The "multipurpose unmanned vehicle procurement project," a key acquisition program under the Army's future combat system "Army Tiger 4.0," is expected to see a final contractor selected in the first half of this year after more than two years of delays caused by disputes between competing companies.
According to defense industry sources on Thursday, Hyundai Rotem sent an official letter to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on May 30 expressing its intent to participate in the bidding process for the multipurpose unmanned vehicle procurement project. Hyundai Rotem had previously refused to take part in performance verification evaluations, arguing that fairness could not be guaranteed.
Hyundai Rotem now plans to complete performance verification evaluations covering six criteria, including top speed and cruising range, by the end of April and then participate in price bidding as well. With both Hanwha Aerospace (012450.KS) and Hyundai Rotem now set to participate in the performance verification evaluations and price bidding, DAPA plans to conduct a model selection evaluation by the end of May, followed by a review by the Defense Acquisition Program Planning and Management Subcommittee by the end of June, aiming to select the final contractor and finalize the contract within the first half of the year.
The two companies have been competing for the project, but the process was prolonged due to disputes over the evaluation methodology.