EDA Looking For Industry Solutions For Upgrading Leopard 2 MBTs
European Defence Agency has published an article where they call for industry solutions for upgrading Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks to 2A7 level. EDA’s MBT optimization project (OMBT-Leo2) started back in 2017 and it is about to enter a new phase where a “call to European industry to participate in a Preliminary Market Consultation (PMC) and offer possible market solutions” will be published.
The EDA article further explains the purpose of the PMC:
The purpose of the PMC is to gather accurate information regarding possible commercial solutions for upgrading Leopard 2A4s up to the 2A7 or equivalent version, in-line with existing technical standards and requirements. Participants are asked to respond to the PMC with proposed solutions that are sufficiently detailed and include a realistic price range and possible timelines.
The objective is to reach out to the full European defence industry spectrum and ensure the collection of comprehensive and accurate cost data. To this purpose, the PMC will be disseminated via the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and EU National Defence Industry Associations (NDIAs). Industry will have to submit their responses to the PMC until 18 July 2019. Only responses covering full system-level solutions will be taken into further consideration.
EDA encourages the establishment of European multinational cross-border industrial partnerships as the preferred mechanism to exploit this opportunity. The Agency also considers this programme as a suitable vehicle for enhanced access for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to the cross-border supply chain.
The PMC follows EDA’s Request of Information (RFI) in 2017 through which a first contact was established with industry on this concrete programme.
As a support to the PMC, the European Defence Agency will arrange a B2B workshop at their premises in Brussels. The workshop will be organized mid-May. Here is how EDA describes the purpose of the workshop:
The aim of the B2B workshop is to promote cross-border cooperation within the EU and enhance mid-caps/small and medium enterprises’ access to defence contracts in general, and to the future OMBT-Leo2 programme (contractual) implementation in particular, by facilitating initial contacts between industrial stakeholders with relevant expertise (at full-system and / or subsystem level), in this field. Specific criteria for participation of interested industries will be part of the communication and each request will be assessed by contributing Member States experts and EDA, on a case-by-case basis.
The gathered and assessed information will help in future decision making and contract award processes.
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