The US Army intends to allocate $250 million to acquire 50 additional Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) to replace vehicles previously transferred to Ukraine.
According to Inside Defense, citing the Pentagon’s latest reconciliation spending proposal submitted to Congress, the contract award could occur as soon as March. Produced by BAE Systems, the AMPV is designed to succeed the aging M113 armored personnel carrier, which has been in service since the 1960s.
A January 2025 US Department of Defense fact sheet states that at least 900 M113s have been delivered to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. While the initial funding plan called for the purchase of 38 AMPVs, reduced per-unit costs have enabled the Army to increase the procurement target to 50 vehicles.
AMPV Procurement Overview
The AMPV is set to replace the M113 within Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs), where it will comprise about 30 percent of the tracked vehicle inventory, operating alongside the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and the M1 Abrams main battle tank.
The broader AMPV program seeks to replace 2,897 M113s at brigade level and below within ABCTs. The planned fleet includes 522 general-purpose variants, 216 medical treatment vehicles, 790 medical evacuation vehicles, 993 mission command variants, and 386 mortar carrier configurations.
Low-rate initial production commenced in January 2019, with the first vehicles delivered in March 2023. In September 2023, the Army awarded BAE Systems a $797-million full-rate production contract for the initial batch, potentially rising to $1.6 billion. A further $754.3-million contract followed on March 13, 2024, with deliveries scheduled through February 2027.
Production rates are planned to increase to 131 vehicles annually starting in fiscal year 2024 and continue at least through fiscal 2027.
Vehicle Capabilities
Built to operate in modern threat environments that include top-attack weapons, loitering munitions, and heavy artillery, the AMPV can be fitted with either a protected turret or a remote weapon station armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun or Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher for protected suppressive fire.
The platform features a fully welded aluminum armored hull with blast-resistant coatings on the sides and front. Derived from the turretless chassis of the M2 Bradley, the vehicle measures roughly 6 meters in length and is powered by a 600-horsepower Cummins diesel engine.
It can reach speeds exceeding 60 kilometers per hour and has an operational range of more than 360 kilometers.
