How the Marine Personnel Carrier Contest stacks up.

Yesterday I got word that Lockheed Martin/Patria is back in the fight with the Havoc 2.0 since the Marine Corps revived the Marine Personnel Program.

Later that same day BAE entered the fray and sent this gem...

"...our work on AAV Upgrades, MPC, and ACV. As the U.S. Marine Corps looks to change its amphibious requirements, the BAE Systems/Iveco team stands ready to provide an MPC solution unlike any other.”

I really expected nothing less.

Haven't heard from the folks over at General Dynamics (I wonder why) but this could be considered a blow to their bottom line.  They were the favorites to provide the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) and this type of whiplash has to make them wonder.

All the work to make the EFV blast resistant, all the promise of affordability for that vehicle by removing the complex hydraulics appears lost.

As far as SAIC and Singapore Kinetics is concerned I'm just not that impressed with what I have seen from their vehicle.  A little birdy tells me it made it across the finish line but it did not wow.  That would match my impression of the machine.  Its adequate and if the price is EXTREMELY right then they might have a chance.  IF! (They're holding close information on how the vehicles performed in testing last year...bits of info are being fed but a complete picture will not appear until later)

As far as I can tell this is a two horse race.  Havoc 2.0 vs. SuperAV.  The fight is on.

Clarification:  This is pure speculation on my part, but I really believe that General Dynamics probably viewed the cancellation of the MPC as a win.  I'm betting that they were counting on the de-teched EFV turning into a 1 for 1 replacement for the AAV and that the requirement for the MPC would stay dead.  Extreme pressure from the Marine Corps Mafia and a collective "WHAT THE FUCK" from the ground side regarding Marine Corps procurement killed that well laid plan.