|
The AMPV (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a new tracked armored vehicle for U.S. Army designed, developed and manufactured by the Defense Company BAE Systems to replace the family of M113 used by U.S. Armed Forces since 1960. In December 2014, BAE Systems was awarded a 52-month contract covering the AMPV's engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) and low-rate initial production (LRIP) phases. Under the EMD phase, a total of 29 AMPVs in all five variants are to be delivered. The contract's LRIP phase will cover 289 vehicles, and under current plans it is expected that 2,907 AMPVs could be procured in five variants, each to replace versions of the M113A3 vehicle family. These are the 120 mm mortar carrier, mission command, medical evacuation, medical treatment, and general-purpose vehicles. The US Army has a requirement for 2,907 vehicles in five versions including 386 120 mm Mortar Carrier Vehicles, 993 Mission Command Vehicles, 790 Medical Evacuation Vehicles, 216 Medical Treatment Vehicles and 216 general purpose. At AUSA 2016, Association of U.S. Army Exhibition and Conference in October 2016, BAE Systems has announced that the first production vehicle of AMPV (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles) will be ready for October 2016. During this event, BAE Systems has presented a Medical Evacuation Vehicle of the AMPV family. The US Army will take the delivery of first batch of 29 AMPV in December 2016. December 16, 2016, the first armored multi-purpose vehicle rolled off the production line in York, Pennsylvania. In February 2019, the U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems two contract modifications worth up to $575 million for the low-rate initial production of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV).
|
|
- Mortar Carrier Vehicle: accommodates two crew, two mortar crew, a mounted 120 mm mortar, 69 rounds of 120 mm ammunition, two HMS radios, a SINCGARS radio, VIC-3, DVE, Duke v3, FBCB2/BFT and M95 Mortar Fire Control System.
- Mission Command Vehicle: is the cornerstone of the Army’s ABCT Network Modernization Strategy. It takes advantage of increased size, weight, power and cooling limitations and provides a significant increase in Command, Control, Communications and Computer capability. The variant accommodates a driver and commander and two workstation operators, and its red side Network provides full Tactical Command Post capabilities at brigade and battalion levels.
- Medical Evacuation Vehicle: includes room for three crew, six ambulatory patients or four litter patients or three ambulatory and two litter patients, two integrated HMS radios, VIC-3, DVE, DUKE v3, FBCB2/BFT and the storage for Medical Equipment Sets.
- Medical Treatment Vehicle: includes room for four crew, one litter patient, and a patient treatment table.
- General Purpose Vehicle: The General Purpose variant accommodates two crew, six passengers, is reconfigurable to carry one litter, mount crew served weapon, integrates two Joint Tactical Radio System Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit (HMS) or two Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), Vehicle Intercom (VIC)-3, Driver’s Vision Enhancer (DVE), Duke v3, and Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2)/Blue Force Tracker (BFT).
|
| Armament |
|
The first AMPV Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle delivered to the U.S. Army was fitted with a one-man open-top turret with armour plates on 360° including bulletproof windows armed with 12.7mm heavy machine gun. The turret is located on the left side in the raised roof of the vehicle. According to some other pictures released on Internet, the AMPV can also be fitted with a remotely operated weapon station.
|
| Design and protection |
The AMPV Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle is based on the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle platform with a similar layout but without any combat turret. The driver sits at the front of the vehicle on the left and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and four day periscopes, three to the front and one to the left side. The engine compartment is to the right of the driver. The troops compartment is at the rear of the hull. the soldiers enter and leave the vehicle through a large hydraulically operated ramp located at the rear of the hull. The rear part of the hull is raised from the position of the driver to offer more internal volume. There is one large hatch on the roof of the troops compartment which opens on the left. The hull of the AMPV is made of new all-welded aluminium armour with spaced laminate armour fitted to the hull. The front and each sides of the hull are fitted with explosive reactive armour to increase protection against anti-tank guided missiles and modern RPG's (Rocket-Propelled Grenade).
|
| Mobility |
The AMPV Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle is motorized with Cummins diesel engine developing 600 hp., that is common to another new BAE Systems built vehicle in the U.S. Army fleet, the M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer. The suspension system of the AMPV includes torsion bars, and on each side there are six dual rubber tired road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front and the idler at the rear. There are two track-return rollers that support the inside of the track only and one double roller. Hydraulic shock-absorbers are fitted to the first, second, third and sixth road wheel stations. The upper part of the suspension is protected on each side by armour plates. According the technical features of the Bradley IFV, the AMPV could run at a maximum road speed of 61 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 362 km. The fuel tanks are now fitted externally on each side at the rear of the hull.
|
| Accessories |
|
Standard equipment of the AMPV Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle could include NBC protection system, air conditioning, night vision, and fire suppression system. The AMPV General Purpose variant will be fitted with two Joint Tactical Radio System Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit (HMS) or two Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), Vehicle Intercom (VIC)-3, Driver’s Vision Enhancer (DVE), Duke v3, and Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2)/Blue Force Tracker (BFT). The AMPV software provides capabilities that include vehicle management, driver instrumentation, position navigation, vehicle diagnostics, commander's interface with joint battle command platform, and integrating with various external radios. The AMPV software resides and executes on the primary mounted family of computer system unit along with subset of the application on driver's smart display unit. It interfaces with major electronic units, power management diagnostic controller, tactical cross domain, environment control system, engine/transmission control system, battery management system, portable maintenance aid and other various sensors.
|
| |
| Specifications |
| Back to top |
|
Armament
|
|
For the family of AMP with M2495.56mm machine gun, M240 7.62mm machine gun, M2 12.7mm machine gun or MK-19 40mm automatic grenade launcher and 120 mm mortar
|
|
Country users
|
|
United States
|
|
Designer Country
|
|
United States
|
|
Accessories
|
|
NBC protection system, air conditioning, night vision, and fire suppression system.
|
|
Crew
|
|
2 + 6
|
|
|
Armor
|
|
All-welded aluminium armour and explosive reactive armour at the front and on each side of the hull.
a
a
|
|
Weight
|
|
34,000 to 36,000 kg
|
|
Speed
|
|
54 to 61 km/h maximum
|
|
Range
|
|
362 km
a
|
|
Dimensions
|
|
Length: ? m; Width: ? m; Height: ? m
|
|
|
|
| |
|
