Boeing has teamed with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to submit a revised proposal for the technology development phase of the U.S. Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program. The team originally submitted a proposal in May, but the initial Request for Proposal was rescinded and a second request was issued in November.

The SAIC-led GCV team, known as Team Full Spectrum, remains intact from its original proposal effort. SAIC will be the prime contractor, with Boeing, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Defence as subcontractors.

The team's offering draws on experience gained from the Puma and Manned Ground Vehicle programs and will be built in the United States with a team of experienced American small- and mid-tier supplier businesses.

"Team Full Spectrum has again put together an exceptional proposal to answer the Army's requirement for a modern infantry fighting vehicle," said Charles Toups, vice president and general manager of Boeing Network and Tactical Systems.

"We have focused on the four key elements the Army has emphasized - capacity for a nine-soldier dismounted squad; a schedule that will allow production in seven years; force protection; and full-spectrum operations from civil relief through full combat operations. Our proposal offers mature technology for unequaled capability at the lowest possible risk."

The team's focus is to provide a solution that balances the technology the customer requires with the speed it needs to meet operational goals.

"Our offering is designed to protect soldiers by decreasing their burden of mechanical tasks so they can concentrate on accomplishing their mission," said Deb Alderson, SAIC group president.

"In addition, our team's high technical readiness levels will help us meet the Army's timeline."

The GCV program will replace aging fighting vehicles currently in the Army's inventory with a single platform capable of carrying an entire squad and protecting that squad from improvised explosive devices and other threats of modern warfare.

The Army will award up to three technology demonstration contracts worth approximately $450 million each, with a 24-month time frame for development. The contract awards are expected in the second quarter of this year.