Photo By Sgt. Bernabe Lopez | A row of Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPV) sit in a motorpool for issue and...... read more read more
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FORT STEWART, Ga. – The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (3rd ID), is the second brigade in the Army to receive the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPV) and is currently undergoing familiarization and training to prepare Soldiers on the next generation of tracked combat vehicles in accordance with the Army’s key initiatives for lethality, readiness and modernization.
The AMPV is the U.S. Army’s program to replace the legacy fleet of Vietnam War-era M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, and integrate them into Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT) throughout the Army to operate alongside vehicles such as the M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tank and the M2A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
“AMPV started out because the Army was looking for a program for a Bradley derivative as a new platform to replace legacy M113s to increase survivability and force protection, and the Soldiers operating the vehicles,” said Lt. Col. Nathaniel Costa, the Product Manager for the AMPV.
The need to replace the M113s led to the program’s founding with the AMPV design beginning in 2014. The AMPV adds further capabilities to a formation with five variants of the vehicle – the Medical Evacuation Vehicle, the Medical Treatment Vehicle, the Mortar Carrier, the General Purpose Vehicle and the Mission Command Vehicle – and enhances opportunities for Soldiers to be more lethal on the battlefield.
Before, Abrams and Bradleys would remain in the front and M113s generally in the rear due to performance differences; however, the AMPV can keep up with a formation across an ABCT and maintain consistency.
“We’re still relatively new to the force with our second unit starting fielding and training in the Army, but the first unit [1st ABCT, 3rd ID] just completed their rotation at the National Training Center (NTC) and feedback coming from that unit is that the AMPV performed really well,” said Costa. “Being able to keep up with the maneuver units as well as the missions they were providing for the Medical Evacuation Vehicles to do those casualty evacuation missions that occurred as the maneuver force was operating to clear objectives, and for the mission command aspect for having established those command posts to then control the battlefield.”
Overall performance of the AMPV exceeds the legacy M113s. From enhanced capabilities to operational effectiveness based on 1st ABCT’s NTC rotation, and increased survivability and adaptability that allows crewmembers to play a key role on the battlefield.
“Based on the variant used, each one can perform different types of tasks although it still has the same mobility based on what the vehicle can do,” said Charles Bailey, the Operator New Equipment Training Team Lead on the AMPV. “The speed is better than that of the M113, and the capability of the vehicle is designed to keep up with the [Abrams] tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles itself.”
The AMPVs represent a significant advancement and impact towards lethality, readiness and modernization by recognizing the importance of capabilities and effectiveness to operate alongside modern combat vehicles that the M113s could not keep up with.
“As threats continue to evolve, our formations need to modernize to maintain the pace of the future involving threats,” said Col. Daniel Ramos, the Product Manager for Mounted Armored Vehicles. “You can either go playing checkers or chess, and with the inclusion of the AMPVs and continuing modernization across the Army, the Army is going in a positive direction towards playing the chess game where one reacts and we counteract to anticipate the moves in future fights across the world.”
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.10.2024 13:46 |
| Story ID: | 480277 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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