Army, Contractors & Vendors, Policy, tech

Roadmap for Army's future combat vehicles coming

Jane’s reports that the US Army will release its new direction for ground combat vehicles in September. After canceling the majority of the Future Combat Systems program’s vehicles, the Army is taking a new look at what new vehicles should be built, and how current vehicles should be incorporated across the Army’s Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs).

The Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, hosted a workshop on June 15 at the National Defense University to bring together the Army’s ground vehicle thought leaders to hammer out the way ahead for a new ground combat vehicle. “We will work to include both lessons from the current fight and what we’ve learned from technology and build a better vehicle,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey.

While FCS was cancelled, it is expected that the FCS Network and the System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SoSCOE) Boeing developed for the vehicles will likely be incorporated into both the new ground combat vehicle and existing vehicles, according to people familiar with the program.

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Air Force, Contractors & Vendors, Defense Department

Boeing baffled by C-130 modernization program holdup

(UPDATE: The Air Force is reportedly considering C-130 AMP for cancellation. )

Jane’s reports that Boeing is chomping at the bit to move forward with Milestone C for its  C-130 Avionics Modernization Program. The Air Force cancelled the scheduled Defense Aquisition Board meeting on July 3o a few days in advance, and has not yet rescheduled.

Mark Angelo, program manager for C-130 AMP, told Jane’s that he and Boeing “have been given no idea as to … why it was postponed. With development complete, the risk is behind us, and the aircraft upgrade is ready.”

The C-130 AMP program is intended to “modernize, standardize, and reduce total ownership cost for the US Air Force C-130 fleet,” according to Boeing.  Its features include a “glass cockpit”, with the majority of instrumentation replaced by digital displays. Milestone C is the acquisition process decision point that approves the production and deployment of a system.

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