Objectives

The primary objective is to acquire a fully automated, single-operator cleaning system engineered specifically for military field deployment. The system aims to preserve the operational readiness of 155 mm artillery platforms by efficiently removing fouling from complex rifling patterns, minimizing operator exposure to hazardous chemicals, and ensuring environmental compliance through complete fluid containment and recovery.

Scope

The tender encompasses the design, manufacturing, testing, and delivery of the G6 Automatic Barrel Cleaning System. This includes all mechanical, electrical, software, and optical subsystems, along with a dedicated protective transport container. The scope extends to comprehensive technical documentation, a minimum 24-month warranty, and guaranteed spare parts and technical support availability for at least 10 years. The solution must be ruggedized for harsh operational environments, rapidly deployable, and fully compliant with stringent military safety and performance standards.

Technical Requirements

• General & Mechanical: Suitable for military field use. Must clean both Progressive (Gain Twist) and Uniform (Constant Twist) rifling. Utilizes a combined steel and nylon brush assembly (≥200 mm length) maintaining continuous circumferential contact, with automatic dual-direction retraction.
• Fluid Management: Fully automatic dispensing directly to the brushes. Features a refillable reservoir allowing uninterrupted cleaning cycles. Used fluid is piped to an external container, preventing contamination of the weapon platform or surrounding environment. Must be compatible with recognized cleaning agents.
• Automation & Control: End-to-end automation for fluid application, cleaning motion, fluid recovery, and brush extraction. Requires zero operator intervention once initiated.
• Human-Machine Interface (HMI): Onboard colour touchscreen LCD displaying mode selection, real-time progress, system status, and fault diagnostics.
• Inspection System: Integrated high-resolution camera providing live video feed, automatic recording/storage of images and video, and capability for both in-process and post-cleaning inspection on the main display.
• Cleaning Modes: Four selectable modes: Normal, Intensive, Preservation, and De-preservation.
• Electrical & Connectivity: Dual power input (24 VDC and 220 VAC) with battery monitoring, reverse polarity protection, and electrical/motor overload safeguards. Mandatory Wi-Fi for data transfer; Bluetooth and USB are desirable.
• Physical & Transport: Stored length ≤800 mm. All components must fit within a single protective case measuring ≤1100 mm (L) × 350 mm (W) × 250 mm (H), suitable for military vehicle transport and single-person handling.
• Performance & Reliability: Setup and repacking each ≤10 minutes. Normal cleaning cycle ≤20 minutes. Zero fluid spillage. Requires 500 cleaning cycles before scheduled maintenance (routine lubrication/cleaning excluded). Wear parts must be user-replaceable.
• Safety: Equipped with brush jam detection, motor overload protection, and automatic fault shutdown protocols.
• Documentation & Support: Provision of operator and maintenance manuals, minimum 24-month warranty, and guaranteed spare parts/technical support availability for at least 10 years.

Skills Requirements

Bidders must demonstrate proven expertise in designing ruggedized military-grade electromechanical systems. Required competencies include advanced mechanical engineering for precision brushing mechanisms, industrial automation and embedded control programming, fluid dynamics and containment engineering, embedded HMI and camera system integration, and robust safety protocol implementation. Contractors should also possess experience in producing comprehensive technical documentation, managing long-term logistics for spare parts, and delivering warranty-backed after-sales support within defence sectors. Familiarity with military specifications and field-deployable equipment standards is essential.

Clarification of Specialised Terms

• Gain Twist vs. Constant Twist Rifling: Gain twist refers to a barrel rifling pattern where the rate of twist increases progressively from the breech to the muzzle, stabilizing projectiles more effectively. Constant twist maintains a uniform rotation rate throughout the barrel. The system must accommodate both geometries.
• Preservation & De-preservation Modes: Preservation applies a specialized protective coating to the barrel interior to prevent corrosion during extended storage or transit. De-preservation reverses this process, safely removing the coating to restore the barrel to a firing-ready state.