The third time is not the charm for US Army’s effort to replace the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The service is cancelling its Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) prototyping competition in order to revisit the requirements and acquisition timeline.
Several service leaders including Bruce Jette, the service’s assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics, and technology (ASA[ALT]), and Army Futures Command (AFC) head General Mike Murray spoke with reporters on 16 January about plans to halt the OMFV prototyping competition while they re-evaluate the path ahead.
“Based on feedback and proposals received from industry, we have determined it is necessary to revisit the requirements, acquisition strategy, and schedule before moving forward,” Jette said.
He noted that the army asked for “a great deal of capability on a very aggressive schedule” and engaged industry throughout the process.
A M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle from 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment manoeuvres during a company combined arms live-fire exercise at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in February 2017. The US Army has now cancelled its Bradley replacement plans under an OMFV prototyping effort. (US Army)
“It is clear a combination of requirements and schedule overwhelmed industry’s ability to respond within the army’s timeline,” Jette noted.
The army did not outline a new timetable, but Jette described this cancellation as a “tactical pause”.
“We want to get the technology right and we want to get the [right] capability into the soldiers’ hands,” Jette furthered.
The army’s decision comes after months of insisting it had the right requirements and timeline this time around. However, its approach left a General Dynamics Land Systems’ (GDLS’s) bid sample as the only remaining option on the table.
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