Protolab’s PMPV 6x6 demoing capabilities. pic.twitter.com/eFxYji5pvl— Protolab Finland (@ProtolabF) October 31, 2019
BAE Systems has received a $120 million contract from the U.S. Marine Corps for additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles under a third order for Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). This award is an important next step on the path to full rate production.We often talk on these pages about our broken/dysfunctional procurement system.
This latest contract is for the ACV personnel carrier variant (ACV-P), an eight-wheeled amphibious assault vehicle capable of transporting Marines from open-ocean ship to shore and conducting land operations. Each vehicle embarks 13 Marines in addition to a crew of three.
“This award further validates the Marine Corps’ confidence in the vehicle’s proven capability in meeting their amphibious mission, and represents an important step toward fielding the vehicle in the Fleet Marine Force. The ACV is a highly mobile, survivable and adaptable platform designed for growth to meet future mission role requirements while bringing enhanced combat power to the battlefield,” said John Swift, director of amphibious programs at BAE Systems.
Current low-rate production is focused on the ACV-P variant. More variants will be added under full rate production to include the command and control (ACV-C), 30mm medium caliber turret (ACV-30) and recovery variants (ACV-R) under the ACV Family of Vehicles program. BAE Systems previously received the Lot 1 and Lot 2 awards.
The Marine Corps selected BAE Systems along with teammate Iveco Defence Vehicles for the ACV program in 2018 to replace its legacy fleet of Assault Amphibious Vehicles, which have been in service for decades and were also built by BAE Systems.
The Army Combat Power Demonstration (ACPD) #combatpower is an annual and explosive event in our calendar! Displaying innovative use of #STEM, our collaborative links with industry, and our international character. @NATO by default, international by design. #WeAreNATO #BeTheBest pic.twitter.com/JuzRmy61sk— British Army (@BritishArmy) October 29, 2019
‘We must of course defeat by arms the last remnants of fanatic Islamist extremism in Syria and Iraq’ – @GeorgeGalloway pic.twitter.com/urOT2hCFlK— RT (@RT_com) October 30, 2019
Here's a sight we will enjoy getting used to; @USMC F-35B engineers, maintainers and other support crew have been dropped onboard by USMC CH-53 Sea Stallion. They will soon bring out their own Lightnings for flying trials alongside UK jets #WESTLANT19 @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce pic.twitter.com/5PNlsN393f— HMS Queen Elizabeth (@HMSQNLZ) October 29, 2019
Falling production costs will open up additional international sales opportunities for the F-35, Ken Possenriede, chief financial officer for Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin, said during the company’s Oct. 22 earnings call. Lockheed is on track to hit the $80 million target in production lot 13, he said, about the middle of the multiyear contract.Story here.
Lockheed rose as much as 1.3% to $375.45 Monday after Bloomberg News reported that the so-called block buy talks were concluded. The stock had advanced 42% this year through Friday, double the gain of the S&P 500.
The latest agreement brings to about 978 the number of U.S. and allied jets on contract out of a planned total of at least 3,100. The jet is still months away from the completion of rigorous combat testing against the toughest Russian and Chinese threats.
