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.)
By Matthew Beinart |
@mbeinart22
1 year ago |
09/01/2023
highlights

The Army has officially awarded BAE Systems a full-rate production (FRP) contract for the new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), which may be worth up to $1.6 billion.  

The FRP deal is initially worth $797 million, and includes a $432.6 million AMPV order along with earlier contract modifications for long-lead materials totaling $365.3 million.

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.)

“Entering full-rate production is a momentous milestone in the lifecycle of a production program for both the U.S. Army and BAE Systems,” Jeremy Tondreault, president of BAE Systems’ platforms and services sector, said in a statement. “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 number of AMPVs covered under the FRP deal has not been disclosed, with the contract potentially totaling $1.6 billion if additional options are picked up. 

The Army last month confirmed to Defense Daily the AMPV program had been approved for FRP, with deliveries under the pending contract award expected to begin in January 2025 and be completed in March 2026 (Defense Daily, Aug. 7). 

BAE Systems’ AMPV is the Army’s replacement for its legacy M113 armored personnel carriers, with the service reaching the “first unit equipped” marker for the new platform in March (Defense Daily, March 14).

“Given the scope and scale of the M113 Family of Vehicles within the [Armored Brigade Combat Teams], the AMPV is a significant investment decision for the Army,” Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer for ground combat systems, said in a statement on Friday. “The platform offers soldiers better protection and survivability.”

The Army has previously said it’s working toward a goal of annually delivering “a brigade and a half” worth of AMPVs within two years, which would include BAE Systems increasing production from 12 to around 16 vehicles per month.

Jim Miller, BAE Systems’ vice president of business development for combat mission systems, previously detailed efforts to expand production capacity for AMPV at its York, Pennsylvania production facility, to include investing $250 million into the plant and moving around other manufacturing activities (Defense Daily, March 31).