General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), on November 2, 2022 delivered to the U.S. Army an initial tranche of 16 Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) vehicles, making them the first ground robots of their kind in Army history.
Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport is designed to lighten load for Soldiers
Based upon GD’s Multi-Utility Tactical Transport (MUTT), the S-MET is an eight-wheeled, enabling robotic technology for the dismounted Soldier. It lightens the load as an equipment-carrying «robotic mule» but also has built-in flexibility for wide variety of combat, combat support and combat service support functions and payloads.
Featuring a hybrid-electric powertrain, it provides expeditionary power generation and is operated by a single-hand remote control.
«We are proud to deliver this breakthrough unmanned ground vehicle capability», said Gordon Stein, vice president and general manager of U.S. operations at General Dynamics Land Systems. «Through our partnership with the Army, General Dynamics Land Systems has remained at the leading edge of robotic combat vehicles that are designed to relieve Soldiers of dull, dirty and dangerous missions now and into the future».
GD won the Army’s competition for the S-MET program in 2020.
General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), announced on August 25, 2022 that it has been awarded a Foreign Military Sales order from the U.S. Army worth up to $1.148 billion to deliver 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks to Poland.
Polish Army to receive 250 tanks in the state-of-the-art M1A2 SEPv3 configuration
The state-of-the-art M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams configuration features technological advancements in communications, fire control and lethality, reliability, sustainment and fuel efficiency, plus upgraded armor. Additionally, the M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams is designed to seamlessly accept future upgrades.
«We are pleased to have been chosen to provide this critical armored capability to our allies in Poland», said Chris Brown, vice president of global strategy and international business development at General Dynamics Land Systems. «The M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams is the most advanced main battle tank in the world, and we look forward to getting it into the hands of Polish Soldiers».
General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company’s extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies.
General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $38.5 billion in revenue in 2021.
General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD) announced on July 13, 2022 that it has been awarded a competitive award worth up to $280,112,700 to procure Trophy Ready Kits as an Active Protection System (APS) for Abrams main battle tanks.
General Dynamics Land Systems Awarded up to $280 Million for Trophy Active Protection System Kits for Abrams Tanks
Trophy rapidly detects, classifies and engages threats such as recoilless rifles, antitank guided missiles, rockets, tank rounds and rocket-propelled grenades. The detection of threats, including their launch location, allows Abrams tank crews to rapidly handle targets.
The kits will be added to M1A2 SEPv2 and M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks as needed, continuing their fielding across the Army.
«We are honored to have been chosen by the Army to continue to provide this important capability to keep tank crew members and their vehicles safe on the battlefield», said Gordon Stein, vice president of U.S. operations at General Dynamics Land Systems.
Work on the indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract is expected to extend into mid-2027.
General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company’s extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies.
General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $38.5 billion in revenue in 2021.
The U.S. Army announced on June 28, 2022 the award of a $1.14 billion contract to General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, for the production and fielding of up to 96 Mobile Protected Firepower, or MPF, vehicles. The award comes just days after the U.S. Army closed out the MPF middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping phase and transitioned to a major capability acquisition program with a favorable Milestone C decision – an incremental step in the Department of Defense’s acquisition process that moves into the production and deployment phase.
Army approves Milestone C and awards Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract for the Mobile Protected Firepower program
MPF will provide infantry brigades greater survivability, the ability to identify threat systems earlier and at greater distances, and will not restrict movement in off-road terrain. MPF will also allow Soldiers to move at a faster pace, protecting the assaulting force.
«The MPF program did exactly what the Army asked, which was to complete a competitive and accelerated rapid prototyping effort with Soldier touchpoints», said Mr. Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ALT), and the Army’s acquisition executive. «MPF is a benchmark program, as the acquisition and requirement communities worked together to complete the [middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping] phase and move this system into production in just under four years».
The Milestone C decision came on schedule and was underpinned by strong support and overwhelming commitment from Army leadership.
«MPF represents a new capability for the Army, allowing our light maneuver forces to overmatch adversaries. Through multiple Soldier touchpoints, our Soldiers have operated the prototypes and provided crucial feedback to the design team, ensuring our forces will have the asset they need on the future battlefield», said Major General Ross Coffman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross Functional Team.
During the middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping phase, the Army successfully tested and evaluated 24 prototypes during a pandemic. Middle-tier acquisition authorities allow the Army to have the flexibility to get prototypes into Soldiers’ hands quickly to enable fidelity on known risks and develop informed plans moving forward.
«Congress has provided us with flexible [middle-tier acquisition] legislation that allows for accelerated prototype delivery and Soldier operational feedback, which expedites the fidelity on technical and programmatic risks to better inform program acquisition decisions», Bush said.
The MPF will be the U.S. Army’s first new design vehicle fielded in over four decades, with first unit equipped planned for late fiscal year 2025.
«Today’s announcement sets in motion an important modernization effort for the Army. As a team we’ve worked diligently to make certain we’ve taken the right steps early on to accept risk where appropriate and move faster», said Brigadier General Glenn Dean, ASA(ALT)’s program executive officer for ground combat systems. «The Army is committed to delivering the MPF capability to the infantry brigade on an accelerated schedule with incremental improvements over time».
During the low-rate initial production phase the Army will take delivery of MPF vehicles and conduct production qualification testing to include lethality, mobility, survivability, full-up system live-fire, and reliability, Availability and maintainability testing. Additionally, an initial operational test and evaluation will also be conducted, all leading to the first unit equipped. The award of subsequent low-rate initial production vehicle options will be based on review of cost, schedule and performance metrics defined in the acquisition program baseline.
General Dynamics Land Systems, a global leader in providing innovative, high technology and next-generation ground combat solutions to customers, announces on October 25, 2021 a Strategic Teaming Agreement with Epirus, Inc., a high-growth technology company developing directed energy systems that enable unprecedented counter-electronics effects. GD and Epirus will collaborate to integrate the Leonidas directed energy system and broader high-power microwave technology into the U.S. Army’s Stryker and other manned and autonomous ground combat vehicles for enhanced mobile Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) capabilities.
A scaled illustration of Epirus’ Leonidas counter-electronics system mounted on a GDLS Stryker
«General Dynamics Land Systems continues to evolve the Army’s largest and most reliable ground combat vehicle fleet with next-generation innovation and high-tech solutions», said Danny Deep, President of General Dynamics Land Systems. «This partnership with Epirus benefits the Army’s Stryker mobile SHORAD formations by offering cutting-edge, counter-electronics and counter-swarm capabilities».
In addition to Stryker upgrades, the company also is developing a class of robotic combat vehicles that feature modular architecture to maximize scalability and support future mission needs, Deep said.
Leonidas’ integration with Stryker enables a fully mobile counter-electronics solution and demonstrates the system’s flexible Application Programming Interface (API) and ability to integrate with existing ground-based, airborne and maritime systems for operation across domains. The system’s open API allows for maximum interoperability to meet the mission needs of multiple customer sets. Leonidas delivers unprecedented power and performance in a dramatically smaller form factor and is the only directed energy weapon with a proven ability to counter swarming drones and execute precision strikes at range.
«Having the support of one of the largest, most innovative and technologically advanced defense contractors further deepens our industry credibility and the market appeal for Epirus’ directed energy product portfolio. With Leonidas integrated into GD’s combat vehicle fleet, we are unlocking new SHORAD and counter-electronics capabilities to equip our warfighters with combat effective systems that dismantle the threats of today and tomorrow. I look forward to continuing our partnership with our General Dynamics Land Systems colleagues and know that, together, we can deliver on our customers’ mission needs», said Leigh Madden, Epirus Chief Executive Officer.
The companies will collaborate to advance mobile SHORAD solutions and fill capability gaps to defend against drone swarms and other electronic threats
General Dynamics Land Systems this month has delivered two Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) preproduction vehicles to the U.S. Army, and two more will be delivered by the end of December.
Army receiving final four MPF preproduction vehicles this month
These four vehicles complete the requirement of 12 MPF preproduction vehicles that General Dynamics Land Systems was contracted to produce as part of the Army’s ongoing competition. The previous eight vehicles are undergoing Army and internal testing.
This month’s deliveries come on time to support the Army’s Soldier Vehicle Assessment, despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
«General Dynamics has listened to the Army, fully understanding its requirements, and worked closely with program management office throughout this fast-paced effort to deliver systems on time to meet programmed test schedules», said Don Kotchman, Vice President and General Manager of General Dynamics Land Systems U.S. «We are pleased to be able to deliver this capability to the U.S. Army, despite the global pandemic. Our MPF offering is a highly lethal, mobile and survivable direct-fire combat vehicle that can dominate ground threats on the multi-domain battlefield».
General Dynamics Land Systems’ MPF approach leverages both recently developed and battle-tested designs. The highly advanced and powerful combat vehicle is designed to strengthen the Army’s Infantry Brigade Combat Teams.
Land Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (GD). General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company’s extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies.
General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), was awarded a $1.219 billion contract to produce, test and deliver Interim Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) systems to the U.S. Army. The Army’s initial order on the contract calls for 28 Stryker IM-SHORAD vehicles for $230 million.
General Dynamics Land Systems awarded $1.2 Billion U.S. Army Contract for Stryker IM-SHORAD Vehicles
«General Dynamics and our teammates Leonardo DRS and Raytheon are pleased to be able to partner with the Army to bring this powerful capability to U.S. Soldiers», said Don Kotchman, Vice President and General Manager of GD Land Systems. «This dedicated SHORAD capability adds a new operational dimension to the Stryker fleet in all of the Army’s maneuver formations».
The IM-SHORAD is designed to counter threats from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and a multitude of other Rotary and Fixed Wing aircraft, and provides a common Army platform that is cost-effective, highly mobile, survivable, sustainable and transportable.
Stryker continues to be a highly sought platform beyond the Stryker Brigade Combat Team formations.
Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September, 30, 2025. GD Land Systems has production locations in Tallahassee, Florida; Scranton, Pennsylvania; London, Ontario; Lima, Ohio; and Anniston, Alabama.
Headquartered in Sterling Heights, Michigan, General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company’s extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies.
The U.S. Army has selected General Dynamics Land Systems to produce the Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport, or S-MET, to lighten Soldiers’ loads by providing Infantry Brigade Combat Teams a robotic «mule» capability.
The S-MET program aims to lighten soldiers’ loads by providing a robotic «mule» capability. A rapid acquisition plan has allowed the US Army to field commercially available technology faster than typical processes allow (U.S. Army photo)
The contract is valued at $162.4 million to produce 624 S-METs. Delivery to Soldiers begins in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2021.
With the S-MET (pronounced «Ess-Met») program, a phased, quicker acquisition plan allowed the Army to make informed program decisions based on direct Soldier feedback on commercially available technology – fielding equipment faster than typical processes allow.
S-MET’s basic operational capabilities include:
Unmanned/optionally manned system;
Carries 1,000 lbs./453.6 kg, reducing Soldier weight burden by 100-plus pounds each when in support of a rifle squad;
Operates 60-plus miles/96.5-plus km in 72 hours;
Generates 3 kilowatts of power (stationary) and 1 kilowatt (moving) keeping equipment and batteries charged on the move.
The Army issued a directed requirement in April 2017 for a rapid materiel acquisition aimed at unburdening infantry brigade combat teams with a robotic capability. To fast-track the acquisition process, the Army’s Program Executive Office for Combat Support & Combat Service Support, awarded S-MET Phase I Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements (vs. traditional Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)-based contracting methods) in June 2017 for eight platforms.
The S-MET program marks one of the Army’s first Middle Tier Acquisitions (MTA) for Rapid Fielding. This acquisition approach foregoes the traditional Department of Defense 5000.02 acquisition process, streamlining the delivery and fielding of capabilities within a period of five years. Use of the MTA approach was granted by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act Section 804.
«The S-MET program has focused on meeting the Army’s emphasis on enhancing Soldier lethality and rapidly fielding modernized capabilities. Our product management team for Applique and Large Unmanned Ground Systems undertook a great challenge to develop a strategy using experimentation and technical demonstrations to streamline the S-MET acquisition process», said Timothy G. Goddette, the Army’s program executive officer for Combat Support and Combat Service Support.
«Using an innovative contracting approach through an Other Transaction Authority, a flexible, collaborative tool designed to speed acquisition and modernization, the S-MET team awarded this capability within two and a half years. Using normal acquisition processes, it could have taken as much as five years», he explained.
The initial candidate platforms participated in the S-MET Phase I Assessment held in September 2017 at Fort Benning, Georgia. The evaluation enabled the Army to learn about each of the candidate platforms’ capabilities and obtain operational feedback based on Soldiers’ interactions with the candidate S-MET systems. Based on the results in November 2017, the Army narrowed to four contractors to evaluate their respective platforms during a 12-month (later reduced to seven-month) S-MET Phase II Technology Demonstration.
Phase II called for each of the four selected contractors to produce 20 platforms. Four of the produced S-METs supported safety testing, Commercial-Off-the-Shelf operator manual verification, Instructor and Key Personnel Training, and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) development. Upon completion of safety testing, the Product Management Office for Applique and Large Unmanned Systems issued eight of each respective prototype S-METs to IBCTs within the 10th Mountain and the 101st Airborne Divisions in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 for the seven-month Phase II Technology Demonstration. Results from the Technology Demonstration informed program decisions and further solidified S-MET TTPs.
Dismounted Infantry carry water, extra ammunition, and other equipment and gear imposing physical burden. When fielded, S-MET will unburden Soldiers and enable IBCTs to travel greater distances and carry more. Soldier experimentation, touch points, and evaluation has been key in obtaining direct warfighter feedback.
«Thanks to tremendous teamwork across the acquisition, requirements, operational, and resource communities, this is a great modernization success story», said Don Sando, director for the Maneuver Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate, Fort Benning. «Key to this success was involving Soldiers early in the process to get their input and feedback during experiments and assessments. Direct Soldier feedback drove the requirements for the S-MET, and certainly helped determine what systems would work best for IBCTs to fill a capability gap», Sando added.
This enhanced, modernized capability will unburden Soldiers of some of their physical load, thereby also improving Soldiers’ physical and cognitive capabilities. Future capability will feature modular mission payloads tailoring the S-MET to specific mission needs, such as dismounted engineer mobility systems; remote weapon stations; casualty evacuation; and unmanned aerial systems and reconnaissance.
«Getting a modernized capability into the hands of IBCT Soldiers has been the team’s driving focus throughout this program», said Lieutenant Colonel Jon Bodenhamer, the Army’s product manager for Applique and Large Unmanned Ground Systems within the Program Executive Office for Combat Support & Combat Service Support. «Soldiers are why we do what we do, and I’m incredibly proud of the hard-working team that brought us to this point».
General Dynamics Land Systems – UK has begun the industry manned live firing phase of the AJAX programme, with the CTA International 40-mm (CT40) cannon.
General Dynamics Land Systems – UK begins AJAX manned live firing phase of programme, using CTAI 40-mm cannon
The five-month trial, which started in early September and takes place at ranges in West Wales, will test the CT40 cannon, Chain Gun and Smoke Grenade Launchers.
AJAX is fitted with instrumentation to record all aspects of the firing of the CT40 cannon and Chain Gun, including lethality performance. Testing will progress from a static vehicle firing on a static target, to a moving vehicle firing on a moving target. The testing is being conducted by General Dynamics Land Systems – UK, the turret developer (Lockheed Martin UK), and with the Ministry of Defence observing.
Over the last 18 months, General Dynamics Land Systems–UK has completed significant unmanned firing of the CT40 cannon and Chain Gun, which provided the assurance needed to begin the manned firing phase of the programme.
Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin said: «The AJAX programme is sustaining hundreds of jobs in Wales, as well as thousands right across the UK, and a lot of hard work has gone into reaching this manned live firing phase».
Kevin Connell, Vice President of General Dynamics Land Systems – UK, said: «The start of the CT40 cannon manned industry firing phase is a significant milestone in the AJAX programme. This cutting-edge capability that enables AJAX to pack a significant punch, alongside its wide-range of best-in-class sensors that makes it an Information Age platform, ensures that the British Army has everything they need to do their job effectively».
In recent months, General Dynamics Land Systems – UK has successfully completed a broad spectrum of AJAX programme trials across its different prototype platforms. These include altitude-climatic trials, air deployability trials, littoral fording trials and driver training trials.
The range of AJAX variants will allow British Army ‘Strike Brigades’ to conduct sustained, expeditionary, full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint. They will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of future operating environments.
The AJAX variant will be the medium-weight core of the British Army’s deployable all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability
General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), recently received two contract awards from the U.S. Army for Abrams main battle tank upgrades, which will boost the platform’s capabilities and help the Army lead the way into the future.
General Dynamics Receives Contracts to Upgrade Abrams Main Battle Tanks
The company will design, develop and integrate multiple engineering changes into the Abrams M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3 (SEPv3), creating a SEPv4 and further modernizing the tanks. Abrams main battle tanks are produced at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio.
The first contract is for SEPv4 upgrades, which include the Commander’s Primary Sight (formerly known as the Commander’s Independent Thermal Viewer), an improved Gunner’s Primary Sight and enhancements to sensors, lethality and survivability. General Dynamics Land Systems will deliver seven prototype M1A2 SEPv4 tanks to the Army. The contract has an initial value of $311 million. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan; Lima; Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Tallahassee, Florida.
The second award was a $270 million contract from the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command to produce 45 Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 tanks. The first pilot vehicles, which feature technological advancements in communications, reliability, sustainment and fuel efficiency and upgraded armor, are expected to roll off the production line in fall 2017. Work will be performed in Lima, Scranton, Tallahassee and Anniston, Alabama.
General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company’s extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies.
