Palantir subsidiary wins $50 million contract for software that tracks Army ammo supplies
The Army is paying a subsidiary of Palantir Technologies nearly $50 million for a software system to help the service manage its ammunition supply.
The technology will replace nine ammo tracking systems currently in use, officials said.
The Army relies on hundreds of ammunition types, from small-arms cartridges to large artillery shells and tactical missiles. They include varieties for combat, training, blanks and tracer rounds.
“This award is the culmination of a competitive three-phrase selection process completed in just six weeks, demonstrating the Army’s commitment to inject speed and agility into the defense acquisition process,” the Army said last week in a statement.
Maintaining a steady supply of advanced ammunition is a big concern due to the heavy usage in the Iran war, according to a recent report by the Pentagon’s inspector general.
The companies competing for the contract were evaluated on several key capabilities, including integrating data from the current ammo management systems and the ability to support troops in the field operating in disconnected or low-bandwidth environments, Army officials said.
The contract with California-based Palantir USG sets up a 12-month base period to develop and field the software system’s core capabilities. It provides up to five optional years to support continuous optimization and scaling, Army officials said.
The new software will feature commercial low-code, no-code technology to help soldiers track munitions across the entire lifecycle, from planning and production to storage and final distribution.
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“Ultimately, this system is one element to modernize overall ammunition systems, retire legacy systems, and improve audit readiness,” Army officials said.