CASR

Canadian
American
Strategic
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Canadian Procurement – US FMS – Armament for CH-146 Griffon – June 2011 Mounts & Parts for GAU-12 Machineguns for CH-146 Griffons US Foreign Military Sale Notice via FBO a US version of MERX The GAU-12 is an aircraft version of the CF's venerable Browning M2HB. This faster-firing heavy machinegun is descended from the US WWII-era aircraft gun, the M3. But the series is now manufactured only by Belgium's FN Herstal as its M3M – a fixed-gun version being the M3P.  In Canadian service, the FN Herstal M3M is referred to by its US military designation, GAU-21. Canadian GAU-21 machineguns are indirectly a part of the INGRESS (Interoperable Griffon Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System, a sensor upgrade for the CF's CH-146 Griffon utility helicopter fleet.  CH-146s are militarized Bell 412s, a type that the M3M is already integrated on, using FN's Medium External Pintle system. That MEP consists of the 12.7mm M3M heavy machinegun, Medium Pintle Head (MPH) which includes a 'soft mount', and one Medium External Pintle Connection (MEPC). Although filed here as an FMS notice, no notice appeared on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Instead, it was published as a Federal Business Opportunity. The FBO notice mentions "FMS Canada case number CN-P-DAE" but  it  probably didn't need to be published because of  a relatively small dollar value  –  the benefit to procurement officers who break up weapon purchases  into manageable chunks. Note that the FBO notice doesn't actually cover the purchase of new M3M weapons, rather it mentions production of the MPH, supply of sixty gun barrels (a cost of the GAU-21's high rate of  fire), and tools and support  for these weapons in CF service. The actual procurement agency is the US Navy NavAir which has acted as go-between on numerous DND weapons purchases[1] for Afghanistan. But there's the rub. Our Kandahar combat operations are over. So, why introduce a new weapon as combat ends? Another  INGRESS-related  weapons system, the M134D MiniGun, was subject to a rushed ACAN purchase to get these modern 'Gatling guns' to Kandahar with the deployed Griffons. It is curious that the GAU-12 buy was approached so leisurely. An edited version of  the FBO notice  (from the US DSCA)  is reproduced below: ______________________________________________   Defense Security Cooperation Agency   NEWS RELEASE   On the web: http://www.dsca.mil   Media/Public Contact: (703) 601-3670   Date: n/a ______________________________________________ May 17, 2011 7:16 am The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) intends to enter into sole source neg- otiations with FN Herstal, SA for a firm-fixed price contract for the procurement of:   (a) sixty  (60)  GAU-21 .50 caliber machine gun barrels and  the related supplies         necessary for their manufacture and fleet deployment;   (b) production of the Medium Pintle Head (MPH) for the CH-146 [Griffon];   (c) Operators and Armorer tool kits; and   (d) engineering and logistics technical support for the operation, maintenance,         and repair of these weapons and systems. This requirement is for  FMS  Canada  case number  CN-P-DAE. Unless otherwise stated herein, no formal request for proposal or additional written information is currently available... This synopsis is published for information purposes only. (THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS). The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302. [ ... ]  FN Herstal is the sole designer, developer, and  manufacturer of  the  GAU-21 machine gun, and ... is the only known source available with the requisite technical knowledge, experience and tooling to produce the requirements described herein in order to satisfy the government's requirement. [ ... ]  Subcontracting opportunities should be sought directly from  FN Herstal [ ... ] B-4040 Herstal, Belgium [ ... ].