SOCOM contract for US-built Russian pattern weapons?

[Alamo]

SOCOM solicitation for ‘reverse engineered’ foreign weapons sparks Russian anger, warnings

...the solicitation is more than a year old and portions of the contract have already been awarded.

In a Small Business Innovation Research solicitation from April 2017, SOCOM asked American businesses “to explore whether it is feasible to reverse engineer or reengineer and domestically produce” a 7.62 x 54mm belt-fed light machine gun that resembles a PKM, and a 12.7 x 108mm heavy machine gun that resembles a Russian-designed NSV.

SOCOM confirmed to Military Times that contracts for the first phase, the research portion, of the solicitation have already been awarded to Dillon Aero Inc., Knight’s Armament Company, and McNally Industries. SOCOM said the second phase, to demonstrate a production capacity, is already underway. Those contracts have yet to be awarded.

The command wants to build the production base in the U.S. to better supply surrogate forces, according to the solicitation.

“Foreign made weapons lack interchangeability and standardization which hinders field and depot-level part replacement,” the solicitation reads. “Developing a domestic production capability for foreign-like weapons addresses these issues while being cost effective as well as strengthens the nation’s military-industrial complex, ensures a reliable and secure supply chain, and reduces acquisition lead times.”

These are unlicensed copies. Russkies not happy!

 

[9mmfan]

Link goes nowhere.

And who gives a $&!$what Russia thinks.

 

[GIJEW]

SOCOM solicitation for ‘reverse engineered’ foreign weapons sparks Russian anger, warnings



These are unlicensed copies. Russkies not happy!

Given the number of AKs, RPGs, PKMs, etc that are all over the world--and available in any black market--I'm suprised that there's a need for a project like this. As for whining russian hackers, the patents expired several generations ago. STFU

 

[Alamo]

Link goes nowhere.

And who gives a $&!$what Russia thinks.

Link goes to MilitaryTimes.com article and it worked just s moment ago when I checked it.

As the article notes, Russian pattern firearms & their kin are made by a lot of different manufacturers and their interchangeability is not guaranteed. I think it’s interesting that rather than trying to convert everybody over to American pattern weapons, they’re choosing to provide a Russian pattern weapon built to American precision standards— which would tend to make the US the sole supplier for those countries that use them.

It’s also a great way to twist the Bear’s tail.

 

[Ark]

These are unlicensed copies. Russkies not happy!

Copyright and intellectual property is for greedy capitalists!

 

[Beowulf]

Given the number of AKs, RPGs, PKMs, etc that are all over the world--and available in any black market--I'm suprised that there's a need for a project like this. As for whining russian hackers, the patents expired several generations ago. STFU

Yeah, what a bunch of babies. Patents are good for 17 years (not that the Russians or other Communist countries ever respected our or our allies patents). Any patents on the AK (certainly the AK-47 or AKM), RPGs (which are copies of German tech anyway), and PKMs are long, long expired.

 

[T.Lex]

Whoever wrote the solicitation needs to be fired. Or promoted.

They could've achieved the same functional goal by being more circumspect in their specifications. Makes me wonder if someone maybe wanted to intentionally poke the Bear.

 

[Alamo]

Whoever wrote the solicitation needs to be fired. Or promoted.

They could've achieved the same functional goal by being more circumspect in their specifications. Makes me wonder if someone maybe wanted to intentionally poke the Bear.

Usually the gummint is accused of not being specific and clear enough. Or too specific, thereby inhibiting innovation. Take your pick.


I followed some links related to the acquisition and found some other interesting stuff. SOCOM is also looking at "Canine Inhibitors", basically technologies that allow our guys to sneak past the bad guys' dogs without them barking, etc.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

SOCOM is also looking at "Canine Inhibitors", basically technologies that allow our guys to sneak past the bad guys' dogs without them barking, etc.

Tiny robots that spread peanut butter on the roof of a dog's mouth?

 

[jsx1043]

I’m not (much of) a conspiracy theorist or military strategist, but I kind the wonder if this is two-fold:

1. A chance to get in Vlad’s craw;
2: An anticipation of action in theatre where weapons and ammo are plentiful but the weapons are sub-par?

 

[Alamo]

Tiny robots that spread peanut butter on the roof of a dog's mouth?

Make a bid. You might win.

 

[JTScribe]

American VEPR 12, please.

 

[Robert Richardson]

I’m not (much of) a conspiracy theorist or military strategist, but I kind the wonder if this is two-fold:

1. A chance to get in Vlad’s craw;
2: An anticipation of action in theatre where weapons and ammo are plentiful but the weapons are sub-par?

Or, starting something and blaming the Russians,
" oh, look we found all these Russian weapons, they must have done it "

 

[Beowulf]

Or, starting something and blaming the Russians,
" oh, look we found all these Russian weapons, they must have done it "

Reminds me of some of the stories a former boss's husband used to tell (they met when she was working for IMI in Israel, I believe before they moved back to the states). He was former Israeli Sayeret (Special Forces). I don't remember which unit, but he had some interesting stories about slipping over the border into Lebanon or into the Territories. He said his guys always carried AKs instead of Galils, so they could have plausible deniability.

He once asked me why their was so much arguing in the US over securing the border when they could just deploy mine fields. I was never really sure if he was joking or dead serious on that one.

 

[Alamo]

Or, starting something and blaming the Russians,
" oh, look we found all these Russian weapons, they must have done it "

There are already plenty of actual Russian weapons available for that. Anything made in the USA is going to look like it's been made in the USA.

 

[Ark]

For real though there are places all over the world where one could procure Russian weapons, legal or otherwise, and I really don't have a problem with the government slipping those dudes money to get the real thing and supply it to our "allies". We don't need to make it in the US. It's easier and probably cheaper just to buy stuff.