General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, has released the first photo of the newest medium-weight, large-caliber Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) combat vehicle. The MPF program is designed to provide a mobile, protected, direct, offensive fire capability across the spectrum of terrains and operations for the army’s Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT).

MPF Combat Vehicle (Picture source: General Dynamics Land Systems)

During this year’s GDLS Canada Supplier Conference in London, the company has released some presentation that included the first confirmed photo of their MPF Bid Sample combat vehicle and 3D visualization of the MPF prototype. The new vehicle is intended for the support of U.S. Army infantry brigades.

The U.S. Army expects that new MPF will be a 38-ton tracked armored vehicle capable to provide soldiers with speed, protection, lethality and the ability to wage a multidomain battle, working in concert with other ground forces to overwhelm the enemy with multiple simultaneous challenges. The new “light tank” will have improved armor and a 120 mm main gun that looks like the Abrams’ 120mm cannon. It is expected that MPF’s turret will be a scaled-down version of the M1A2 Abrams turret designed to engage in combat with tanks and other armored vehicles. Some sources reported that the new vehicle will be equipped with 105mm cannon and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

According to a recent report released by Army News Service, the U.S. military expects to receive about 500 MPFs, which it will start fielding in fiscal 2025. Each infantry brigade combat team will get their own 14-vehicle company for armor support. One vendor will be chosen to begin producing the vehicles in fiscal 2022.

According to our latest coverage about MPF program during AUSA, the Association of United States Army exhibition and conference that was held in Washington D.C. in October 2019, 

The Army Acquisition Objective for MPF is 504 vehicles, with 14 MPFs per IBCT. The targeted fielding for the First Unit Equipped is Fiscal Year 2025. General Dynamics Land Systems will now provide 12 preproduction vehicles and two ballistic hulls and turrets scheduled for March-September 2020.

The design of the General Dynamics MPF light tank is conventional with the driver and engine at the front and the turret located at the rear of the hull. The turret has a crew of three including commander, gunner and loader. The turret architecture is based on the M1 Abrams tank using the M1A2 Sep V3 fire control system and CITV (Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer) armed with one 105 mm cannon. One 12.7mm heavy machine gun is mounted on the commander hatch.

The General Dynamics MPF tank is motorized with a Diesel engine. The hydraulic pneumatic suspension of each side consists of six road wheels.