Army's ground combat vehicle stirs confusion in industry.

• Author: Jean, Grace V.

The Army plans to spend more than $1 billion over the next several years on the design of a new "infantry fighting vehicle." With new big-ticket military programs becoming increasingly scarce, this would normally qualify as great news for contractors.

But the Army's recent request for industry bids for the IFV--the first phase of a larger "ground combat vehicle" program--is creating confusion, rather than excitement, sources said. "Industry still doesn't get what the Army is looking for," said an insider.

The problem is that many of the technical specifications that contractors expect the Army to spell out are left open-ended. It will be up to industry to propose many of the technologies and features drat the vehicle should have in order to satisfy the Army's overall requirement: A mobile, lethal, survivable troop carrier that can transport a nine-soldier squad and its equipment. Beyond that, there is a long list of "tradable requirements," including tracks versus wheels, weight and armor kits. It will be left to contractors to propose the best solutions.

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The ground combat vehicle program follows the Army's beleaguered Future Combat Systems, which was canceled in 2009 after nearly a decade and billions of dollars worth of effort. The IFV is intended to replace the 30-year-old Bradley fighting vehicle and potentially the 50-year-old Ml 13 armored personnel carrier.

The Army last February solicited proposals to build a technology demonstrator. Three industry teams submitted bids--one led by SAIC; another co-led by BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman Corp.; and the final group headed by General Dynamics Land Systems. The service was to have awarded a contract in September, but internal Pentagon reviews, fueled by congressional concern over costs and ambitious technology requirements, prompted Army officials to cancel the request and begin anew.

In late November, the service released a revamped request for proposals for the IFV variant. The goal is to complete development in two to three years and be ready for production within seven years. The initial plan calls for 1,874 vehicles. The Army is seeking a "capability for combined arms maneuver and area security over wide areas ... a single ground combat vehicle that incorporates protection against [improvised explosive devices], tactical mobility and operational agility," said Maj. Gen. Walter L. Davis, deputy director and chief of staff of the Army capabilities integration...