An Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle drives into a pit. Not long thereafter an improvised explosive device lying underneath detonates. Those present wait to see what happens next. Will the AMPV’s tracks start turning to climb out of the pit? Or is the combat vehicle unable to move, too severely damaged by the IED?
Such has been the testing the AMPV Family of Vehicles has gone through over the past several months. In each of the 12 rigorous tests conducted by the U.S. Army so far, the AMPVs have passed with flying colors, either meeting or exceeding the testing requirements and driving out of the test pit.
The testing is meant to show that the AMPV is survivable and can withstand the toughest situations to keep Soldiers as safe as possible in combat zones. Vehicles produced in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the program have completed Army testing.
“We have worked comprehensively to ensure the AMPV family of vehicles is designed and manufactured with the latest technology,” said Scott Davis, vice president of BAE Systems’ Ground Vehicles. “We have integrated technologies into our AMPV engineering and manufacturing process such as robotic welding, digital X-ray, and advanced large-scale machining to allow the Army to provide the capability necessary to protect our warfighters.”
Live fire testing is crucial because it proves survivability solutions and instills confidence in Army Soldiers that these new vehicles will protect them in real combat. It also gives BAE Systems an opportunity to validate the vehicles’ robust survivability and force protection measures before full-rate production and fielding to Soldiers who will have to fight from these vehicles in the most dangerous scenarios.
On the cutting edge
The AMPV Family of Vehicles provides significant improvements in power, mobility, interoperability, and survivability for the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) over the legacy M113 family of vehicles.
Its mobility and armored protection allows it to operate on the front lines with other fighting vehicles in the ABCT, unlike the Vietnam War-era M113s the AMPVs are replacing.
The AMPV is designed to adapt to new technology as it evolves, including enhanced power generation for next generation electronics and network connectivity. This growth capability gives the Army a combat vehicle that helps them achieve missions today, and that can fight and survive in the toughest terrain and against all enemies well into the future.
“The AMPV was designed from the bottom up to be adaptable and flexible to support the integration of new technologies so it will remain on the cutting edge throughout its lifetime,” Davis said.
A Family of vehicles
The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) brings five mission role variants to the battlefield:
- The General Purpose vehicle operates throughout the battle space to conduct resupply, maintenance, and alternate casualty evacuation from point of injury.
- The Mission Command vehicle is the cornerstone of the U.S. Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) Network Modernization Strategy. It facilitates digital mission command and takes advantage of increased size, weight, power, and cooling limitations and provides a significant increase in command, control, communications and computer capability.
- The Mortar Carrier vehicle 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 works in tandem with the Medical Evacuation variant, serving as an operating room on tracks to provide life-sustaining care to Soldiers immediately.
