Defence Business: Difficult decisions ahead for Land 121 Ph.4 | ADM October 2011
Tom Muir | Canberra
As interested readers will be aware the PMV-L procurement is based on three acquisition options, the US JLTV program, the Manufactured and Supported in Australia (MSA) option and a Market Available option. In respect of the last Defence says it will develop solicitation documentation for a ‘current-generation market available’ Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light.
The question of most interest to industry is which of these acquisition threads will eventually lead to the preferred solution? We take another look at the JLTV program which may yet provide our preferred PMV-L, and ponder the possibility that OTS contenders for the EMD phase may well bid for our Market Available option.
Australian participation in the technology development phase, which commenced in January 2009, finally resulted in the delivery of three right hand operation (RHO) prototypes from each of the three JLTV contenders (GTV, Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems) which underwent reliability, maintainability and ballistic testing by the Army at Monegeetta, Victoria. The tests culminated with user evaluations in early 2011. Australia’s participation cost $40 million, which included the cost and trialling of the Australian-compliant prototypes.
The next major JLTV milestone, the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Phase, will focus on program risk, supportability, produceability, and affordability. It is anticipated that a request for proposals (RFP) will be issued in the last quarter of 2011 with two EMD contracts awarded in early to mid-2012.
The EMD phase will last 48 months before a low-rate initial production contract is awarded in the second quarter of 2016. Information from the TD phase has changed the scope of requirements for the EMD phase and a TD solution is not being carried into EMD although modified TD prototype designs may well be offered.
The biggest challenge for EMD contenders is weight. The purpose of the first phase was to help the military refine their requirements and it is not clear if providing adequate protection and reducing weight is possible. There are indications that replacing steel with aluminium or composites tends to increase the cost. It is understood that the vehicle’s desired transport weight is 7090kg, light enough for it to be air lifted by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
While the three TD contenders may be expected to bid for the EMD phase with modified, lighter designs, other potential primes are also gearing up for this next phase, which will be open to any bidder. Oshkosh, which was eliminated from the TD phase, has indicated it will propose a light combat tactical vehicle demonstrator built to test and evaluate a new lightweight suspension and diesel-electric engine. Or will it propose a US manufactured Hawkei?
We have yet to hear how well the prototypes from the three contenders for the MSA option - Thales Hawkei, GDLSA Eagle IV, and Force Protection Ocelot - performed during trialling at Monegeetta, and how these compared with the earlier trials of the JLTV prototypes, but non-disclosure clauses in their contracts have ensured that industry’s lips are sealed (though the body language from each of the contenders has been upbeat).
Assuming that the JLTV program is not terminated as has been recommended by the US Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee ‘due to excessive cost growth and constantly changing requirements’, it seems likely that this country’s interest in the JLTV program will continue, despite program delays. To this end potential contenders for the EMD phase have been advised of ADF requirements for 1,300 RHO vehicles, comprising 850 General Purpose, 50 Command and Control on the Move, 400 Utility and 1,288 compatible Trailers. Australian specific requirements for JLTVs configured to RHO mainly relate to Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliance.
It is anticipated that the EMD request for proposals will likely seek RHO variants in both four passenger Combat Tactical Vehicle (CTV) and two passenger Combat Support Vehicle (CSV) mission variants. Australia presumably will be liable for any additional design or other costs as part of the cost of participation. US industry has also been advised that Australia desires to negotiate and execute Australian Industry Capability (AIC) and Global Supply Chain (GSC) deeds with successful EMD offerors.
In a program update, the JLTV program manager pointed out that the EMD program was intended to be an International Program with Australia and as such he was anticipating Australian government personnel to participate in program events, meetings, and Government Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) with successful EMD offerors throughout the EMD contract period of performance.
And, at the last Industry Day, the JLTV PM stressed the importance of industry coordinating with their company’s export compliance personnel in the preparation of applicable export authorisation requests (relevant to ITAR) and ensuring that those requests are scoped and timed appropriately in order to support the JLTV program.
JLTV ‘Off-the-Shelf’
Another issue that may help determine Australia’s participation or otherwise, has been the decision by the JLTV program to seek Off-the-Shelf solutions. A request for information (RFI) was released in May this year by the JLTV Program Office seeking vehicle system information and other supporting information from industry in an effort to identify and conduct analysis on vehicles with capabilities similar to the JLTV.
The analysis will aim to compare capabilities, measures of effectiveness, cost, schedule, concepts of operations, and overall risk. The JLTV Program Office says it is aware of a number of programs currently in development that are making strides in protection, mobility, and weight.
The intent of this Market Survey is to receive the most recent, fact-based information related to programs that may be considered similar to, or potential candidates for, a JLTV family of vehicles. This information will assist the JLTV Program Office in developing its acquisition and procurement strategy for the JLTV Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Phase.
Information sought included data on cost and mobility analyses and data on protection. This last was to include description of the key features of the cab and vehicle design. Responses should address, but not be limited to, material selection (use of metallic, ceramics, composites), crew injury assessments, weight class, design maturity, and whether the survivability information being provided is for a hull or full vehicle system design.
Subject: Land