The US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center (DEVCOM) has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Oshkosh Defense to develop and test medium caliber weapon systems.
Under the CRADA, Oshkosh Defense and DEVCOM will cooperate in the development, integration, and testing of “innovative armament technologies to provide a transformative, next-generation lethality capability for the warfighter,” a release from the company said.
Additionally, the CRADA will enable both organizations to mature their technologies for eventual transition to direct fire medium caliber platforms such as the US Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).
As revealed, the cooperation will rely on the 30 mm turret medium caliber weapon system (MCWS) Oshkosh Defense developed for the Stryker vehicle.
“We are already starting with a robust weapon system platform with our Stryker MCWS turret”, said Pat Williams, vice president and general manager of US Army and Marine Corps program for Oshkosh Defense.
“This CRADA allows us to explore additional weapon system capabilities and apply them to our OMFV solution to provide our soldiers with the cutting edge technology required on the modern battlefield.”
In June 2021, the US Army selected Oshkosh Defense, Pratt Miller Defense, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to provide a precision lethality capability to the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs) as part of the Stryker MCWS program.
Oshkosh Defense expects to begin production of the Stryker MCWS this spring.
The company is also competing for work on the US Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program. Oshkosh Defense is part of one of five teams selected by the service for the OMFV Concept Design Phase in July 2021.
