As part of its commitment to playing a lead role in the future U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, the Army is shopping for a new utility landing craft.
The service on Nov. 2 issued a request for proposals for a landing craft that can spirit troops, trucks and tracked vehicles like an Abrams tank from ship to shore.
Army Contracting Command plans to award a 10-year fixed price indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for development, test, production, training, fielding and lifecycle support for the Maneuver Support Vehicle (MSV). The program will include a four-year engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase, two years of low-rate initial production (LRIP) and four years of full-rate production, according to the notice posted on the government’s contracting website.
“The MSV(L) will provide a waterborne corridor for movement and maneuver, which will allow for expeditionary delivery of combat configured equipment, troops and logistics,” the RFP reads. “The MSV(L) represents a key capability in mitigating anti-access/area denial environments. Operating in and along coastal waters, narrow inland waterways and rivers, MSV(L) enables access through multiple points of entry and is not reliant on infrastructure afloat or ashore.”
A single contractor will be chosen for the entire development and production of the vessels, but the RFP states that the program could be canceled with no further orders at the Army’s behest after the EMD phase. The contract is worth a maximum $998.6 million
Proposals requesting more than $88.8 million for the EMD Phase will be determined unaffordable and will not be considered for award, the RFP reads.
The Army is after a vessel that outperforms the legacy LCM-8 “Mike Boats” that were introduced in 1959. Mike Boats are 75 feet long, powered by twin diesel engines and can carry up to 60 tons of cargo, vehicles and/or troops. They have a range of 190 miles and can travel 9 knots through the water with a full load.
“MSV(L) represents a modernization of current Army Watercraft capabilities as provided by the aging LCM-8 that adds new capabilities intended to meet the Army’s future tactical and operational movement and maneuver requirements.”
Army requirements for the MSV(L) describe a vehicle about 100 feet long and a top speed of 18 knots with a range double the legacy Mike Boat. It should be able to carry an M1 Abrams tank, two Stryker wheeled vehicles or up to four Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV).
MSV(L) is an off-limits topic at an industry day the Army announced will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 inviting interested manufacturers to meet with Army “watercraft leadership” for 30-minute one-on-one sessions.
“The goal of this forum is to enhance collaboration between Industry and … AWS and provide insight to future Army watercraft opportunities and technologies being considered and planned for Army acquisition,” the Army said in the announcement. “This session is not a ‘how-to’ procurement event.”
The announcement specifically states that it with “NOT be discussing” either the landing craft utility 2000 service life extension program or the MSV(L) request for proposals. What is open for discussion is the future Modular Causeway System SLEP, the acquisition of two additional Modular Warping Tugs as well as upcoming research, development, test and engineering (RDT&E) projects. Other topics mentioned in the announcement are shipboard cyber defense, commercial computing technologies and integrated control systems, condition-based maintenance and environmental impacts of discharge at sea and operations with JP8 jet fuel.