Alion to support US Army’s project manager soldier weapons programme

Alion Science and Technology has received an engineering research and development task order from the US Army to support its project manager soldier weapons (PM SW) programme, a unit within the military's Program Executive Office Soldier.

With an aim to provide soldiers with advanced military capabilities, the army's PM SW programme is responsible for the development, production and procurement of existing and emerging weapons systems and technologies.

Alion's Technology Solutions group senior vice president and manager Chris Amos said the task order would allow the firm to develop and quickly deliver accelerated solutions for weapons systems, including integrated ammunition and associated target acquisition and fire-control products.

"This mission-critical work will support warfighter needs, giving our troops an edge in the battlespace," Amos added.

Under the $6m order, the company will perform research and development activities related to both individual and crew-served weapons to explore, understand and analyse their capabilities, effectiveness, project coordination and guidance.

In order to benefit other programme managers and associated Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center tasks, the company will provide support based on its experience in the development engineering, programme and acquisition support, logistics and materiel fielding planning fields.

Awarded through the Weapons Systems Technology Information Analysis Center (WSTIAC), the order's performance period runs through to December 2014.

WSTIAC is one of nine Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Information Analysis Centers (IACs) operated by Alion.

Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, US, DTIC serves the US Department of Defense (DoD) and offers scientific and technical information access to DoD personnel and contractors, as well as researchers, designers and engineers.