InsideDefense.com is reporting that Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to get to the bottom of any and all obstacles to increased production of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protection family of vehicles. In a memo obtained by Jason Sherman at InsideDefense.com (subscription required), Gates designates the MRAP as the "highest priority" acquisition program.
The relatively new MRAP program has been a darling of the media, Congress and military officials recently, mostly because its unique V-shaped hull deflects fragments from roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices, and because no soldier or Marine has died in one.
The Gates memo, dated May 2, directs Pentagon staff to answer a few questions for the secretary by May 11. Among them are what "funding, material, program, legal or other limits currently constrains the program," how to overcome these constraints, and what statutory authorities are available to the secretary or president to accelerate procurement of MRAP vehicles for the war.
The Defense Department has previously said it has a requirement for 7,774 MRAP vehicles and has contracts with nine different companies to build multiple varieties.
--Catherine MacRae Hockmuth
Defensenews.com is reporting the same story.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2744949&C=america
Gates per the story is asking a interesting question of the Army. Why are their plans different than the Marines.
"The Marine Corps has indicated an interest in replacing current Humvees in Iraq with the smaller version of the MRAP vehicles, a step which could lead toward replacing the entire Humvee fleet, say U.S. Marine Corps officials. The Army has not indicated similar plans."
Posted by: Peter | May 09, 2007 at 11:07 AM
Maybe, just maybe, the Army is looking at rolling their proposed Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV) and their Marine Personal Carrier (MPC) programs in to the MRAP program. If you research the draft RFP's, you will see the requirements are very similar to the Cougar and the newly announced Cheetah, which are both produced by Force Protection, Inc.
Since FPI has already been awarded over $500,000,000 in contracts for their MRAP's (CAT I and CAT II) it would be logical for the military (Army) to continue to leverage their existing logistical capacity.
Plus, by using the MRAP contract as a means for procurement, they would save Program Management money and be able to field the systems well over a year ahead of schedule.
Posted by: Mr. Zippy | May 09, 2007 at 11:51 AM
This raises questions once again as to why Komatsu-built LAVs which first arrived in Iraq with Japanese GSDF personnel in March 2004 were never even considered or subjected to any DoD evaluation. Even months later, in Dec04, DoD drew a complete blank as if these armored vehicles did not exist in their armored vehicle database. This is despite the fact that GSDF had planned to procure a large number of these 4-passenger vehicles. Photos suggest that, among other things, these might have been the first V-shape hulled vehicles deployed in Iraq.
Posted by: Peter Brown | May 09, 2007 at 12:43 PM
great comments, guys (?). thanks!
Posted by: Sean Meade | May 09, 2007 at 12:54 PM
There is nothing unique about the V-shaped hull design. It's been around for decades in Africa.
Posted by: Keith | May 09, 2007 at 05:56 PM