Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program
Program History 2008
As of 2008 the MRAP program was referred to as the DoD's highest-priority acquisition program. To meet an urgent, joint service operational need, DOD was buying MRAP as nondevelopmental items. A March 2008 report by the Government Accountability Office suggested tha the greatest challenge for vendors would be obtaining sufficient quantities of ballistic-grade steel. Another significant challenge would be producing enough tires to equip the fleet and provide for replacements. Finally, integration of government-furnished equipment was taking three times longer than desired at the time of the report's publication. DOD was pursuing a very aggressive schedule while at the same time grappling with a significant number of unknowns that could delay fielding or increase costs. The program was trying to concurrently produce the baseline MRAP, develop and produce various upgrades, and develop an MRAP II vehicle.
A DoD assessment found there was sufficient steel available to produce the 11,891 contracted vehicles. However, the total number of vehicles procured was projected to increase and subseqeuntly the amount of armor per vehicle would grow to meet the threat, there were concerns that there might not be enough steel. Similarly, tire production was expected to reach 9,500 per month by February 2008, but 20,000 per month could be needed to support production and replacement in the field. Replacement rates were not known.
The GAO reported that DoD had taken steps to ensure availability of key materials. For example, DoD gave MRAP contracts a higher priority (DX rating) that required these contracts to be accepted and performed before all other non-priority government and commercial contracts. DoD also allocated funds to procure an advance reserve of steel and to increase tire production capacity. In addition, some of the vendors and suppliers made corporate investments to maximize capacity.
As of March 2008 all vehicles had come from the vendor without mission equipment, something that was not expected to change, and which required that the equipment be integrated onto vehicles before fielding. The equipment was 20 percent of the total program cost and included items such as a tracking system that identified friendly forces and a system to jam improvised explosive devices. A large challenge was integrating the entire suite of mission equipment onto the vehicles in a timely manner. The GAO reported that as of 2008 the installation took an average of 21 days, but the goal was to reduce that to 7 days. The plan was to process 50 vehicles per day for a total of 1,000 vehicles per month.
The GAO also reported that in order to rapidly field the vehicles, DoD substantially reduced the normal scope of test and evaluation. For example, there was no minimum requirement for vehicle reliability, and durability testing covered only 300 hard surface miles and 200 off-road miles in the first test phase. By the time the first phase of developmental testing had been completed, over 3,700 vehicles were already on order, a commitment of nearly $2 billion. The procurement plan as of March 2008 placed 11,891 vehicles on contract before operational effectiveness and operational suitability were determined. As a result, test results could lead to costly retrofits or replacements.
As of early June 2008, the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and USSOCOM had received their required MRAPs and the DoD was said to be preparing to issue what could be its final order of MRAP vehicles in July 2008. This order of 1,600 MRAPs would bring the Army up to their requirement of 12,000 vehicles within the requirement range established by the JROC. Officials had stated that if additional MRAPs were required by the Army or theater commanders, more could be ordered. The MRAP II program, initiated in July 2007 by the USMC was also ongoing.
In July 2008, Pentagon sources were cited as saying that no MRAP II vehicles would be bought, but instead more baseline MRAPs would be procured. The developments from both the MRAP II program and MEAP would be incorporated into new production vehicles and existing vehicles.
On 27 August 2008, representatives US Marine Corps reiterated at a Pentagon briefing that they would be looking to purchase hundreds, not thousands of MRAPs, despite initial interest, and that these vehicles would be used in specialized roles. The MRAP's bulk, described as too heavy for its suspension and axle systems, and its top-heavy design made it less-than-optimal for many Marine Corps missions. Those problems were exacerbated in Afghanistan, where sloped roads, mountain trails and switchbacks made driving the vehicles particularly challenging. The Marines had deployed more MRAPs to Iraq than Afghanistan, but had still experienced more rollovers in Afghanistan. This determination did not prevent the Marine Corps from placing a $43.5 million order 40 RG33 type vehicles from BAE systems in August 2008, including 36 Special Operations Command variants, 2 RG33 MRAP Category II 6x6s, and 2 Category II Heavy Armored Ground Ambulances.
On 2 September 2008, the Marine Corps Systems Command awarded Navistar Defense LLC of Warrenville, Illinois, a $752,042,549 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0009 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for the procurement of Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected low rate initial production vehicles with engineering change proposal upgrades for enhanced maneuverability and associated non-recurring engineering costs. This order would also be used to support the procurement of additional CAT I MRAP vehicles to provide protection of US military personnel supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Work would be performed in WestPoint, Mississippi, and work was expected to be completed by February 2009.
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LLP, Sealy, Texas, was awarded a $27,871,299 firm-fixed-priced modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-07-D-5030) delivery order #0003 on 5 September 2008 by the Marine Corps Systems Command. This was for the purchase of Engineering Change Proposals, Overarching Parts Allocation Board Parts List, and MRAP University and New Equipment Training development for the 668 vehicles included in the order. Work would be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Yuma Test Center, and the final deliveries associated with this delivery order were expected to be completed by 31 March 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. BAE Systems Land and Armaments or Anniston, Alabama, was also awarded on 24 September 2008, a $45,280,484 firm/fixed/price contract by US Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command for various Mine Resistant ambush Protected (MRAP) sustainment spare parts. Work would be performed in Clinton Township, Oregon, Clackamas, Michigan, Anniston, Alabama, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of 30 April 2009. Earlier in September 2008, General Dynamics had subcontracted to Force Protection, Inc. to provide supplies and support for a previous contract award for the US Marine Corps. The contracts awarded to Force Protection from General Dynamcis totaled $47 million. Also in September 2008, BAE Systems Survivability Systems, LLC, Fairfield, Ohio was awarded by the Defense Supply Center, a maximum $9,849,246 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity, sole-source, un-definitized bilateral contract modification for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Replacement spare parts.
On 12 September 2009, the Department of Defense announced that the Marine Corps Systems Command had awarded Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, South Carolina, an $8,371,951 firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0006 under contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle armor coupons and outside the continental United States field service representatives. Work would be performed in Ladson, South Carolina, and in the Operation Iraqi Freedom / Operation Enduring Freedom areas of responsibility. Work was expected to be completed by 31 December 2009. On 19 September 2008, a similar announcement was made that Marine Corps System Command had again awared Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, South Carolina, a $6,824,720 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0006 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle outside the continental United States Field Service Representative Site Lead, OCONUS Welders and definitizing the cost for Battle Damage Assessment Repair Kits and Deprocessing Kits. Work would be performed in Ladson, South Carolina, and in OIF/OEF AORs. Work was expected to be completed by 31 December 2009.
As of October 2008, according to MRAP program officials, the time to return a vehicle to fully mission capable once repairs began was 8.57 hours for Iraq and 7.42 hours for Afghanistan. This was much better than the required time of 15 days or less.
In November 2008, the Marine Corps Systems Command awarded Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Illinois, $24,843,500 for 2 firm-fixed-priced delivery order modifications under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for the procurement of gunner restraints and for funding costs associated with accelerated Mine Resistant and Ambush Protected Category I production. Work would be performed in WestPoint, Mississippi, and work was expected to be completed by the end of June 2009.
Also, in November 2008, Marine Corps System Command awarded EG&G Technical Services, a $9,550,908 task order to provide professional technical support to the ground transportation and engineer systems, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Joint Program Office. The contractor was to provide expert support directly to the Joint Program Manager and Deputy PMs; Assistant PMs for vehicles including Cougar; RG-33; MAXXPro; RG-31; Caiman; Buffalo and MRAP II; and the following functional managers: integration and government furnished equipment, international programs, acquisition, contracts, production/quality, logistics, engineering (including spiral development) and test and evaluation. The work would be performed in Stafford, Virginia. Work was expected to be completed in November 2009.
On 20 November 2008, BAE Systems announced that it had completed more than 5,000 MRAPs for the US Army and US Marine Corps. These included vehicles from the companies RG33 and Caiman product lines.
As of December 2008, the readiness rate for Iraq was 93 percent, the rate for Afghanistan was 87 percent, and the overall MRAP fleet readiness was 92 percent. Program officials attributed this disparity to the austere environment, rough terrain, and repair parts distribution challenges in Afghanistan. An Inspector General report was also released in late 2008 that suggested that MRAP technology was available to the US miltiary prior to the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In response to questions about why the Department of Defense had not begun to serious investigate the vehicles before then or at that time, the Department of Defense noted that at the time the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and similar threats was not known and that there was also an initial concern that it would be possible to manufacture the vehicles in the quantities needed. This mirrored similar responses about the reason why up-armored HMMWVs had not already been in service.
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