LAND 159

LETHALITY

SYSTEMS PROGRAM

TOWARDS 2030

Defence conducted an open solicitation process that resulted in the selection of NIOA as the Prime Contractor for Tranche 1 of the Lethality Systems Program (LAND 159) in July 2020.

NIOA is a 100% privately-owned Australian company specialising in the supply and sustainment of weapon and munition systems to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

For updates on the LAND 159 Program, please click on the Approach to Market tab.

TRUSTED. PROVEN. AUSTRALIAN.

WELCOME TO THE NIOA PORTAL FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA'S LETHALITY SYSTEMS PROGRAM

ABOUT THE LETHALITY PROJECT

The Lethality System project (LAND 159) will equip the ADF with next-generation weapon systems, surveillance and target acquisitions ancillaries, ammunitions, facilities and training and support systems. The Program includes seven Capability Streams: ADF Sniper System, ADF Close Combat System, ADF Close Combatant Assault Rifle, Family of Machine Guns, Direct Fire Support Weapon/Family of Grenades, Munitions and Emergent Weapons Technology.

In November 2017, the Commonwealth of Australia (CoA) raised a Request for Information (RFI), through which it sought to understand Industry’s ability to generate the capability outcomes for the Lethality System project under strategic and innovative contractual arrangements. NIOA responded to the RFI with a detailed Concept Statement and Project Considerations for capability delivery.

In January 2019, the CoA released a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking innovative Supplier Engagement Model solutions for the delivery and support of capability under the Lethality System project. NIOA responded to the RFP as a Managing Contractor with detailed capability solutions. In June 2019, NIOA was down-selected as one of three Industry partners to potentially deliver Tranche 1 of the Lethality System project.

NIOA submitted a comprehensive response to the CoA’s Limited Request for Tender (LRFT) on 12 March 2020, which resulted in the CoA appointing NIOA as the Prime Contractor for delivering the first stage of Tranche 1, involving requirements analysis and approach to market.

NIOA'S ROLE AS TRANCHE 1 PRIME CONTRACTOR

In collaboration with the Commonwealth, NIOA as Prime Contractor was engaged to:

Approach the market to identify and evaluate Sniper and Close Combat weapon systems and provide acquisition and support recommendations to Defence.
Produce high confidence cost data to support Government consideration of Tranche 1 acquisitions at Gate 2.

THE TRANCHE 1 APPROACH

Tranche 1 addresses Sniper Systems (SS) and Close Combat Systems (CCS) weapons consisting of:

Medium Range Anti-Personnel (MRAP) Sniper Capability
Long Range Anti-Personnel (LRAP) Sniper Capability
Anti-Material (AM) Sniper Capability
Sniper Surveillance (SS) Capability
Sniper Soldier Combat Ensemble (SSCE)
Low Profile Weapons System (LPWS)
Sidearm Weapon System (SWS)
Personal Defence Weapon System (PDWS)
Hand to Hand Combat Weapon (H2HCW)
Shotgun Weapon System (CSS)
Assault Breaching System (ABS)

Each mission system will comprise up to nine sub-systems, including weapons, optics, laser designators, munitions, thermal imagers, and image intensifiers. NIOA’s approach to market for Tranche 1 targeted the sub-system level to generate best-of-breed mission system options for CoA consideration, allowing weapons, ancillary and munitions suppliers to compete freely, unconstrained by commercial relationships between weapons primes and ancillary suppliers.

CURRENT STATUS

As of December 2021, NIOA has successfully completed Stage 1 of Tranche 1 of the Lethality System project. The end of Stage 1 marks approximately 500 days since the appointment of the Prime Contractor, and collaboration between CASG, Army and NIOA under this supplier engagement model. During this period, a truly collaborative approach to acquisition has been achieved to analyse requirements and approach the market for 11 mission systems across two capability categories (Sniper and Close Combat Systems), comprising over 1610 individual requirements.

Over 200 Australian and international companies registered their interest in the Tranche 1 approach to market, with 52 companies, including 35 Australian-based companies, invited to tender for major weapon, ancillary or munitions sub-systems. 44 companies were invited to respond for lower cost or complexity ancillaries and accessories under a Request for Proposal activity. Ultimately, nearly 650 individual products were offered for consideration under Tranche 1.

During a comprehensive series of evaluation activities including safety, performance, and integration test serials, some 31,000 small arms rounds have been fired by NIOA, in addition to multiple rigorous Army Preview Test and Evaluation events to inform Commonwealth Mission System decisions.

Supporting the Tranche 1 approach to market, to ensure integrity of the process and management of sensitive CoA and Industry equipment and information, 376 Non-Disclosure Agreements, Loan Agreements or Loan Agreement Extensions have been undertaken.

The CoA’s LAND 159 Tranche 1 submission is planned for Government consideration in early- to mid-2022. Acquisition of Tranche 1 capabilities will be contingent on Government approval. Debriefs to tenderers will be conducted after Government consideration.

LAND 159 TRANCHES 2 & 3

LAND 159 Tranches 2 and 3 will deliver capabilities including Close Combat Assault Rifle, Family of Machine Guns, Direct Fire Support Weapons, Family of Grenades and Emergent Weapons.

For more information on Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 of the LAND 159 Program, please visit the Defence Program website at: https://www.defence.gov.au/project/lethality-system-tranche-1-sniper-system-and-close-combat-system.

You may contact the Defence Lethality Program at: land159.lethalitysystem@defence.gov.au.

MORE INFORMATION

To request information please use the Contact Us tab or email the Lethality Systems Program at: land159@nioa.com.au.