By Ann Roosevelt
The Defense Department Inspector General recommends continued live fire tests on Humvee recapitalization configurations and that DoD Director of Operational Test and Evaluation have oversight of those tests, according to a recent report.
The Army response to the report disagreed with the IG recommendations.
The redacted Jan. 29 report, (D-2010-039): Recapitalization and Acquisition of Light Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, examined Army acquisition actions on the Risk Reduction Vehicle (XM1166) and the Next Generation Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV2) and the plan for recapitalizing the Humvee fleet. The vehicles are built by AM General.
The IG report found that Humvee recapitalization “may” significantly improve the survival of crews from IED and similar attacks, of great concern in Iraq and Afghanistan, by using the XM1166 “semimonocoque cab” of “similar configuration” for reapitalizing vehicles.
The program manager “stopped the testing on the XM1166 and did not assess the feasibility of recapitalizing other Humvee models to the XM1166 configuration,” the report said.
The IG reviewed test reports showing “indications” the design of the XM1166 offered advantages over the M1151 model. For example, the report said the welded joints of the XM1166 crew compartment, unlike the riveted M1151, helps prevent the vehicle from collapsing. Additionally, the XM1166 has thicker, welded underbody panel, increasing protection from (redacted) compared to the M1151; and the XM1166 has thicker transparent door armor than the M115. As well, the XM1166 weighs 528 pounds less than the M1151 with a fragmentation kit installed.
The report found the project manager’s actions “show an internal control weakness in oversight by the Program Executive Office (PEO) for Combat Support and Combat Service Support.”
Thus, the IG recommended the Army direct the PEO to continue live fire tests on the XM1166 and any other Humvee recapitalization configurations under consideration enabling comparison with the M1151 model. The office should assess the feasibility of recapitalizing current force Humvees to the XM1166 or similar configuration and, “if feasible,” recapitalize current Humvees to the XM1166 or similar configuration to better protect against (word blacked out in the report).
“By not pursuing the potential advantages of the XM1166 design, the Project Manager is missing an opportunity to potentially enhance capabilities of the Humvee family of vehicles,” the report said.
The inspectors found that the project manager planned to spend an estimated $3.84 billion for 11,500 ECV2’s without setting the program up as a new start acquisition program and without a full and open competition and without finding out how the ECV2s capabilities compared with current and planned light tactical vehicles.
Also, the Army’s top acquisition official was not informed of the acquisition.
Thus the project manager “risked procuring a vehicle that duplicated existing capabilities and had vulnerabilities that other vehicles are being procured to mitigate.”
During the audit, the project manager stopped the ECV2 program because the Army decided not to invest in it. This meant the $3.84 billion in Other Procurement was put to “better use” for fiscal year 2010 through FY 2013.
In November, the Pentagon’s chief procurement official designated the Humvee program an Acquisition Category 1C major defense acquisition program and requires the Army acquisition official to notify him if the service plans to buy a new model or variant of the Humvee.
The office also recommends Army acquisition coordinate with the Training and Doctrine Command to analyze the capabilities of current and future light tactical wheeled vehicles as part of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System process to determine the need for ECV2.
Additionally, any future ECV2 program should be designated a “new start” and “if appropriate,” a major defense acquisition program and, “if justified,” use a full and open competition for procurement.