Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) II Enhanced Vehicle Program

On 31 July 2007, the US Marine Corps issued a request for proposal for the MRAP II Enhanced Vehicle Competition. The MRAP II was intended to better address the threat of Explosively-Formed Penetrators (EFPs), a type of stand-off improvised explosive device that employs a shaped charge against the sides of vehicles.

Marine Corps Systems Command intended to issue a competitive solicitation for the purpose of selecting additional qualified producers of Mine Resistant and Ambush Protection (MRAP) vehicles for the Marine Corps and other Joint Forces. The actual end quantity would be subject to change based on ongoing discussions regarding quantities required by various Joint Forces Organizations, however total estimated vehicle requirements were in excess of 20,000 vehicles. It was anticipated that the solicitation (M67854-07-R-5082) would be available late July 2007. The solicitation for the MRAP II would be based on an enhanced performance specification and statement of work.

The mission for the MRAP II remained largely the same as the prior MRAP vehicles. MRAP vehicles were required in the Request for Proposals (RFP) in July 2007 to increase the survivability of Warfighters operating in hazardous fire areas. MRAP Category I vehicles would support combat operations in urban environments. Missions in Category I included mounted patrols, convoy protection, reconnaissance, communications, and command and control. Category II vehicles would support multi-mission operations to include convoy security, troop transport, ambulance/ambulatory transport, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) support, mounted patrols and combat engineering. An additional stipulation was that in order to perform these multiple missions, it was required that all MRAP II vehicles be reconfigurable to meet all mission requirements for their particular type.

In October 2007 the deadline for submissions passed with five companies or groups of companies submitting vehicles for testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. These included Force Dynamics, GDLS Canada, Navistar subsidiary IMG, a joint venture between Oshkosh, Ideal Innovations (I-3), and Ceradyne, and Protected Vehicles, Inc.

In December 2007, MRAP program officials announced that only 2 companies, BAE Systems and a team led by Ideal Innovations, a consultant based in Alexandria, Virginia, were selected to provide 6 test vehicles each to be evaluated by DoD.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P. Ground Systems, Santa Clara, California, was awarded a $5,800,000 firm fixed priced delivery order #0001 under previously awarded contract (M67854-08-D-5001) for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) II test vehicles. The MRAP II contracts were a developmental effort to purchase test vehicles and armor coupons for enhanced MRAP survivability and mobility tests. The MRAP II contracts would also contain ordering options for production quantities. The Government would procure MRAP II test vehicles and armor coupons to be delivered to Aberdeen Test Center via this Delivery Order. Work would be performed in Sealy, Texas, York, Pennsylvania, and Fairfield, Ohio, and work was expected to be completed July 2008. Contract funds would not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured and the Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia was the contracting activity.

Ideal Innovations, Inc, Arlington, Virginia., was awarded $18,100,000 for firm-fixed-priced, delivery order #0001 under previously awarded contract (M67854-08-D-5000) for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) II test vehicles. The MRAP II contracts were a developmental effort to purchase test vehicles and armor coupons for enhanced MRAP survivability and mobility tests. The MRAP II contracts would also contain ordering options for production quantities. The Government would procure MRAP II test vehicles and armor coupons to be delivered to Aberdeen Test Center via this Delivery Order. Work would be performed in Wixom, Michigan, Costa Mesa, California and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and work was expected to be completed July 2008. Contract funds would not expire by the end of the fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured and the Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia was the contracting activity.

In June 2008, MRAP program officials were said to be unsure whether MRAP II testing would be completed in time so that MRAP IIs could be included in the July 2008 MRAP order. Despite the possibility of not being included in the 1,600-vehicle order for the Army, MRAP program officials stated that the MRAP II program would continue as planned. This followed major changes in the number of MRAPs to be purchased by various services beginning in September 2007 and continuing through March 2008.

While senior defense officials had stated in October 2007, that the MRAP II program was intended to be separate from the base MRAP program, both programs were managed by the MRAP Joint Program Office. An MRAP Expedient Armor Program (MEAP) had also been initiated to look into retrofitting EFP protection on existing MRAPs. At least one contractor, Ares System Group, offered the same armor kit for both the MEAP and MRAP II program. In July 2007, Department of Defense Sources were cited as saying that no MRAP II were to be bought. By the end of 2008, MRAP and MRAP II ceased to be separated in the press, and EFP protected variants, the product of the MEAP, were included, along with the M-ATV program, in the overall list of products managed by the MRAP JPO.