End of the OICW/M29 ????

[Flesh Thorn]

I snagged this from a Defense Magazine:

The War on Terror has engendered many changes, and details of some new US developments have emerged over the past year. First, it now appears that the XM29 OICW will probably be abandoned in favour of two stand-alone weapons. The first is the Heckler & Koch XM8 assault rifle, which is under consideration as a replacement for the M16 and M4 family of rifles and carbines. This rifle will be evaluated during 2004, and if tests are successful, it may enter US service as early as 2005.

Alliant Technologies is now showing a semi-automatic grenade launcher chambered for the 25 mm Objective Crew-Served Weapon (OCSW) cartridge. Although US Army spokespersons state that the XM29 programme has not been abandoned, the absence of the XM29 and the presence of two new and separate systems at recent trade shows indicate otherwise. If the XM8 were to be adopted by the US Army without competition from alternative designs, it would be an unprecedented event in US small-arms history.


I didn't like the look of the OICW. It would be like carring a piece of 2 X 8.

[Looon]

What ever happened to the MP-5's that the rgt got but never used?

[Spartan]

H&K has already broken ground on a new plant in Columbus, GA.

This is a done deal which has already been decided. There is no competition being considered.

[Flesh Thorn]

H&K has already broken ground on a new plant in Columbus, GA.

This is a done deal which has already been decided. There is no competition being considered.

Posted on Fri, Jun. 17, 2005
Click here to find out more!

Columbus adds 500 new jobs

Heckler & Koch will use state grant on distribution facility

BY TONY ADAMS

Staff Writer

Job creation here steady in May, but weak statewide

Columbus appears to be piecing together growth in its job market even with unemployment rates hovering around 5 percent.

The city generated 500 new jobs in May, the Georgia Department of Labor reported Thursday. That raised the Columbus work force total from 119,000 to 119,500. It was the third-largest number of jobs created in the state, trailing only Atlanta and Augusta.

"It's just steady," said Mikell Fryer, manager of the department's Columbus Career Center on Veterans Parkway. "There's no major movement where we've got this big company that's going to hire 500 or 600 people. But we had Cessna in here two weeks ago hiring about 50 or 60 people. We had Muscogee County Schools in here hiring 60 or 70 people. When you get 10 or 15 of those, you've got 500 or 600 people hired."

Statewide, job creation is weak, said Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. Georgia added 10,500 people to its work force in May. Over the last year, 17,600 were added to employer payrolls.

Factoring 100,000 new job seekers into the equation over the last 12 months, Georgia's unemployment rate now sits at 5 percent in May, up from 4.7 percent in April. That's above the national rate of 4.9 percent, making May the first month since 1989 that the Georgia jobless rate has topped the national figure.

"Our state is lagging in job creation," Thurmond said. "In the last year, Georgia has lost jobs in manufacturing, retail trade and telecommunications. In addition, Georgia's aviation, tourism and convention businesses were hard hit by 9/11. The latest numbers show we clearly have not recovered as quickly as the nation as a whole."

In Columbus, there are no new large companies on the horizon, Fryer said. But there are elements working in its favor.

For instance, W.C. Bradley Company's decision to hold off moving its Char-Broil grill manufacturing to China for at least another year -- possibly two -- keeps a major hole from developing in the work force, Fryer said. The company employs about 500 people full time and 1,000 seasonally.

Downsizing H&K?

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue's office announced Wednesday that the city is receiving $300,000 from the OneGeorgia Authority to help Sterling, Va.-based Heckler & Koch Defense open a plant in Columbus.

Nearly two years ago, H&K announced plans to construct a $20 million manufacturing facility in Muscogee Technology Park off Macon Road. The 100,000- to 150,000-square-foot plant would sit on 40 acres in the 1,500-acre park and employ more than 200 people.

The company, however, is still working to land a huge federal contract to make the XM8 assault rifle for the U.S. military. On Thursday, H&K said the $300,000 OneGeorgia grant will go toward the purchase of a 13,000-square-foot former Cessna facility in Columbus East Industrial Park. The company would not discuss how many jobs the smaller plant might create.

"This facility will serve as the warehouse, distribution, assembly and design center for HK Defense operations in North America," H&K President Peter Simon said in a statement. "To accommodate the special logistical and security requirements of HK Defense, the building will need several modifications, which will be made by local firms from the Columbus, Ga., area. We continue to hold an option on the original factory site."

Fryer said he anticipates working with H&K starting in July to begin hiring people to get the downsized plant operating. The pay range for some jobs will be $9 to $12 an hour, he said.

Hope on the horizon

Looking ahead, Fryer said Fort Benning should be a major job catalyst. The installation, through contractor Clark Pinnacle, will begin a 10-year, $615 million upgrade of post housing in January. That should push the area's contracting and supply businesses into overdrive.

The ace in the hole, however, will be the relocation of the U.S. Armor School from Fort Knox, Ky., to Fort Benning.

The move should change local labor-market dynamics. The post will gain about 10,000 soldiers and civilians through the Base Realignment and Closure process over the next two years. The process should be finalized in September with the flourish of an ink pen and President Bush's signature.

"It's going to greatly increase job-market activity and opportunities for entrepreneurship," Fryer said. "And it's going to put a lot of general labor people to work."
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Columbus
Army Contract and 500 New Jobs Up in the Air

It was almost 2 years ago when Heckler and Koch made the announcement it was coming to Columbus.

There was talk of million dollar investments and the possibility of 500 new jobs being created. But those economic dreams are being rudely awakened.

Pete Simons, President of Heckler and Koch Defense, says plans have changed. The company thought it was a shoo in for a now $32 million contract to build combat rifles. It bought land and a building in the technology park hoping to make a manufacturing center.

But now, the army has now opened up that contract to bidding meaning Heckler and Koch has to scale back it's plans.

Now the company is bringing it's distribution center here from Virginia, creating about 40 jobs.

The army will make it's decision on who gets the combat rifle contract sometime after this November.

Still ain't a "done deal".

[Spartan]

H&K has already broken ground on a new plant in Columbus, GA.

This is a done deal which has already been decided. There is no competition being considered.

"And it's going to put a lot of general labor people to work."

Still ain't a "done deal".

Yep, you're right about that. But if it's General Labor you're looking for - Georgia and Alabama should be at the top of any company's short list - right after Guatamala and Bangladesh.