General Dynamics, Rheinmetall Win U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle Contract

The U.S. Army awarded two contracts worth $1.6 billion for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle Phase III and IV Detailed Design and Prototype Build and Testing phases, to General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. (Sterling Heights, Michigan) and American Rheinmetall Vehicles LLC (Sterling Heights, Michigan).

With the initial digital design phase of the program now complete, the Army is redesignating the OMFV program as the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle.

“The Army’s iterative concepting and digital design approach, combined with increased emphasis on competition, continues to allow the program to quickly design a transformational capability for the Army of 2030 and beyond,” said Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the Army’s Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems.

The XM30, which will replace Bradley Fighting Vehicles, will bring new capabilities that will transform the way our formations fight in the future. Developed with a modular open system architecture, the XM30 will allow new, developing technology to be added to the vehicle as that technology matures, ensuring overmatch against any future adversary.

“Fully funding two companies for the next phases of the program will allow the Army to place the XM30 on a rock-solid foundation from a resourcing perspective, while also maintaining a competitive environment,”  said Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology.

During the next two phases of the program, the Army will conduct activities to mature XM30 designs and will verify prototype performance during test activities, including a limited user test. The awardees will be required to deliver up to 11 prototype vehicles, as well as two ballistic hulls and turrets, armor coupons and digital engineering data.

Following the detailed design and prototype build and testing phases, the Army intends to have a limited competition to downselect to one vendor at Milestone C near the end of fiscal year 2027, with first unit equipped anticipated in fiscal year 2029.

“These same vendors will then compete, based on demonstrated platform performance, in a limited competition for XM30 low-rate initial production,” said Dean.

The Army continues to drive a process that will bring today’s most advanced technology into the XM30 and, through the use of digital engineering and a modular open system architecture, the XM30 team will be able to rapidly integrate future technologies.