Northrop Grumman Corp., Plymouth, Minnesota, is awarded a firm-fixed price contract with a maximum ceiling of $81,031,456 for the delivery of up to 300 XM914E1 30mm x 113mm chain guns, spares, training, and associated engineering services in support of the Program Manager Ground-Based Air Defense — Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Increment 1 program. All work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2026. The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
The Marine Air Defense Integrated Future Weapons System (MADIS/FWS) will consist of two variants. MADIS Mk1 will include a counter aircraft and non-kinetic C-UAS capability, provided by a turret-launched Stinger missile, multi-functional EW capability, direct fire weapon, Electro Optical Infra-Red (EO/IR) optic, and a shoulder-fired Stinger missile for dismounted operations. MADIS Mk2 includes a multi-function EW capability, 360-degree radar, direct fire weapon, EO/IR optic, and supporting C2 communications suite.
The XM914E1 Chain Guns chain guns are intended to provide the direct fire defeat capability required as part of the Marine Corps’ new Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) Marine Air Defense Integrated Future Weapons System (MADIS/FWS). The service affix a specialized weapons turret to the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle to counter both drones and manned rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. The new guns will use to equip turret of combat vehicles in MADIS Mk1 variant, which currently rely on dismounted Stinger missiles and radar equipment transported in two M1114 HMMWVs per section.
Kongsberg was recently selected to design and manufacture the remote Medium Caliber Turret (MCT) for the United States Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV)-30 program. Kongsberg also provides all medium weight RWS for the Corps’ ACV and AAV platforms. Kongsberg is the world’s leading manufacturer of RWS, delivering nearly 20,000 RWS units to more than 20 countries worldwide. All RWS systems – including turrets – bound for U.S. customers are manufactured in Kongsberg’s Johnstown, Penn. facility with significant support from a U.S. supply base.
