United Defense LP, Armament Systems Division, 4800 E. River Rd., Minneapolis, MN 55421-1498

59 -- SYSTEMS TO DETECT BORE OBSTRUCTIONS IN 155MM CANNON SUBSYSTEMS POC Technical Point of Contact: Joel Martin, M236, (612) 572-7489, INTERNET: joelllmdashmartin@fmc.com. Procurement Point of Contact: Phil Kuechenmeister, M389, (612) 572-6574, INTERNET: philllmdashkuechenmeister@fmc.com United Defense, L.P., Armament Systems Division, under Prime Contract DAAE30-95-C-0009 is gathering information on potential suppliers of sensors and sensor technologies that can be used to detect hazards in the bore of the automatically loaded 155mm cannon for the Crusader Self Propelled Howitzer. The rapid automatic loading of separately loaded ammunition (combustible case charge and projectile) incorporated by Crusader requires that functions previously performed manually be done rapidly and automatically. One of these functions is to ensure that the bore of gun is free of hazards and anomalous bore conditions. United Defense is interested in hearing from suppliers having products or technologies capable of detecting any of the following types of possible bore hazards. (1) Fallback -- This is defined as the condition when the projectile becomes unseated from its rammed position. (2) Burning embers -- These are hot, burning, or glowing embers from the propellant charges or combustible casematerials which remain in the gun after the breech is opened. (3) Debris -- This includes items from the external environment such as dirt, snow, mud, ice, freezing rain, pebbles, stones, rocks, sand, and tree limbs, and deliberately placed and forgotten items such as hand tools, flashlights, gages, bore cleaning materials, brushes, bore inspection tools, borescopes, and muzzle covers or plugs. Debris can also include broken parts and components such as rammer parts, rotating bands, obturators, breech seals, and rifle lands. (4) Projectiles erroneously remaining anywhere in the bore of the gun. Potential qualified suppliers are requested to submit a capability statement to Phil Kuechenmeister, in writing, at M389 INTERNET at Phil, Kuechenmeister@nsd.fmc.com or by facsimile at (612) 572-4964 within 21 calendar days of the publication of this announcement. Capability statements can be in subcontractor format, and should include, at a minimum: 1. A narrative discussion or report addressing the current status and performance of the candidate sensors or technology being proposed along with supporting data. The types of hazards that the proposed sensors will detect should be noted. 2. A narrative discussion of the unique technical capabilities and expertise of the organization. 3. A narrative discussion supporting the organization's ability to meet the schedule of developing an integrated sensor design and hardware (2 units plus spare parts) to be delivered to United Defense no later than April 1998. Respondents to this notice will not be notified either of the receipt or the assessment of the information submitted. Neither the cost of preparing capability statements nor the cost of preparing proposals will be entertained as allowable direct charges to any resultant subcontract. This solicitation does not obligate United Defense, L.P. to enter in any subcontract with any organization supplying information. (0008)

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