Tag Archives: ABCT

Ground Forces

Multi-Purpose Vehicle

BAE Systems received a $797 million contract to continue production of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) for the U.S. Army, with additional options for a potential total contract amount of $1.6 billion.

Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)
U.S. Army awards BAE Systems $797 million contract to begin full rate production of Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle

This award brings the AMPV program into full-rate production, making it the first newly-designed and built tracked vehicle in the U.S. Army’s fleet to reach this production stage in three decades.

The AMPV replaces the U.S. Army’s fleet of Vietnam War-era M113 family of vehicles. The multi-mission AMPV family of vehicles provides critical survivability, mobility, and interoperability upgrades to the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT).

«Entering full-rate production is a momentous milestone in the lifecycle of a production program for both the U.S. Army and BAE Systems», said Jeremy Tondreault, president of the Platforms & Services sector at BAE Systems. «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 is one of the U.S. Army’s top vehicle modernization programs. The Army first awarded BAE Systems the AMPV contract in 2014 and signed a Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract in 2018. The first LRIP vehicle was delivered in August 2020.

The multi-mission AMPV family of vehicles includes:

  • General Purpose vehicle: operates throughout the battle space to conduct resupply, maintenance, and an alternate casualty evacuation from point of injury;
  • Mortar Carrier: provides immediate and responsive heavy mortar fire support to the ABCT in the conduct of fast-paced offensive operations;
  • Medical Evacuation vehicle: enables immediate treatment or evacuation at the point of injury for both ambulatory and litter casualties;
  • Medical Treatment vehicle: serves as a first of its kind «operating room on tracks» to deliver life-sustaining care to soldiers suffering from life-threatening injuries;
  • Mission Command vehicle: facilitates digital mission command, providing tools that enable command, control, and communications capabilities on the battlefield.

The AMPV is specifically designed to accommodate future technology needs, including enhanced size, weight, and power provisions for network integration and future mission payloads. This gives our formations a support vehicle that enables mission achievement today, and a highly capable vehicle that can maneuver with the ABCT in the toughest terrain ready to integrate future technology and capabilities. The vehicles have completed dozens of tests through the Army, to ensure Soldiers are receiving a safe, combat-ready platform.

Work on the AMPV program takes place across BAE Systems’ industrial network, which includes facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Anniston, Alabama; Phoenix, Arizona; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and York, Pennsylvania.

Ground Forces

Multi-Purpose Vehicle

March 13, 2023, the U.S. Army completed initial deliveries of its newest combat vehicle at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

AMPV
The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, received the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), signifying the completion of the Army’s First Unit Equipped for the platform (Dan Heaton, Public Affairs, Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross Functional Team)

The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, received the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), signifying the completion of the Army’s First Unit Equipped for the platform.

«The AMPV is a major piece of Army modernization», said Major General Glenn Dean, Program Executive Officer (PEO) for the Army’s ground combat platforms. «The platform offers Soldiers better protection and survivability, and completing First Unit Equipped is a major milestone that could not have been accomplished without the entire Army and industry team».

AMPV is the replacement for the M113 Family of Vehicles within the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), comprising approximately 30 percent of its tracked vehicle fleet. The Army’s worldwide fleet of AMPVs will include nearly 3,000 vehicles delivered within the next 20 years.

«Working with the PEO Ground Combat Systems (GCS) and others, we’ve been able to accelerate getting AMPV into the hands of our Soldiers», said Brigadier General Geoffrey Norman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross Functional Team. «AMPV is a more rugged, reliable and capable platform than the M113s that it replaces, bringing more capability to our ABCTs and allowing our formations to transform how they are able to fight».

There are five variants of the AMPV that provide Soldiers with improvements in survivability, protection, weight, size, power, cooling and compatibility with future technologies.

The AMPV shares a common powertrain and suspension with the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and the M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, which reduces logistical and mechanical burdens among ABCTs.

«The U.S. Army is transforming our ABCT through integration of improved technology with warfighting concepts across the force. These modernization efforts increase our capacity to deter adversaries and if necessary, fight and win in combat», said Colonel Peter Moon, commander, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. «We look forward to the capabilities that AMPV will bring to the battlefield to ensure we remain lethal and ready to win the fight».

The AMPV is produced by BAE Systems in York, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Army’s «24 in 23» Modernization Signature Systems to be in the hands of Soldiers in fiscal year 2023. The APMV program’s development, production and fielding is managed by Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems and the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team, both headquartered in Warren, Michigan.

ABCT
First Unit Equipped, 3-69 Armor, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Major Patrick M. Connelly, Public Affairs Officer, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division)

 

VARIANTS

The M1283 General Purpose (GP) provides protected maneuver for soldiers alongside ABCT combat vehicles during tactical operations and provides support to the infantry squad during mounted/dismounted assault during tactical operations. The GP variant accommodates two crew and four Soldiers and is reconfigurable to carry one litter.

The M1284 Medical Evacuation variant supports the ABCT integration of medical support and CASEVAC as an integrated part of the networked combat forward formation, enhancing the organic medics who ride with and accompany cavalry units during mounted and dismounted operations. Crew capacity is for three crew members, and a reconfigurable crew compartment that accommodates four litter casualties, six ambulatory (sitting) casualties, or a combination of two litter and three ambulatory casualties.

The M1285 Medical Treatment (MT) variant integrates advanced medical treatment in a mobile surgery suite to the ABCT. The MT hosts four crew members, which includes a medic and Physician Assistant or Unit Surgeon, and a treatment table that can serve to carry one litter patient. The vehicle also hosts the capability for onboard medical equipment for casualty care.

The M1286 Mission Command (MCmd) variant is the cornerstone of the Army’s ABCT Network Modernization Strategy. It takes advantage of increased size, weight, power, and cooling and provides a significant increase in Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4/ISR) capability. The variant accommodates two crew members, and three workstation operators, and its hosted network provides full Tactical Command Post capabilities at brigade and battalion levels.

The M1287 Mortar Carrier (MC) provides immediate, responsive, heavy mortar fire support to the ABCT in the conduct of fast paced offensive operations by utilizing the M121 Mortar System and M95 Mortar Fire Control System. The MC variant accommodates four Soldiers, one vehicle crew member and three mortar crew members.

Ground Forces

Self-propelled howitzer

The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a $249 million contract modification to complete an additional 60 Paladin M109A7 self-propelled howitzers that will bring improved artillery capabilities to the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs).

BAE Systems receives order from U.S. Army for additional Paladin M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers

«We are excited about the opportunity to continue bringing new howitzers and increased survivability to our soldiers», said Jeremy Tondreault, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Combat Vehicles. «The M109A7 positions the Army to execute its current mission with confidence and support its future needs and requirements as long range precision fires evolve».

The award exercises options on an existing low-rate production contract and includes the completion of an additional 60 M992A3 Carrier, Ammunition, Tracked (CAT) vehicles to accompany the Paladin M109A7.

The Paladin M109A7 and the CAT vehicle sets provide increased commonality across the ABCT, and have significant built-in growth potential in terms of electrical power and weight carrying capacity. The vehicle design includes a new chassis, engine, transmission, suspension, steering system, a new high voltage architecture and improved survivability, while the vehicle’s cannon remains the same as that of an M109A6 Paladin.

The Paladin M109A7 is supported by the Army as a vital technology enhancement program to maintain the combat capability of its ABCTs. It will solve long-term readiness and modernization needs of the M109 family of vehicles through a critical redesign and production plan that leverages the most advanced technology available today. This state-of-the-art «digital backbone» and power generation capability provides a more robust, survivable, and responsive indirect fire support capability for ABCT Soldiers. The Paladin M109A7 is a significant upgrade over the Paladin M109A6 as it restores space, weight, and power cooling, while providing significant growth potential for emerging technologies.

The initial contract was awarded in 2017. This most recent order brings the total number of vehicle sets – Paladin M109A7 howitzers and M992A3 ammunition carriers – to 156, and the total contract value to $1.16 billion.

Work on the Paladin M109A7 will take place at several facilities within the Company’s combat vehicles manufacturing network including: Aiken, South Carolina; Elgin, Oklahoma; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and, York, Pennsylvania.

Ground Forces

Fighting Vehicle

The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract modification worth up to $269 million for continued production of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV).

U.S. Army extends contract for Bradley Fighting Vehicle upgrades

The award for an additional 168 upgraded Bradley A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicles is part of the Army’s combat vehicle modernization strategy and helps ensure force readiness of the Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT).

The Bradley A4 is equipped with an enhanced powertrain that maximizes mobility and increases engine horsepower, providing rapid movement in reaction to combat or other adverse situations. Wide angle Driver’s Vision Enhancer, improved Force XXI Battle Command Bridge and Below (FBCB2) software integration improves friendly and enemy vehicle identification, enhancing situational awareness. The addition of a High Speed Slip Ring, greater network connectivity and Smart Displays that simultaneously display classified and unclassified information also improve situational awareness.

«The Bradley is one of the most critical vehicles in the Army’s ABCT today because it allows the Army to transport troops to the fight, and provide covering fire to suppress enemy vehicles and troops», said Scott Davis, vice president of combat vehicle programs for BAE Systems. «Upgrading to the A4 configuration provides soldiers with more power to increase their speed and ability to integrate enhanced technology to ensure they maintain the advantage on the battlefield».

Previously awarded funding for initial production of 164 Bradley A4 vehicles allowed BAE Systems to begin production. The award of this option brings the total production funding to $578 million. It includes upgrades and associated spares of two Bradley variants: the M2A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M7A4 Fire Support Team Vehicle.

BAE Systems is a premiere supplier of combat vehicles to the U.S. military and international customers. The company has an extensive manufacturing network across the United States and continues to invest in it. Work on the program will take place at Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, and BAE Systems’ facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Anniston, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and York, Pennsylvania.