10--Advanced Remote/Robotic Armament System (ARAS)Industry Transition Opportunities

The US Army, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), seeks technology transition and licensing partners for the Advanced Remote/Robotic Armament System (ARAS). ARDEC proposes this opportunity to share and familiarize the ARAS system and sub-system designs and technical data with industries interested in pursuing this unique technology transition and licensing opportunity. Qualified industries that possess relevant experience in the field of remote weapon systems, crew served weapons, vehicle/platform weapon system integration, system testing and remote weapon system production will be considered as potential partners. ARAS is a next generation Remote Weapon System developed by the US Army, ARDEC. ARAS prototypes have been developed for both 7.62mm and .50 cal ammunition and utilize these munitions without modification, as they would be supplied to the M240 and M2 machine guns, respectively. ARDEC has developed impulse insensitive, electrically actuated weapons that provide better reliability, improved inertial properties/balance, customizable kinematics, enhanced accuracy, complete control of firing rate/burst length and accurate round count. The ARAS weapons are mounted via a unique buffer assembly which rejects approximately 75% of the firing impulse forces and houses internally the electrical connections from the weapon to the mount. ARAS has no external cables. ARAS also consists of an ammunition storage carousel that holds multiple 'active magazines' which can be loaded to the weapon and re-stowed at any time during a firing event. ARAS can reload, or change ammunition type, in approximately 7-9 seconds without human intervention at the weapon. When an active magazine is re-stowed from the weapon, the weapon is 'clear'. The ARAS magazines are unique for each caliber. The 7.62mm ARAS has 15 magazines which hold 100 rounds each and the .50cal ARAS is designed for 6 magazines holding up to 150 rounds each. The ARAS configuration enables this large stowed load to be decoupled from the weapon gimbal which greatly enhances stabilization and aiming performance without over designing the Az/El drives, bearings, gearboxes, power consumption and structural stiffness. ARDEC will schedule a series of one-on-one disclosure meetings, with interested and qualified industry partners, for the licensing of the ARAS technical data and partnering to invest in the producibility of ARAS as a system suitable for production/fielding. ARDEC shall provide a design overview consisting of the weapon, gimbal/structure, active magazine, transfer mechanism and carousel designs. ARDEC shall also show existing prototype hardware in the lab environment with some test videos to demonstrate live fire. Interested parties can be provided an open source, ARAS overview, upon request to the POCs. ARDEC asks all interested parties to submit a short informational paper to confirm interest in attending a one-on-one event and briefly describe their expertise, capabilities, facilities and relevant experience in the field of remote weapon systems, crew served weapons, vehicle/platform weapon system integration, system testing and weapon system production. Submittals/questions shall be sent electronically to the following points of contact: Bob Testa, Telephone - +1 (555) 000-0000, email - contact@example.gov, and Jim Lee, telephone - +1 (555) 000-0000, email - contact@example.gov. ARDEC will require the processing/signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), prior to the one-on-one disclosure meeting, which will be provided by the POCs above. ARDEC shall establish and confirm the date/time for these events and requirements for visiting Picatinny Arsenal directly with those that reply. All data should be submitted by July 21, 2013. The U.S. Government prefers technical data disclosure, and subsequent partnering, with U.S. based industries. Non-U.S. nationals, or those representing non-U.S. industries, while strongly encouraged, will need to submit the necessary visit requests through their embassies and consider how to address data export restrictions, through partnering or other means, should a licensing agreement be pursued. ARDEC is happy to engage in discussions with foreign industry representatives with the understanding that the material and tech data disclosed would be limited to open source information, Dist A, such as the referenced ARAS Overview and prototype hardware demonstration in a lab environment. We encourage that adequate time be given to process these requests. No sensitive or classified information will be discussed. NOTE: This is not a request for proposal, request for quotation, or invitation for bid, nor does its issuance obligate or restrict the Government to an acquisition approach. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of any responses or pay for the preparation of any information submitted or use of such information. All information received will be used for planning and market research purposes only.