{"id":86709,"date":"2019-03-29T21:37:37","date_gmt":"2019-03-29T21:37:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/03\/29\/armys-request-for-proposals-to-build-next-gen-combat-vehicle-prototypes-drops\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:02:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:02:44","slug":"armys-request-for-proposals-to-build-next-gen-combat-vehicle-prototypes-drops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2019\/03\/29\/armys-request-for-proposals-to-build-next-gen-combat-vehicle-prototypes-drops\/","title":{"rendered":"Army drops request for proposals to build next-gen combat vehicle prototypes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. Army on Friday issued a request for proposals to competitively build next-generation combat vehicle <\/a>prototypes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RFP opens up competition for industry to provide optionally manned fighting vehicle<\/a> prototype designs. From that pool, the Army will choose \u2014 in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 \u2014 up to two teams to build 14 prototypes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OMFV is intended to replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle starting in 2026 and is designed to better operate in future environments that would allow soldiers to maneuver to a position of advantage and \u201cto engage in close combat and deliver decisive lethality during the execution of combined arms maneuver,\u201d an Army statement reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the threshold requirements for OMFV are a 30mm cannon and a second-generation forward-looking infrared system, or FLIR. Objective requirements are a 50mm cannon and a third-generation FLIR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe OMFV must exceed current capabilities while overmatching similar threat class systems,\u201d Brig. Gen. Ross Coffman, the director for the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle Cross-Functional Team, said in the statement. \u201cIt must be optimized for dense urban areas while also defeating pacing threats on rural terrain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NGCV CFT<\/a> is part of a new four-star command, Army Futures Command, that is designed to modernize the force. NGCV is the second-highest modernization priority for the Army just behind long-range precision fires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After working with industry through a multitude of engagements and testing several draft RFPs with ambitious requirements, Coffman believes the Army has both the threshold requirements for the vehicle as well as the right objective requirements as the service heads toward the release of the final RFP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe put out a very aggressive draft RFP,\u201d Coffman told reporters March 27 at the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s Global Force Symposium, because the CFT knew it was not obtainable in its entirety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The draft RFP was meant to stretch goals and objectives and to inspire feedback to ultimately write requirements that are attainable, Coffman explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army\u2019s current approach to enter into a rapid prototyping effort truncates what could be a two- or three-year technology-maturation and risk-reduction phase, Maj. Gen. Brian Cummings, the program executive officer for Ground Combat Systems, noted in the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is about being able to prototype and field required capabilities on an accelerated schedule to get capability into soldiers\u2019 hands quickly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army\u2019s acquisition chief, Bruce Jette, approved a rapid prototyping approach for the OMFV in September 2018, which requires a prototype demonstration in an operational environment within five years, according to the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prototypes will go through \u201crigorous\u201d operational testing and soldier assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army plans to downselect to one vehicle for low-rate initial production following the assessments and testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several companies have come forward either with clear plans of what they would like to offer or declaring they will participate in the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\t