreover, an preliminary operational take a look at and analysis can even be performed, all resulting in the primary unit geared up. The award of subsequent low-rate preliminary manufacturing car choices can be primarily based on overview of value, schedule and efficiency metrics outlined within the acquisition program baseline.
The MPF can be meant for bunker busting roles and combating mild armor utilizing a gun within the 105mm to 120mm vary. The car is supposed to be simply air transportable in normal cargo plane just like the C-17. Work on this contract can be carried out at Land Programs areas in Sterling Heights, Mich.; Scranton, Pa., and Tallahassee, Fla., and on the Joint Programs Manufacturing Middle in Lima, Ohio — the one operational tank plant within the nation.Normal Dynamics Land Programs submitted an providing that places a model of its newest Abrams turret along with a chassis that makes use of previous work on the UK’s AJAX (primarily based ASCOD) program. The Cellular Protected Firepower method leverages each just lately developed and battle-tested designs. The extremely superior and highly effective fight car is designed to strengthen the Military’s Infantry Brigade Fight Groups. The MPF program is the primary beneath the Military Futures Command Cross-Purposeful Workforce for Subsequent Era Fight Car that fills a essential functionality hole.
