Feral Jundi

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Military News: Ford Takes On Lockheed For $54 Billion In Blast-proof Vehicles

Stuff like this is interesting to me because this is like a clash of the titans. One leader in one industry, coming over and taking on the leaders in another industry in a battle for a very large prize.

I also think that Ford will have plenty of testimonials (good or bad) from contractors and military about their use of up-armored F 350’s on the roads of Iraq and Afghanistan. Although I doubt Ford will use their F 350 as their entry. Who know’s what Ford’s design will be and it will be cool to see what they come up with that will actually ‘provide better protection to troops at a lower price and weight than competitors’.

Also, check this quote out.

In a presentation circulated in November on Capitol Hill, a team led by Ford proposed bearing the full cost of about $400 million to build production-ready prototypes without the government funding normally awarded during the development process. It said its vehicle would provide better protection to troops at a lower price and weight than competitors.

That is some serious confidence in their vehicles if they are willing to invest that much. –Matt

Edit: 2/7/2012 It looks like Ford has backed out of the bidding for this contract. Too bad.

 

Ford Takes On Lockheed for $54 Billion in Blast-Proof Vehicles
January 13, 2012
By Roxana Tiron and Brendan McGarry
Ford Motor Co. is leading a push by commercial-truck makers to challenge defense contractors for a potential $54 billion in work replacing U.S. military Humvees with blast-proof all-terrain vehicles.
The Army and Marine Corps plan to open competition Jan. 20 in the second development phase for their Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Truck manufacturers Ford, Navistar International Corp. and Oshkosh Corp. may take on teams led by defense companies General Dynamics Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and BAE Systems Plc that won the three first-stage contracts.
Congress added language to this year’s defense spending bill prodding the military to embrace “off-the-shelf technology demonstrated by industry” to develop vehicles that can better protect troops from improvised explosive devices. Ford has met with aides on Capitol Hill and Pentagon officials to pitch its case for building the battle-ready trucks and bypassing the usual acquisition process.
The effort by Ford, the second-biggest U.S. automaker, “is a very intriguing strategic move,” Brian Johnson, an auto industry analyst for Barclays Capital Inc. in Chicago, said in an interview. “The benefits are finding an additional market for your most profitable vehicles, such as large pickup trucks, especially at a time when the retail demand is at the mercy of gas prices.”

(more…)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Illinois: Crime In Chicago Increases, Lawmakers Call For The National Guard

   Chicago is in a state of emergency. It has been reported that 113 people have been killed in Chicago this year. The same number of U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan during the same time period. –Huffington Post, Rev. Jesse Jackson

*****

   Man, Chicago has always been bad, but when it gets to the point where folks are asking for some cavalry to come in and put a check on this stuff, I take notice.  This is also a political move to bring more attention to the problem, and it seems to be the latest tactic with lawmakers and governors in a few other states in the US.  But the numbers speak for themselves in this case, as the quote up top has clearly identified. –Matt

———————————————————–

Chicago Lawmakers: Call In the National Guard

April 26, 2010

Two lawmakers who believe violence has become so rampant in Chicago that the Illinois National Guard must be called in to help made a public plea to Gov. Pat Quinn to deploy troops.

CHICAGO — Two lawmakers who believe violence has become so rampant in Chicago that the Illinois National Guard must be called in to help made a public plea to Gov. Pat Quinn on Sunday to deploy troops.

A recent surge in violent crime, including a night last week that saw seven people killed and 18 wounded — mostly by gunfire — prompted the request from Chicago Democratic Reps. John Fritchey and LaShawn Ford. They were joined by Willie Williams, whose son was shot and killed in 2006.

Chicago has had 113 homicide victims so far this year, Fritchey said.

“As we speak, National Guard members are working side-by-side with our troops to fight a war halfway around the world,” he said during a news conference in downtown Chicago. “The unfortunate reality is that we have another war that is just as deadly that is taking place right in our backyard.”

(more…)

Powered by WordPress