WASHINGTON — The Army announced today the award of a $1.14 billion contract to General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, for the production and fielding of up to 96 Mobile Protected Firepower, or MPF, vehicles. The award comes just days after the Army closed out the MPF middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping phase and transitioned to a major capability acquisition program with a favorable Milestone C decision — an incremental step in the Department of Defense’s acquisition process that moves into the production and deployment phase.
MPF will provide infantry brigades greater survivability, the ability to identify threat systems earlier and at greater distances, and will not restrict movement in off-road terrain. MPF will also allow Soldiers to move at a faster pace, protecting the assaulting force.
“The MPF program did exactly what the Army asked, which was to complete a competitive and accelerated rapid prototyping effort with Soldier touchpoints,” said Mr. Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, and the Army’s acquisition executive. “MPF is a benchmark program, as the acquisition and requirement communities worked together to complete the [middle-tier acquisition rapid-prototyping] phase and move this system into production in just under four years.”
The Milestone C decision came on schedule and was underpinned by strong support and overwhelming commitment from Army leadership.
“MPF represents a new capability for the Army, allowing our light maneuver forces to overmatch adversaries. Through multiple Soldier touchpoints, our Soldiers have operated the prototypes and provided crucial feedback to the design team, ensuring our forces will have the asset they need on the future battlefield,” said Maj. Gen. Ross Coffman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross Functional Team.
According to a fact sheet published on the Defense Department website, about $350 million of the $1 billion announced comes from presidential drawdown authority. This drawdown, the twelfth of its kind so far, includes 18 155mm howitzers, 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition, 18 tactical vehicles, additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, four additional tactical vehicles and spare parts and other equipment.
The remainder of the $1 billion support comes from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI. One defense official said this is an authority the department has been using to support Ukraine since 2015, when Russia first invaded Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.
Support under USAI differs from that provided as part of PDA in that it must be purchased or contracted rather than being pulled from existing military inventory, the official said.
"It enables the department to make direct purchases of equipment as well as contract for training and maintenance and sustainment, including in support of equipment provided through presidential drawdown,” the official said. "The USAI programs, in addition to meeting Ukraine's shorter-term needs, also help ensure Ukraine's enduring strength by providing for procurement and training of Ukrainian forces on NATO standard equipment."
Of the $1 billion announced, $650 million is made up of USAI. This includes two Harpoon coastal defense systems; thousands of secure radios; thousands of night vision devices, thermal sights and other optics. It also includes funding for training, maintenance, sustainment, transportation and administrative costs.
"The provision of [the] Harpoon is not in response to any particular piece of new information," the official said. "It's a combination of continued consultation with the Ukrainians, and coastal defense still being near the top of their urgent requirements list."
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Feb. 24, the U.S. has provided approximately $5.6 billion in security assistance support.
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