BAE deliver first production Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle to US Army

The first Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) has driven off the BAE Systems production line to be delivered to the U.S. Army.

The AMPV is central to the US Army’s modernisation plans and comes in five variants to meet a wide range of missions across the battlefield, say BAE.

“Finalizing the first AMPV for delivery marks a major milestone for the program and the U.S. Army,” said Bill Sheehy, AMPV program director for BAE Systems’ Ground Vehicles product line.

“The AMPV is designed to meet the Army’s missions for the Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT), and lay the foundation for the future of the battlefield.”

Identified by the US Army as a top priority for safety and survivability, the AMPV family provides the Army with a highly survivable and mobile fleet of vehicles that address a critical need to replace the Vietnam War-era M113s and maneuver with the ABCT in challenging terrain on the front lines.

The Mission Command vehicle will be the first vehicle delivered and is the cornerstone of the Army’s ABCT Network Modernisation Strategy. BAE say that the vehicle facilitates digital mission command, taking advantage of increased volume, protection, power and cooling capabilities.

The other variants in the AMPV family include:

• the General Purpose vehicle: operates throughout the battle space to conduct resupply, maintenance, and alternate casualty evacuation from point of injury;
• the Mortar Carrier: provides immediate, and responsive, heavy mortar fire support to the ABCT in the conduct of fast-paced offensive operations;
• the Medical Evacuation vehicle: enables immediate treatment or evacuation at the point of injury to either ambulatory or litter casualties;
• the Medical Treatment vehicle: is the first of its kind, serving as an “operating room on tracks” for life-sustaining care to Soldiers suffering from life-threatening injuries.