The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded a contract to Kongsberg Protech Systems USA to deliver remote weapon systems (RWS) as part of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) program. The indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract has a potential value of $94 million and includes a series of Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) systems and full-rate production units. This production contract award follows a Sept. 2020 contract award from the USMC to Kongsberg for test articles and activities, which includes Design Verification Testing (DVT).
Kongsberg’s RWS to MADIS uses technology and expertise drawn from other counter-UAS and air defence systems and is integrated on the joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV). Under the MADIS programme, the USMC will procure capabilities needed to perform active air defence against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) threats. It will provide a more ‘layered and integrated air defence umbrella’ that can detect, classify and destroy threats. This latest award follows a contract awarded by the USMC to Kongsberg last month for test articles and other activities, including design verification testing.
The Kongsberg XM914 RWS is the first 30mm remote weapon station to be qualified on the JLTV platform. It includes the XM914E1 30mmx113mm DC driven cannon with a co-axial M240 (7.62mm) machine gun, an integration kit for the Stinger Air-To-Air Launcher (ATAL) and provisions for future C-UAS defeat systems. The XM914 RWS leverages a significant number of components, Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), and capabilities from other Kongsberg RWS and Medium Caliber Turrets already delivered to both the USMC and the United States Army to bring logistical support efficiencies and overall commonality.
Kongsberg Gruppen is an international technology group that supplies high-technology systems and solutions to customers in the merchant marine, defence, aerospace, offshore oil and gas industries, and renewable and utilities industries. Kongsberg has a long history of collaborating with national and international defence industries. The business area Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is a provider of command and control systems, weapons control, communications, missiles, advanced composites and surveillance. A major milestone for the Group’s defence area came in 2007 when the Group won a contract worth eight billion kroner for the delivery of CROWS II – a type of Protector Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) – to the U.S. military.
