AUSA, Washington DC: The centrepiece of BAE Systems Land and Armaments presentation was the Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). In an earlier release the company announced its delivery and acceptance by the US Army of the first production system on 21 August, 2020.
The AMPV is replacing the M113 family by providing a ‘next generation, highly survivable tracked vehicle to fill a wide range of supporting mission tasks’. It is designed in five variants including troop carrier, mission command, mortar carrier, and both medical treatment and medical evacuation roles.
Intended for fielding in the Armoured Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT), it will operate in conjunction with the M1 Abrams main battle tank, M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and M109 self-propelled howitzer.
A company spokesperson stated: “By levering the proven components of the most recent updates in the Bradley and M107A7 self-propelled howitzer, AMPV offers equivalent mobility, performance, reliability, interoperability and high parts commonality within the ABCT.”
The first production delivery is part of a low rate production contact awarded in 2018 for 450 vehicles. This first vehicle is the Mission Command version which is a key piece of the Army’s ABCT Network Modernisation Strategy. It will fill provide tactical command post capabilities at battalion and brigade level.
The Army ordered 131 vehicles in 2018 and 197 in 2019 as initial production while testing continued. First units are to be equipped with the AMPV by the end of 2021.
