The Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV): Background and Issues for Congress

The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle AMPV is the Armys proposed replacement to the Vietnam-era M-113 personnel carriers, which are still in service in a variety of support capacities in Armored Brigade Combat Teams ABCTs. While M-113s no longer serve as infantry fighting vehicles, five variants of the M-113 are used as command and control vehicles, general purpose vehicles, mortar carriers, and medical treatment and evacuation vehicles. An estimated 3,000 of these M-113 variants are currently in service with the Army. The AMPV is intended to be a vehicle integration or non-developmental program candidate vehicles will be either existing vehicles or modified existing vehicles -- not vehicles that are specially designed and not currently in service. Some suggest that a non-developmental vehicle might make it easier for the Army to eventually field this system to the force, as most of the Armys most recent developmental programs, such as the Future Combat System FCS, the Crusader self-propelled artillery system, and the Comanche helicopter were cancelled before they could be fully developed and fielded. The Army anticipates releasing a Request for Proposal RFP in mid-September 2013, followed by an Engineering and Manufacturing Development EMD contract award in May 2014. Full rate production could begin in FY2020, and the Army plans to procure 2,897 AMPVs however, these quantities could change if the Army further reduces its force structure. A potential issue for Congress is, should the AMPV be the Armys number one combat vehicle acquisition priority The Congressional Budget Office noted in a report that it might be advisable to make the replacement of M-113s with AMPVs the Armys first acquisition priority as opposed to developing the Ground Combat Vehicle GCV.