BAE Systems is displaying a new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) variant at the Association of the US Army 2023 show, held in Washington, DC, from 9-11 October, in the form of the AMPV Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) prototype.
Built on the same chassis as the existing AMPV family of vehicles, the CUAS variant features a new External Mission Equipment Package (ExMEP) interchangeable top plate, which enhances the AMPV hull structure and provides flexibility to quickly integrate other mission equipment. For its ‘drone-busting’ mission the CUAS variant features the Moog Reconfigurable Integrated weapons Platform (RIwP) turret, which is common to the US Army’s Mobile Short Range Aid Defense (M-SHORAD) system. The RIwP is a proven, modular and scalable remote turret that offers air defence, anti-armour, or multi-mission capabilities depending on the weapons integrated onto it.
The CUAS variant also has mission-ready command-and-control systems beyond those fitted to the current AMPV fleet.
“The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle truly lays the foundation of the future of the battlefield for decades to come,” Bill Sheehy, BAE Systems’ AMPV programme director, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We designed these vehicles with modularity and flexibility, providing an adaptable and ready-for-growth platform. Showcasing the art of the possible with the ExMEP enhancement and CUAS capability at AUSA is just the beginning of opportunities beyond the current family of vehicles. This vehicle will continue to provide the support soldiers need in battle, no matter the mission.”
The AMPV programme was awarded a full-rate production contract in August 2023. It is intended to replace the US Army’s M113 family of tracked armoured vehicles.
