Interesting that D&H was the only bidder, From today’s (24 July 24) DoD contract announcements:
“D&H Industries Inc.,* Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was awarded a $9,999,990 firm-fixed-price contract for M16 magazines. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2029. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-24-D-0023).”
I’ve had them in my mix for years. Never an issue. Seems like waay back I discovered they also made and relabeled the magazines for Windham. Perhaps others. Can’t remember.
That’s typical govt. Purchase mass quantities of spare / replacement parts for equipment no longer in use. All M4 type stuff will likely be turned over to state / locals for :the good of the citizenry".
Even after the M7s are widely issued, the M4 will remain in service with non-close combat forces. As mags are expendable items, keeping a constant flow of them into circulation is to be expected, and a good thing.
Whatever the F you mean by "non-close, bs, bs, bs. Army Times woke term? Yep. No doubt after having served military / govt civilian for over 31 years, I know the game. Very likely warehouses full of the “M4” magazines. “…keeping a constant flow of them into circulation is to be expected, and a good thing.” Sounds like a phrase spouted by a DoD contractor.
Nearly all DoD-employed dudes that are issued a rifle are issued one that uses STANAG mags, such as myself. Most of our global partners do, too. In 5 years, that will still be true of the majority of those dudes. I’d place a large bet on 10 years, also, and bet on some amount of STANAG mag guns still being in circulation 25 years from now.
Even among Infantry types, schools like Ranger School often keep around older weapons for fiscal responsibility, and mags get beat to shit or lost in that environment. At least as recently as 2019, there were still Reserve units using M16s, probably still are. Plan on those units using STANAG-mag guns for the entirety of the foreseeable future, since there is no replacement planned for POG weapons.
The XM7 still has an X in front of it’s name, which means that it’s not a done deal. And I’d consider it’s procurement to be more of a contractor/MIC-driven boondoggle than procuring fresh mags for a highly proven weapon in very wide use.
I don’t understand what you mean by “woke” in this context. Has that term come to mean “anything that doesn’t make me happier at the moment”?
You seem confused by what the term means. “Close Combat” forces are what we generally call “combat arms” but excludes stuff like tankers or Arty. Another way of saying “non-close combat forces” would be to call them “worthless f-ing POGs”, but I’m not sure if you’re fluent in Infantry, so I used the “woke” term.
If you don’t like the idea that new magazines are being produced and rotated through the system, I don’t know what to tell you. Certainly better than letting the industry stagnate disappear, and D&H will undoubtedly sell extras on the commercial market.
Really confused by the issue here; Army is buying mags. Weapons need mags, places make mags and sell to Uncle Sam. Seems pretty cut and dry.
Not confused at all. Just commenting on yet another baseless, made-up bs term. BTW, I know the “system” oh too well. Yeah, let the DoD welfare industry / lobbyists / crooked politicians keep on keepin’ on. I know, how about another order of 100 or more F’d up Ospreys?
Again, you’d rather the majority of Soldiers/Marines/Sailors/Airmen/armed civilians to be without functioning weapons? What are you proposing as an alternative to stocking these critical consumable items?
OK, so you’re not confused, you just don’t like the military buying equipment necessary for, ya know, using their weapons? Or that there are different terms for different types of units in the military?
Not to get too far into the weeds, but gonna guess this is something along the lines of an IDIQ (indefinite delivery indefinite quantity). Contract could go up to that limit but the actual quantity will depend on the actual number ordered over the duration of the contract period at a specified unit cost. It is a method used to contract for items and services when you don’t actually know how much of something you might actually need, when (within the duration of the contract) you might actually need them, of where they will be needed. Sometimes there is a quaranteed minimum quantity to be delivered, sometimes not.
I could access and read the specifics, but frankly i just aint really that motivated.
I was gonna and try to inject a little humor here. I came up with something and it seemed funny until I actually typed it out. It’s not funny at all:
“Completion date of 2029. Maybe there will be a Democrat in office and he/she can send the mags to the Taliban.”
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
But seriously, my question is, what does it mean that there was only one bidder? Have the other, current suppliers been burned so badly? Is it a BS, pie in the sky contract that they know won’t amount to anything? Are they already locked in until 2029?
This’ll be 5 STANAG mag types in circulation, since the black follower ones still pop up from time to time, despite being on “DX immediately” status my entire adult life.
Black follower
Green follower
Tan follower
Blue follower
PMag
Bonus: 416
The only real difference in the aluminum ones, as far as I know, is the follower, except maybe the blue follower model’s body.
I’m guessing these are just more of the latest version that’s already being issued. I’m not going to be surprised if these are still in use when the XM7 gets phased out or relegated to specialty use someday.
