BAE Systems awarded FMS contract to provide Japan with two AAVs

BAE Systems has been awarded a $10.8 million foreign military sales contract to provide two Assault Amphibious Vehicles for Japan.

The firm-fixed-price contract will allow BAE to provide the material and technical engineering to build, integrate, test and deliver one AAV command variant and one AAV recovery variant, according to a June 22 contract announcement.

If all options in the contract are exercised, the value will increase to $11 million. All of the work will be performed at an Anniston, AL, facility and completed by June 2019.

"We are proud to provide continued support to the Japanese Ministry of Defense through this latest Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) acquisition. As the original equipment manufacturer of the AAV fleet, we have a strong history of supporting this platform and have already begun work on building new vehicles for the Japanese military," BAE Systems spokeswoman Megan Mitchell wrote in a June 24 statement to Inside Defense. "These key vehicles will provide specialized support within the fleet and supports the ongoing development of amphibious capability within the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force."

Inside Defense reported in April that BAE Systems was awarded a direct commercial sale contract to produce 30 new Assault Amphibious Vehicles for Japan, which supports the country's goal of establishing an Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade by 2018.

The new brigade will be equipped with AAVs and MV-22 Ospreys. BAE has worked on this contract for the last three to four years.

"We're proud to support the Japanese military's recapitalization by providing this enhanced amphibious capability," Dean Medland, vice president of programs at BAE Systems' Combat Vehicles unit said in an April statement. "As the original equipment manufacturer of the AAV fleet, we have a strong history of supporting this platform."

BAE Systems will provide 30 new AAV7A1 Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability/Rebuild to Standard (RAM/RS) vehicles, plus supply tools and test equipment to support maintenance. The company will also provide training aids for the vehicles to the Japanese military, according to the statement.

The company is prepared to produce additional AAVs for Japan beyond the 30-vehicle buy, according to an April 6 statement to Inside Defense.

The AAV7A1 RAM/RS variant provides a more powerful engine and drive train, as well as an upgraded suspension system, allowing the new vehicles to meet or exceed original AAV7A1 performance. The variant also provides improved mobility, command, control and repair capabilities while transporting troops and cargo from ship to shore, the statement reads.

Work on the contract will take place at BAE Systems' facility in York, PA. Production is expected to begin in August with vehicle deliveries beginning one year later. Final delivery to Japan is expected to take place by the end of 2017.