https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated January 3, 2023
The Army’s Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)
Background
The Army describes the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle
(AMPV), a tracked support vehicle, in the following
section.
The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is
the replacement for the M-113 Family of Vehicles
(FoV) within the Armored Brigade Combat Team
(ABCT), comprising approximately 30% of its
tracked vehicle fleet. Five variants are planned:
The General Purpose (Figure 1) variant
accommodates two crew, six passengers, is
reconfigurable to carry one litter, mount crew
served weapons, and integrates a variety of
communications and battle management systems.
The Mortar Carrier variant accommodates two
crew members, two mortar crew members, one
mounted 120 mm mortar, 69 rounds of 120 mm
ammunition, and communications and fire control
systems.
The Mission Command variant is the cornerstone
of the Army’s ABCT Network Modernization
Strategy. It is intended to take advantage of
increased size, weight, power and cooling
technology and provide a significant increase in
command, control, communications and computer
capability. The variant accommodates a driver and
commander and two workstation operators, and its
network provides full tactical command post
capabilities at brigade and battalion levels.
The Medical Evacuation variant includes room for
three crew members, six ambulatory patients or four
litter patients or three ambulatory and two litter
patients, and storage for medical equipment.
The Medical Treatment variant includes room for
four crew members, one litter patient, and a patient
treatment table.
Figure 1. The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle
(AMPV) General Purpose Variant
Source: United States Army Acquisition Support Center,
https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/gcs-ampv/, accessed January
18, 2021.
Program Status
The AMPV is produced by BAE Systems in York, PA. On
January 25, 2019, the AMPV entered the low-rate initial
production phase (LRIP). The Army originally planned for
acquiring a total of 2,907 AMPVs, with initial vehicle
delivery in 2020. The AMPV program plans to replace
2,897 M113 vehicles at the brigade and below level within
the ABCT. There are an additional 1,922 M113s supporting
non-ABCT affiliated units (referred to as Echelons Above
Brigade [EAB] units) that are not included in the Army’s
modernization plan.
Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) is a programmatic
decision made when manufacturing development is completed
and there is an ability to produce a small-quantity set of
articles. It also establishes an initial production base and sets
the stage for a gradual increase in the production rate to
allow for Full-Rate Production (FRP) upon completion of
Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E).
Full-Rate Production (FRP) is a decision made that allows
for government contracting for economic production
quantities following stabilization of the system design and
validation of the production process.
Testing Deficiencies and Production Problems
During a limited user test (LUT) in FY2019, the
Department of Defense (DOD) Director of Operational Test
and Evaluation (DOT&E) and the Army Test and
Evaluation Command (ATEC) identified 24 items while
testing prototype AMPVs that BAE needed to correct and
have evaluated during the Initial Operational Test and
Evaluation (IOT&E) by the end of 2021. Reportedly, due to
BAE production challenges and effects of the Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, BAE did not meet
