13 -- AMMUNITION MARKET SURVEY

Notice Date

December 19, 2000

Contracting Office

US Army ARDEC, AMSTA-AR-PC, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000

ZIP Code

07806-5000

Solicitation Number

DAAE30-01-R-0603

Response Due

January 26, 2001

Point of Contact

Ms. Kimberly Ritacco, Procurement Analyst, (973) 724-5063

E-Mail Address

Kimberly Ritacco (kritacco@pica.army.mil)

Description

The Project Manager for Tank and Medium-caliber Armament Systems (PM TMAS) is conducting market research to determine the availability and potential attributes of medium caliber automatic cannons, ammunition and feed systems for possible application to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV). Current Army Transition Planning indicates the BFV may be in service until as late as 2032. With this in mind, the Army is assessing the feasibility of improving and/or replacing the Bradley s cannon system to address current and future threat targets. Targets of interest include BMP (Boyevaya Mashina Desantnika), class armored vehicles, light armored vehicles such as BTRs (Bronetransporter) and BMDs (Boyevaya Mashina Desantnika), trucks, helicopters, Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launcher sites, and dismounted infantry (in hastily prepared positions, in bunkers, in urban fortifications, and in the open) armed with rocket propelled grenade (RPG)-type weapons at ranges out to 2000 meters. In this announcement, information is being sought regarding medium caliber ammunition for automatic cannons in the 25 to 50mm caliber range. A separate and complimentary market research CBD announcement requests information on 30 to 50mm automatic cannons and feed systems. Information obtained, as part of these two market surveys, will be used in a Trade Study being conducted by PM TMAS to assess the feasibility of upgrading the armament of the BFV. This Trade Study will be concluded by June 2001 and will provide an armament system recommendation to Army leadership. Potential upgrades to the Bradley armament system may be accomplished as part of a vehicle recapitalization effort. Production cut-in of such upgrades may begin in FY 2007 and extend through FY 2014. Approximately 1194 systems may be upgraded. The M2A3 Bradley turret and fire control is considered the baseline for integration purposes. Gun and feed systems that can be integrated into the baseline turret with little or no changes are preferable over those systems that require more extensive changes or a new turret. Proposed cannons shall have a dual feed capability and be capable of firing in single shot and burst fire modes. Information is sought regarding ammunition that could either improve the performance of the existing 25mm M242 Bushmaster gun system (such as airbursting ammunition) or that could provide additional performance through the possible upgrading of the Bradley gun system to a larger caliber in the 30 to 50mm range. Ammunition proposed for these applications shall be Non-Developmental Items (NDI). Ammunition types of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot with Tracer (APFSDS-T), High Explosive Incendiary with Tracer (HEI-T), Target Practice with Tracer (TP-T), Armor Piercing Target Practice with Tracer (APTP-T), Airbursting with Tracer (AB-T) and Multi-Purpose with Tracer (MP-T). Companies providing information are requested to provide any available marketing, test, pictorial, analytic, safety and/or qualification data that provides an analysis and/or verification of the performance and ballistic characteristics of the ammunition. Information provided shall contain but not be limited to the following: caliber, type of round, cartridge size, cartridge mass, projectile mass, penetrator mass (if applicable), propellant mass, propellant type, obturator type, sabot type (if applicable), round-to-round dispersion (1 sigma x and y, Mann barrel), round-to -round dispersion (1 sigma x and y, automatic cannon, single shot and burst), muzzle velocity, drag and round-to-round drag variability, firing table data as a function of range (to include superelevation, drift, time of flight, angle of fall, remaining velocity, change in range for unit change in elevation, and unit effects of changes in height, drift and time for unit changes in velocity, air temperature, air density, range wind and cross wind), special barrel requirements, shelf life, recommended ammunition container, recommended link (if applicable), fuze type (for HEI-T and AB-T rounds), fragmentation data (for HEI-T and AB-T rounds), armor penetration data (for APFSDS-T rounds), KE effects on targets of interest, HE effects on targets of interest, and overall performance of ammunition such as results of simulations and/or war gaming. For AB-T rounds, the following additional data is requested: fuze type (time, turns count, etc.), fuze modes, fuze power source, fuze accuracy, fuze setting interface with gun and fire control system, gun modifications required, feed system modifications required, airburst location accuracy (1 sigma z), airburst lethality data against targets of interest, probability of incapacitation data and fractional casualty data. In addition, the Unit Production Costs (UPC) for the proposed rounds are requested. The production quantities to be considered are as follows: TP-T production quantities are estimated at 74,500 rounds per year starting in FY 2007 and increasing to 596,000 rounds per year by FY2014. APFSDS-T production quantities are estimated to be 62,580 rounds per year starting in FY 2007. AB-T production quantities are estimated to be 101,320 rounds per year starting in FY 2007. The cost of fuze setting equipment and gun/feed system modifications shall also be included by those companies proposing AB-T ammunition. Costs shall be quoted in current US$. Companies submitting information and technical data shall be willing to enter into Non-Disclosure Agreements with the government and UDLP, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle system integrator. Companies providing information on more than one caliber or family of ammunition shall identify the advantages of each caliber or family. The submission of additional information such as Computer Aided Design (CAD) envelope/interface files (Pro-E files preferred), models, hardware displays, and firing demonstrations at no cost to the government is also encouraged. Interested sources shall submit the above information to: Office of the Project Manager Tank and Medium Caliber Armament Systems, ATTN: SFAE-GCSS-TMA-BM, Ms. Kimberly Ritacco, Bldg. 354, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000. Telephone number 973-724-5063. All information is to be furnished at no cost or obligation to the Government. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. The closing date for this request for information is 26 January 2001.

Web Link

US ARMY TACOM-ARDEC Procurement Network (http://procnet.pica.army.mil/cbd/SRCSgt/121920007/121920007.htm)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001221/13SOL011.HTM (D-354 SN5092K7)