The U.S. Army this December is expected to begin testing the "Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)," a heavily armored and more survival armored personnel carrier (APC) that will carry infantry in support of M1-Abrams tanks and M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles in a future war.

AMPC will replace the venerable but outdated M113 APC that saw extensive service during the Vietnam War. If it passes extensive multi-year trials, the AMPC will become the army's new "battle taxi." The army plans to order 2,900 AMPVs, each of which can carry a crew of two plus six soldiers.

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BAE Systems, makers of the AMPV, will deliver 29 of the next-generation infantry vehicles to undergo 52 months of engineering and manufacturing tests. In December 2014, BAE was awarded a $383 million contract to begin the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) phase that will lead to the production of the 29 test vehicles.

Besides being battle taxis, AMPVs will conduct resupply; perform battle command functions; deliver organic indirect fires; provide logistics support and medical treatment and perform medical and casualty evacuation.

"At the end of the day, a combat vehicle is about a box," said AMPV program director Maj. Gen. David Bassett.

"(Inside, are the latest) mobility system, lethality system, communications system and some other things. If you can take all those and put them on an existing vehicle, then maybe you don't have to build a whole new vehicle from scratch, along with the risk associated with that kind of development."

The army plans to build five AMPV versions: a General Purpose troop carrier; a Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV) for ambulatory and litter patients; a Medical Treatment Vehicle (MTV) with medical equipment; a Mortar Carrier Vehicle (MCV) mounting a 120 mm mortar and a Mission Command (MCmd), which is a mobile command post.

AMPVs are to move as rapidly as M1s and Bradleys in an armored brigade combat team during unified land operations over multiple terrain sets with superior force protection, survivability, and mobility than the M113.

TagsArmored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, AMPV, M1-Abrams, M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, BAE Systems