ARMY AL&T
priorities from one theater to another, increases the organization’s complexity. At present, PM AMS is responsible for life-cycle management of five different systems or vehicles and their variants, as follows:
• Husky Vehicle Mounted Mine Detection Systems—4 variants.
• Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance Vehicle—3 models.
• Panther Medium Mine Protected Vehicle—2 variants.
• Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle—2 variants.
• RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle (Route Clearance Variant)— 6 models.
While PM AMS continues supporting RCVs procured to support war require- ments, it also works with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command pro- ponents to develop the requirements for the three RCV systems: the Huskies, Buffalos, and Panthers. PM AMS has begun procuring and testing the three RCVs and has already fielded those that are POR-configured—albeit under urgent materiel release criteria—in support of current operations.
The Husky is extremely accurate in identifying a buried threat. It drives in front of convoys to detect suspected explosive hazards and marks them. The
Buffalo is a specialized mine-clearing/ anti-IED vehicle equipped with a dis- tinctive hydraulic arm that interrogates suspected explosive hazards and clears them when necessary. The Panther is a command and control vehicle that is also designed to neutralize or defeat explosive hazards when neces- sary. Equipped with PackBot or Talon robots, route clearance or EOD teams can remotely deploy and operate them from a workstation protected under armor inside the Panther.
Balancing ONS Requirements As PM AMS continues to respond to ONS requirements, the organization has had to alter its schedules. In the midst of development or testing, ONS requirements continue to come in, requiring the organization to readjust accordingly. Originally, PM AMS’ goal was to acquire and test all three vehicle systems at the same time and field the vehicles as a total package. However, this goal was modified to support oper- ational needs and constantly changing requirements. One benefit to this revised goal is that problems within the ONS vehicles are being recognized and, in most cases, corrected before the vehicles are procured, tested, and fielded to Soldiers.
Army RG-31 MRAP vehicles are used on a mission to evaluate the progress of road construction. (U.S. Army photo by SGT Teddy Wade, 55th Signal Co.)
PM AMS’ Objectives As the pace and intensity of PM AMS’ three acquisition POR efforts increases, PM AMS must continue to provide multifaceted war requirements support to Soldiers perform- ing route clearance missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, as the Army draws down in Iraq, PM AMS is sup- porting this mission by removing select RCVs from the Iraq theater as require- ments decrease, while concurrently surging
route clearance and EOD vehicle assets into Afghanistan operations.
To acquire the number of RCV platforms needed to meet Army requirements in Afghanistan in a cost- effective manner, PM AMS initiated a harvesting program. The program removes ONS-procured RCVs and RG-33+ Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles from opera- tions. It then repairs and upgrades the RCVs to meet POR specifications and returns them to the RCV fleet. Additionally, PM AMS is simultane- ously working to complete testing and all full materiel release requirements, which allows for fielding RCVs to units outside the two war theaters. The goal is to have all three programs begin field- ing RCVs by 2011, a very aggressive schedule given all the requirements PM AMS must complete.
Though PM AMS’ mission require- ments are continually evolving to meet combatant commanders’ needs and Army requirements, the organization’s highest priority is providing deployed Soldiers with the lifesaving capabilities and support they need and deserve. The overarching goal is to balance the demands of fielding, repairing, and sustaining the RCV fleet. PM AMS’ passion and commitment is to support warfighters and develop and integrate more effective equipment to detect and neutralize IEDs and other explosive threats.
LTC CHARLES P. DEASE is the PM AMS. He holds a B.S. in busi- ness administration from Claflin College and an M.S. in acquisition and contract management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Dease is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the Defense Acquisition University’s Program Manager Course. He is certified Level III in program management and Level I in contracting and is a U.S. Army Acquisition Corps member.
JULY –SEPTEMBER 2010 47
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