PEO-SOF WARRIOR
The Program Executive Office for Special Operations Forces Warrior (PEO-SW) systems celebrated its first year anniversary on October 1, 2006. PEO-SW is the acquisition organization within the USSOCOM Special Operations Acquisition and Logistics (SOAL) Center tasked to provide SOF with the best systems and technology in the most timely and cost-effective manner. PEO-SW focuses on acquisition and management of systems and technologies that allow the SOF warrior to successfully carry out his mission while significantly increasing his survivability.
Colonel Kevin S. Noonan, USA, PEO-SW, manages a portfolio that includes over 24 major programs with an investment budget of over $1.3 billion of Major Force Program-11 funds over the future years defense program. PEO-SW’s program portfolio includes five primary commodity areas: ground mobility, visual augmentation systems, ammunition and demolition, target engagement, and individual equipment.
GROUND MOBILITY
Ground mobility is responsible for the acquisition and product improvement of special operations vehicles in three main categories: light, medium and heavy. Currently, the primary systems being managed in the ground mobility portfolio are the lightweight tactical all terrain vehicle (LTATV) and the ground mobility vehicle (GMV).
The LTATV will enhance SOF mission performance by providing a family of mobility platforms that will provide both a tactical and logistical function. The LTATV is being procured in two variants, the 4x4 and 6x6 all terrain vehicles.
The GMV effort modifies the basic High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) into one of four GMV variants: GMV-R (Ranger) and GMV-S SOF for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command; GMV-N (Navy) for the Naval Special Warfare Command; and GMV-M (Marine Corps) for the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. The objective of the GMV program is to provide SOF with a mobility platform capable of infiltrating and operating in low or mid intensity conflicts over varied terrain while significantly improving SOF’s capability to travel unassisted over long distances. An emerging requirement is the joint light tactical vehicle, which is a tactical replacement vehicle for the HMMWV. The Ground Mobility Office is currently procuring and fielding medium mine-protected vehicles (RG-31s). The requested systems will provide protection for Army, Navy and Marine SOF operators against the expanded use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and support a swift and capable counter-attack following an IED incident.
VISUAL AUGMENTATION SYSTEMS
Visual augmentation systems (VAS) allow the SOF operator to conduct missions in a 24/7 environment. The VAS commodity area provides day/night operations capability, improved visual augmentation through battlefield obscurants, and an all-weather capability for fire control, surveillance and land navigation.
The VAS area focuses on acquisition solutions for the SOF warrior for head-mounted goggles, weapon-mounted night vision sights and day scopes, handheld imagers, ground vehicle mounted systems for drivers and crew members, and laser range finders and designators to ensure the accurate delivery of laser or satellite guided missiles and munitions. The primary focus is providing the SOF operator with the capability to own the night. Emerging requirements include sensor and image fusion; expanded field-of-view and/or color night vision goggles; SOF VAS accessory kit; and SOF VAS countermeasures.
AMMUNITION AND DEMOLITION
In the ammunition and demolition commodity area, PEOSW develops, acquires, and manages ammunition requirements and demolition devices that provide SOF operators standoff and precision capabilities for various types of target sets and mission scenarios. One of the major ongoing programs in the ammunition and demolition commodity area is the Multi-purpose Antiarmor/ Anti-personnel Weapon System (MAAWS). It is an 84 mm recoilless, man-portable, line-of-sight, reloadable, anti-armor, and anti-personnel weapon system. MAAWS has a family of munitions that provide obscuration, illumination, and hardened and soft target penetration. Emerging requirements in this commodity area are the MAAWS AT4-Confined Space weapon, which provides the ability to fire an anti-armor weapon from an enclosure; the multi-target warhead; and improved insensitive munitions.
TARGET ENGAGEMENT
In the target engagement systems commodity area, PEO-SW develops, acquires and manages weapons and ammunition that provide SOF with high reliability and precision capabilities to increase combat effectiveness.
One of the most significant programs is the SOF Combat Assault Rifle/Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (SCAR/ EGLM). SCAR/EGLM is a developmental weapon system that will provide SOF with a highly reliable and accurate weapon that will fire a variety of ammunition by means of interchangeable components. The weapon will have two base configurations: SCAR-Light and SCAR-Heavy, each capable of mounting the 40 mm EGLM. The EGLM is also a stand-alone weapon.
Each SCAR configuration has three barrels in order to maximize operational flexibility. The SCAR/EGLM program replaces the existing M4/M4A1 carbine, the MK18 close quarter battle rifle, the MK12 special purpose rifle, the MK/11/SR25 rifle system, the M14 rifle and the M203 40 mm grenade launcher. Emerging requirements in the target engagement arena include the family of combat pistols; the M4MOD Block II, which includes mini day/night sight, family of muzzle breaks/suppressors, and shot counter; and the precision sniper rifle system, which is envisioned to replace the existing M24, MK13, M107, and MK15 rifles for anti-personnel engagements.
New developments in small arms ammunition include 40 mm pre-fragmented programmable high explosive ammunition for the advanced lightweight grenade launcher, as well as optimized 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm small arms ammunition for SCAR. In support of the Precision Sniper Rifle Program, .338 ammunition is being characterized and type-classified.
INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT
Individual equipment systems focus on the development, acquisition, and management of equipment to increase survivability, mobility and lethality of SOF individual operators. The SOF personal equipment advanced requirements (SPEAR) is the objective requirement that integrates individual equipment for the SOF operator. The PEO-SW SPEAR program develops, acquires and manages SOF-unique, state-of-the-art equipment in the following functional areas: environmental protection; body armor and load carriage system; modular integrated communications helmet (MICH) and MICH communications; and eye protection.
General Bryan D. Brown, commander, USSOCOM, commented on the war on terror in the June 7, 2005 publication of Special Operations Technology: “Winning this war will require new capabilities, sustainable increases in capacity, and significant improvements in the global reach and speed of SOF forces.”
The ongoing programs and emerging developments within the PEO-SW program portfolio enhances the SOF warrior’s ability to meet the commander’s intent. ♦