The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a $797 million contract to begin full-rate production of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV).
With additional options, the contract could potentially reach a total amount of $1.6 billion.
The AMPV programme is entering full-rate production, marking it the first newly-designed and built tracked vehicle in the U.S. Army’s fleet to reach this stage in three decades.
Replacing the Vietnam War-era M113 family of vehicles, the AMPV provides critical upgrades in “mobility, survivability, interoperability and power” to the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT).
Jeremy Tondreault, president of the Platforms & Services sector at BAE Systems, commented, “Entering full-rate production is a momentous milestone in the lifecycle of a production program for both the U.S. Army and BAE Systems.” He further added, “The AMPV is the next generation replacement for the venerable M113, and we are proud that this critical capability is on its way to the men and women who need our most capable combat vehicles on the front lines.”
The AMPV program was initiated in 2014 when the U.S. Army first awarded BAE Systems the contract. A low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract was signed in 2018, with the first LRIP vehicle being delivered in August 2020.
Isn’t odd that the U.S. trust Bae with military vehicles but we have to go for a Spanish/U.S. company cock up.
Following the “Nimrod” saga, it appeared to be that for major projects the mantra withing MOD was “anyone but BAe”, hence the Ajax fiasco. Then they gave the Warrior upgrade to Lockheed, and as a result BAe Land Systems effectively went down hill apart from supplying spare parts. And as we now know, Rheinmetall now has a big stake in the old BAe Land Division
I too certainly heard of the ‘anyone but BAE’ mantra. If true, then that was so blinkered.
I was a REME officer for 34 years. I never had any significant issues with vehicles made by BAE or the companies subsequently absorbed by BAE. They mostly made families of vehicles that met the requirement, at reasonable price and designed, developed, tested and manufactured within a reasonable time frame.
Like you I did 22 yrs in the REME, and as you say, the Alvis CVRT family, GKN Warrior series, plus MBTs and other Heavy armour: AVLB, ARV, ARRV and AVRE all came from the BAe family. Sadly they were then left to wither on the vine as MOD put on their blinkers. People forgot that but for the early involvement of Alvis in the Boxer project, the vehicle wouldn’t have the reliability and maintainability that it currently has. Again shorted sighted withdrawal from that project has left us with no real say in what we will soon be getting. Years of experience in both design and manufacturing fell by the way side.
Many British AFVs were not upgraded in a regular and significant way during their service life, with exceptions obviously. The least modified over the last 20 years were CR2, AS90 and Warrior. All very regrettable.