US picks winner in MCWS competition
US troops inspect a 30mm Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle – Dragoon vehicle. (Photo: US Army/1st Lt Ellen Brabo)
Oshkosh Defense beat two rival bids to build the 30mm turreted weapon system for Stryker DVHA1 vehicles.
Oshkosh Defense has obtained a $942 million contract from US Army Contracting Command to produce, integrate, engineer and support the fielding of Stryker Medium Caliber Weapon System (MCWS) vehicles.
The company will also provide logistics support.
‘Bids were solicited via the internet with three received,’ the DoD noted in a 3 June announcement. Shephard reported in 2020 that GDLS was bidding with Kongsberg and Leonardo DRS was teamed with Moog.
Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of 2 June 2027.
MCWS is a new 30mm uncrewed turreted weapon (the Northrop Grumman XM813 Bushmaster chain gun) for Stryker DVHA1 vehicles.
Under the original programme schedule, vendors were to deliver MCWS bid samples by early June 2020; however, this deadline was extended to early August 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted progress on proposals for several OEMs.
Due to these delays, the contract award date was rescheduled for April 2021 and was later delayed again until June 2021.
Shephard Defence Insight forecasts first deliveries in late FY2022 with the first unit equipped in the spring of FY2023.
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