RMS Solicitation

The Navy yesterday released a request for proposals launching a new competition for the Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV), a centerpiece of the service's $1.4 billion Remote Minehunting System program.

A decision on who will build the vehicle, designed to be a mission package intrinsic to Littoral Combat Ship operations in contested waters, is expected next spring.

More on the program from our story last week:

The Navy is deferring key actions on the Remote Minehunting System until the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 following the delay of a crucial Office of the Secretary of Defense review that was scheduled for May 2014.

That review is needed to validate four years of remedial engineering work and win back approval for low-rate production, which was rescinded in 2010 in a bid to halt mushrooming cost growth.

Naval Sea Systems Command spokesman Dale Eng said in an email statement to InsideDefense.com that the May Defense Acquisition Board milestone C review of the RMS program did not happen as the Navy had previously planned and has not yet been rescheduled. On July 1, though, the panel conducted an "in-process review" of the RMS program, Eng added; the Navy is "waiting for OSD direction" following that event.