The Marine Corps awarded Norway’s Kongsberg a contract worth up to $94 million to deliver the remote weapon systems (RWS) for the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) program as part of a counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) program.
The company said this indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling of $94 million and covers a series of Low-Rate Initial production (LRIP) systems and full-rate production units for the RS6 RWS for MADIS. The contract was awarded on Sept.20.
The MADIS program seeks to field a counter-drone system integrated on the Marine Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).
Kongsberg said the RS6 leverages both commonality from multiple C-UAS and air defense programs as well as commonality with the Protector RWS delivered and fielded with the Army and Marine Corps. The Protector systems are those set to be integrated on the JLTV.
A spokesperson for Kongsberg told Defense Daily this is a frame contract that will support acquisition of about 200 total RWSs, with options for additional units. It covers direct funding for long-lead items and low rate initial production (LRIP) units. LRIP orders are due to start in FY ‘22 and last through September 2026.
The company noted this production contract comes a year after the Marine Corps selected Kongsberg’s 30mm XM914 RWS for use with the C-UAS on the JLTV (Defense Daily, Sept. 21, 2020).
The RS6 RWS for MADIS will include the XM914E1 30mmx113mm DC driven cannon with a co-axial M240 (7.62mm) machine gun, integration kit for the Stinger Air-to-Air launcher and also provision for future C-UAS systems.
“The MADIS program with KONGSBERGs RS6 30mm remote weapon system signifies a powerful lethality capability for the Marine Corps, initiating a new era in U.S. Marine Corps ground-based air defense operations,” Pål E Bratlie, Executive Vice President, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, said in a statement
This announcement comes after the company said it signed a research agreement with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division to demonstrate the Kongsberg Remote Weapon Stations with the Navy’s in-development Automated Remote Engagement System (ARES). ARES aims to increase the efficiency of remote weapon systems and turrets (Defense Daily, Sept. 24).