The United States Army Contracting Command is conducting a market survey for a new Grenadier System that will include a “Counter-UAS Round” as one of the desired attributes. The notice is on behalf of Project Manager Soldier Lethality.

The U.S. Government does not intend to award a contract based on the market survey/sources sought or otherwise pay for information solicited.

The addition of a desired attribute that includes an ammunition option with capabilities to defeat hovering uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) targets is a result of the increased use of these airborne systems in armed conflicts. The recent events in Ukraine and other parts of the world have shown the versatility of UAS to conduct surveillance, identify targets, and deliver near-precision strikes on enemy targets.

Precision Grenadier System Background

The Precision Grenadier System (PGS) will be a man-portable integrated weapon system that enables precision engagements to destroy personnel targets in defilade and the open with increased lethality and precision compared to the legacy M203/M320 grenade launchers. The PGS will provide overmatch to comparable threat grenade launchers in near-peer formations in future operating environments (jungle, urban, woodland, subterranean, desert, day/night/obscured). The PGS is envisioned to consist of a weapon, a fire control, and a suite of ammunition which enables the user to engage targets in defilade/cover, hovering UAS targets, conduct door breaching, engage close combat, and lightly armored targets.

Grenadier System Desired Attributes

The PGS attributes, in order of importance, are:

1.    System Survivability:  The system and its ammunition should function in cold, ambient, and hot conditions at all humidity conditions and be survivable and operational after chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear exposure (CBRNE), including effects of electromagnetic pulse and cyber-attacks.

2.    System Effectiveness:  Ability to achieve a high probability of incapacitation given a shot from the minimum engagement distance to 500 meters (desired) against unprotected personnel targets in defilade/cover and stationary exposed targets.

3.    Engagement Times: The time to engage the target is desired to be ≤ 5 seconds from the decision to engage to trigger pull for a target out to 500 meters.  After the trigger pull, the flight time is desired to be no greater than 3 seconds to 500 meters.

4.    Length:  Overall system length is desired to be less than 34 inches.

5.    System Weight:  System weight is desired to be less than 14.5 lbs.

6.    Target Acquisition:  Ability to acquire targets with a high Probability of Recognition given a detection out to a range of 500 meters in clear air during day and nighttime conditions and a high Probability of Recognition given a detection out to a range of at least 300 meters in obscurants is desired.

7.    Powerless/Degraded Operation:  The system provides the ability to continue the fight and engage targets even when the fire control has no power or becomes damaged and inoperable is desired.

8.    Family of Ammunition:
a.    Counter Defilade Round:  Round to precisely and quickly defeat personnel targets in defilade positions.
b.    Training Round:  Non-pyrotechnic round ballistically similar to the counter defilade round to train the PGS capability.
c.    Expanded Capabilities: The ability to expand capabilities is desired with different types of ammo such as:
i.    Armor-Piercing Round
ii.    Close Quarters Battle Round
iii.    Counter Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Round

9.    Variable Magnification: A system capable of having variable magnifications to enable accurate engagements within the range of the system’s capability is desired.

10.    Ranging/Far Target Location:  Capable of accurate range determination to a man-sized target out to 800 meters and vehicle or troops in the open (squad-sized targets) out to 1,000 meters in less than one second is desired.

11.    Digital Overlay:  System capable of providing an alpha-numeric display and a dynamic reticle within the fire control field of view out to a range of 1000 meters is desired.  The system can calculate a dynamic reticle for refined targeting, including (but not limited to) range to target, atmospheric conditions, weapon orientation, and ballistics of the weapon/ammunition selected is desired. The computation time for the dynamic reticle to be displayed is desired to be no more than 1 second.

12.    Firing Mode: A system capable of semi-automatic firing is desired.

13.    Resolution: The system provides sufficient angular resolution to distinguish between hostile and non-hostile targets during daytime, clear air conditions from 0-600 meters, and accurately determine threat characteristics (e.g., a threat light armored vehicle or armed squad size element in the open) during the daytime, and clear air conditions out to 1,000 meters.

14.    Ambidextrous:  System capable of ambidextrous configuration without degradation of performance or safety is desired.

For more information on this opportunity, please visit Personal Grenadier System.