Knut Saeter, VP Kongsberg Protech Systems Australia, is establishing an office in Melbourne to service Australian defence clients and expand sales in the Austral-Pacific region for Kongsberg Protector and other systems.
Kongsberg recently booked a US$27 million order from the US Army as part of the increase of the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Stations (CROWS) framework agreement for up to 11,690 systems signed in February 2011.
The initial CROWS II framework agreement was announced in August 2007.
CROWS is a joint acquisition program for weapon stations for the US Army’s vehicle programs.
The Protector Weapon Control System protects military troops by allowing the vehicle’s weapons to be operated from a protected position inside the vehicle.
Local firm EOS has indicated it will contest the upcoming five-year CROWS III requirement for which orders will be placed under three separate contracts.
However CROWS III is for the production of the XM151 design (Kongsberg) so there is no scope for EOS or anyone else to offer designs other than that specified.
The first fixed price contract is for 18,000 CROWS, field maintenance support, and spares.
The production rate can vary, depending on requirements and funding availability from 0 to 300 CROWS per month with the ability to surge to 500 CROWS per month for limited durations, as required.
The second fixed price incentive contract is to support product improvements, integrations, and testing.
The third firm fixed price contract is to support training, overhaul, depot-level maintenance and recapitalisation of CROWS; and for general engineering support, as required.
A draft solicitation for CROWS III is expected towards the end of 2011.