Precision Grenadier System, U.S Army xTech Program Einstellungen

[SLAP]

Title: Sources Sought - Precision Grenadier System (PGS)

Response Date: 3 December 2020

Description: The U.S. Army, Army Contracting Command - New Jersey at Picatinny Arsenal is conducting a Request for Information (RFI) on behalf of Product Manager Individual Weapons to identify potential sources for a Precision Grenadier System (PGS) or any technologies towards this objective. This includes vendors with full or partial solutions to the desired attributes.

The PGS is envisioned to be a man portable integrated weapon system that enables precision engagements to destroy personnel targets in defilade and in the open with increased lethality and precision compared to the legacy M203/M320 grenade launchers. The PGS provides overmatch to comparable threat grenade launchers in near peer formations in future operating environments (jungle, urban, woodland, subterranean, desert, day/night). The PGS is envisioned to consist of a weapon, a fire control, and a suite of ammunition which enables the user to engage targets in defilade/cover, hovering UAS targets, conduct door breaching, engage close combat targets, and light armored targets.

This RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a Request for Proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any services or hardware. Your response to this RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or Government use of such information. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. The information provided may be used by the Army in developing its Acquisition Strategy, Performance Work Statement and Performance Specification. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to same. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to pursue any course of action described herein. The U.S. Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey.

The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement if a requirement materializes. Based on the responses to this market survey / sources sought notice, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. Multiple awards may be made. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions.


The following attributes of the PGS are desired (in order of importance), however the USG is interested in receiving information on systems or enabling technologies that can partially meet these desired requirements, or show path towards developing full system needs:
1. System Survivability: The PGS and its ammunition capable of functioning in cold, ambient, and hot conditions at all humidity conditions and be survivable and operational after exposure to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRNE) exposure to include effects of electromagnetic pulse and cyber-attacks. System capable of operating in an electromagnetic environment and meet electromagnetic environmental effects (E3) outlined in Military Standards 461G and 464C. PGS capable of mitigating and recovering from adverse effects while operating in the presence of (E3), excluding electromagnetic pulse.

2. System Effectiveness: Ability to achieve a high probability of incapacitation given a shot within 30 seconds (from the minimum engagement distance to 500 meters) against unprotected personnel targets in defilade/cover or stationary exposed target. Capable of providing incapacitating effects to a range of 1000m.

3. Engagement Times: Time to engage target ≤ 5 seconds from decision to engage to trigger pull for a target out to 500 meters. After trigger pull, time of flight to target no greater than 3 seconds to 500 meters.

4. Length: Maximum overall system length not to exceed 34 inches [863,6 mm].

5. System Weight: System weight not to exceed 14.5lbs [6,58 kg].

6. Target Acquisition: Ability to acquire targets with a high Probability of Recognition Given a Detection out to a range of 500 meters in clear air during day and nighttime conditions and a high Probability of Recognition Given a Detection out to a range of at least 300 meters in obscurants.

7. Powerless/Degraded Operation: The system provides the ability to continue the fight and engage targets even when the fire control has no power or becomes damaged and inoperable.

8. Family of Ammunition:
a. Counter Defilade Round: Round to precisely and quickly defeat personnel targets in defilade positions.
b. Training Round: Non-pyrotechnic round ballistically similar to the counter defilade round to train the PGS capability.
c. Armor-Piercing Round: Round capable of a hitting a lightly armored vehicle out to a minimum engagement distance to 500 meters day or night with an armor penetration of between 1.0 to 2.0 inches at 90 degrees rolled homogenous armor.
d. Airburst Less¬¬-than-Lethal Munition: An airburst less-than-lethal munition capable of delivering effects out to 100 meters covering a five-meter radius.
e. Close Quarters Battle Round: Round capable of delivering lethal effects to exposed, personnel targets to 75 meters.
f. Counter Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Round: Round capable of defeating small UAS systems out to 300 meters.
g. Breaching Munition: Munition capable of breaching solid wood doors 1.5 inches thick, windows, and gates, at 50 meters.

9. Variable Magnification: System capable of having magnifications to enable accurate engagements within the range of the systems capability.

10. Ranging/Far Target Location: Capable of accurate range determination to an E type target with 10% reflectivity out to 800 meters and vehicle or troops in the open (squad sized targets) out to 1,000 meters in less than one second.

11. Digital Overlay: System capable of providing alpha-numeric display and a dynamic reticle within the fire control field of view out to a range of 1000 meters. System is capable of calculating a dynamic reticle for refined targeting and will update based on variable required to accurately engage targets including (but is not limited to) range to target, atmospheric conditions, weapon orientation, and ballistics of the weapon/ammunition selected. The computation time for the dynamic reticle to be displayed is no more than 1 second.

12. Firing Mode: The system capable of semi-automatic firing.

13. Light Transmission/Spectrum: System capable of acquiring and engaging targets within the range of the systems capability in day, night, and thermal spectrum.

14. Resolution: System provides sufficient angular resolution to distinguish between hostile and non-hostile targets during daytime, clear air conditions from 0-600 meters and accurately determine threat characteristics (e.g. a threat light armored vehicle or armed squad size element in the open) during daytime, clear air conditions out to 1,000 meters.

15. Ambidextrous: System capable of ambidextrous configuration without degradation of performance or safety.

16. Barrel Life: Barrel life meets or exceed 5000 rounds.

17. Environmental: System ruggedized to withstand standard Army environmental conditions outlined in MIL-STD-810H (C1).

Submission Information: The RFI submission should be in the format (Information Paper, Literatures, Video demonstrations, Presentation slides or combination thereof) chosen by the offeror to provide as much information and details as possible to convey the potential solutions to address the attributes described above.

[...]

Zur o. g. Ausschreibung ist die erste Phase abgeschlossen.



Der Beitrag wurde von SLAP bearbeitet: 30. Aug 2023, 13:31

[SLAP]

xTechSoldier Lethality

The U.S Army xTech Program selected 5 small businesses to receive a cash prize of $15,000 and an invitation to advance to Part 2: Technology Pitches where the teams will showcase their innovative concepts for a Precision Grenadier System (PGS):

American Rheinmetall Munitions, “Squad Support Weapon Achieving Precision Grenadier System Objectives�
FN America, LLC, “PGS-001�
Knight Technical Solutions, LLC, “Multipurpose Intelligent Grenade System ‘MIGS’�
MARS, Inc., “MARS, Inc. 30mm Support Rifle System (SRS)�
Plumb Precision Products, LLC, “P3 M110 Precision Grenade Launcher�

The U.S. Army would like to invite interested entities to participate in the xTechSoldier Lethality competition to showcase their innovative concepts for a Precision Grenadier System (PGS). This is an opportunity for eligible U.S. based small and large businesses to engage and pitch their novel technology solutions directly to the Department of Defense, earn prize money and potentially receive a contract award or agreement of up to $2 million.

The U.S. Army Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier has partnered with the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) (ASA(ALT)), to deliver the xTechSoldier Lethality competition. The Army recognizes that we must enhance engagements with industry by: (1) understanding the spectrum of ‘world-class’ technologies being developed commercially that may benefit DoD in the soldier lethality space; (2) integrating the sector of non-traditional innovators into the DoD Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; and (3) providing expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to DoD in support of the Soldier.

The xTechSoldier Lethality competition will consist of three-rounds:

Call for concept white papers;
Technology Pitch; and
Final Proof-of-Concept Demonstration

The competition will award up to $975,000 in cash prizes to selected entities throughout the competition. Up to five winners will be selected from the concept white paper round, awarded $15,000 each and invited to participate in the technology pitch round. Up to three companies will be selected from the virtual technology pitch round and receive an additional $300,000 each in cash prizes and the opportunity to come back in 6 to 18 months to conduct a final proof-of-concept demonstration. One final winner may be selected and awarded up to $2M in a follow-on contract or agreement. Details regarding prize structure and phases are listed further in this announcement. In addition to non-dilutive cash prizes, participants will have an opportunity to engage with experts within PEO Soldier and across the DoD during each phase of the competition.

The efforts described in this notice are being pursued under the authorities of 10 U.S.C. § 4025 (formerly 2374a, Prizes for Advanced Technology Achievements) to award cash prizes as described in this announcement and potential follow-on contracts or agreements (10 U.S. Code §4023) to only those eligible and selected entities as described in this announcement. While the authority of this program is 10 U.S.C. § 4025, the xTechSoldier Lethality competition may generate interest by another U.S. Army, DoD or USG organization for a funding opportunity outside of this event. Interested organizations may contact the participant to provide additional information which may or may not result in partnership opportunities.

Competition finalists may be invited to submit a proposal for further development of their proposed technology innovation based on Army needs. The Army may use a contract mechanism of their choice and will notify participants accordingly. The efforts described in this Notice are being pursued under the authorities of 10 U.S.C. § 4025.

All xTechSoldier Lethality competition submissions are treated as privileged information and contents are disclosed to Government employees or designated support contractors strictly for the purpose of evaluation and program support.

Feedback and results from the judge panel will be provided to participants throughout each phase of the competition. The purpose of providing this feedback is to help accelerate transition of the technology to an Army end-user by providing insight on best applications for the technology, suggestions for product improvement for Army use and recommended next steps for development. However, the Government will not respond to inquiries regarding this feedback.

Der Beitrag wurde von SLAP bearbeitet: 30. Aug 2023, 13:33

[SLAP]

Bisher sind nur von zwei Bewerbern die vorgestellten Waffen bekannt:

American Rheinmetall Munitions, “Squad Support Weapon Achieving Precision Grenadier System Objectives�


Wurde hier bereits ausführlich thematisiert als Rheinmetall SSW40 bzw. Hydra (WHQ)


Plumb Precision Products, LLC, “P3 M110 Precision Grenade Launcher�


12 gauge vermutlich auf AR-15-Basis.

Bilder von Soldier Systems.

Der Beitrag wurde von SLAP bearbeitet: 30. Aug 2023, 13:40

[Forodir]

Die Hydra hat jetzt schon ordentlich was an Facelift abbekommen, auch wenn ich mich frage, ob die ganzen Sicken, Kanten, Rundungen wirklich notwendig sind. Allerdings der Griff geht ja gar nicht, warum macht man so etwas?

[SLAP]

Knight Technical Solutions, LLC hat zu seinem “Multipurpose Intelligent Grenade System ‘MIGS’ vor 4 Tagen auf ihrem Youtube-Kanal folgendes Video veröffentlicht. Es wirkt etwas ähm ja, seht selbst: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_00wrnLbJ-4. Dem US-Steuerzahler war das wohl 15.000 USD wert.






Der Beitrag wurde von SLAP bearbeitet: 1. Sep 2023, 22:18

[goschi]

wo genau ist in dieser "Granate" die Wirkladung?
Das Video ist

[Ta152]

Haben die 15000 Dollar für das Video bekommen oder für die "Entwicklung"? Wobei der unterschied zugegebenmaßen gering sein sollte.

//edit: Hätte oben anfangen sollen zu lesen, damit sind die unter die besten 5 Bewerber gekommen und bekommen 15000

Der Beitrag wurde von Ta152 bearbeitet: 2. Sep 2023, 08:47

[Panzerchris]

Mit diesem Granatwerfer unter dem Gewehr stelle ich mir die Waffe sehr kopflastig vor.

[maschinenmensch]

Bisher sind nur von zwei Bewerbern die vorgestellten Waffen bekannt:

American Rheinmetall Munitions, “Squad Support Weapon Achieving Precision Grenadier System Objectives�

Frag mich immer noch wie man mit dem Ding aus einem anderen Anschlag als im stehen oder vielleicht noch knien schießen soll. Vielleicht wäre ein Trommelmagazin die Lösung.

[Racer]

Granatwerfer werden eh meist im Bogenschuss verfeuert. Das wird eh schwierig im Liegen. Meist sieht man kniend oder stehend Anschlag.

[SLAP]

Die zweite Phase ist abgeschlossen!

https://www.xtech.army.mil/competition/xtec...dier-lethality/

Die Finalisten sind:

FN America, LLC PGS-001
und
MARS, Inc. 30mm Support Rifle System (SRS)

Weder über das eine, noch das andere System konnte ich Informationen finden.



Der Beitrag wurde von SLAP bearbeitet: 20. Sep 2023, 21:14

[SLAP]

3D-Druck Mockup des FN PGS-001 auf der AUSA 23 [Soldier Systems]

Angeblich 30mm.





Der Beitrag wurde von SLAP bearbeitet: 11. Oct 2023, 13:32

[Glorfindel]

Ich wundere mich immer wieder wie die Amis massiv Energie in solche nicht überässig wichtige Projekte investieren. Man hätte ha z.B. OICW zu Ende entwickelt - aber nie beschafft, man hatte das Barrett XM109 - und nicht beschafft, man hat den Milkor M32 MGL, aber nein, man stellt ein neues Programm auf.

[goschi]

der Milkor überzeugt wohl nur so mittel, weil er einfach ein riesiges Trumm ist und das nachladen lange dauert.
Schlussendlich kosten solche Programme ja in Relation nicht viel Geld, können aber wertvolle neue Systeme oder zumindest Erfahrungen bringen.

[maschinenmensch]

Ich wundere mich immer wieder wie die Amis massiv Energie in solche nicht überässig wichtige Projekte investieren. Man hätte ha z.B. OICW zu Ende entwickelt - aber nie beschafft, man hatte das Barrett XM109 - und nicht beschafft, man hat den Milkor M32 MGL, aber nein, man stellt ein neues Programm auf.

Man hat wohl nicht wirklich befriedigende Ergebnisse erzielt. Im Kampf dürften die Dinger sehr wertvoll sein, besonders wenn sie noch ne Airburst Funktion haben. In der UA sieht man 40mm LV immer wieder "optimistisch" eingesetzt grob in Richtung Feind feuern, aber wenn man gut aufgeklärt hat und die Visiereinrichtung benutzt, kann man mit den Teilen gewaltig Schaden anrichten, besonders dort wo ein Stgw. eben nicht mehr wirkt.

Ich halte das Programm für sinnvoller als das neue Stgw. der Amerikaner. Wenigstens hört man nichts darüber, dass die Soldaten der UA große Probleme mit den russischen Panzerwesten hätten.

[Glorfindel]

(...)

12 gauge vermutlich auf AR-15-Basis.

Bilder von Soldier Systems.

Interessanter wäre es hier die 17,5mm Munition zu diesem Granatwerfer zu sehen. Vermutungsweise dürften diese Granaten nur eine schwache Wirkung haben, wenn dafür eine 12 gauge-Hulse verwendet wird.

Der Beitrag wurde von Glorfindel bearbeitet: 14. Oct 2023, 17:09

[Jackace]

Ja wahrscheinlich, hatte sich damals beim OICW nicht die 20mm als zu schwachbrüstig herausgestellt? Ein 12er Schrotkaliber kann doch wohl kaum besser abschneiden, warum man da nicht wenigstens auf Gauge 10 gegangen ist kann ich nicht nachvollziehen. Allgemein würde ich die amerikanische 25X46 mit rund 140g Granatgewicht als kompakteste noch für sinnvoll halten.

Edith sagt: Wie ist die Entwicklung eigentlich mit der Petersburger Erklärung bzw. Haager Landkriegsordnung vereinbar? Danach sollten keine Granatgeschosse unter 400g speziell zur Bekämpfung von Weichzielen eingesetzt werden.

Der Beitrag wurde von Jackace bearbeitet: 15. Oct 2023, 03:36