The U.S. Army will test an armored multipurpose vehicle demonstrator BAE Systems built as part of a contract to replace the military branch’s fleet of M113 armored personnel carriers.BAE was awarded a potential $1.2 billion contract in December 2014 to support the development, engineering, manufacturing and low-rate initial production of AMPVs for the military branch.
The Army said Friday the company could produce several hundred units of the vehicle for testing in the next four years if the military branch approves the LRIP option of the contract.
The AMPV is designed to address survivability, force protection, size, weight, power and cooling requirements as well as integrate with the network and future technologies of the Army.
Maj. Gen. David Bassett, program executive officer for ground combat systems at the Army, said combat vehicles basically act as a box that contains communications, lethality and mobility systems.
The branch also works to conceptualize a new suite of mobile protected firepower to address a need for a light tank of infantry brigade combat teams.
