New mortar AMPV variant prototype to make exhibition debut late 2024 (7. Dezember 2023)
The newly designed 120 mm mortar variant of the Armoured Multi Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) will make its debut at the annual Maneuver Warfighter Conference in September 2024, Bill Sheehy, AMPV programme director at BAE Systems told Janes on 30 November.
BAE Systems first told Janes in September that it was delivering the prototype for Patria's 120 mm New Mortar (NEMO) and Kongsberg turret programme in January 2024. The prototype is still on track for first delivery, and the army plans to perform a live-fire demonstration at the September conference to show off its progress, Sheehy said in an interview.
The prototype represents BAE System's first official foray into broadening AMPV configurations, which the company hopes will highlight the flexibility of the platform. The turret is attached to the vehicle using the Ex-MEP (Mission Equipment Package), which can accommodate most remotely operated weapons stations.
BAE Systems also recently performed the first live-fire demonstration for the counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UASs) variant on 15 November, Sheehy said. The company was asked by the army to build the prototype for the mortar AMPV after the C-UAS variant was already in development, he added.
Just over a year ago I challenged a small group of people to design, develop, integrate and demonstrate a 30mm C-UAS capability on an AMPV. Last week they finished the task. From start to finish, it only took them 15 months.
On 15 Nov, at the Big Sandy range in AZ the industry team of BAE Systems, Moog, Rada, and Northrup drove the same AMPV you saw at #AUSA2023 on to the range and began to devour all types of targets at all types of ranges: stationary ground targets, movers, and most impressively tiny quad copter drones.
In that short time the BAE Systems team developed an external mission equipment package (ExMEP), or universal top plate, that enables the AMPV to host 30+ different turrets.
Then, our team linked up with Moog and incorporated the Moog RIwP turret that is used on M-SHORAD.
The BAE team showed it to you at AUSA in Oct23 and then successfully fired it in Nov23 -- but that’s not the end. Currently, there is a 120mm turreted mortar integrated on an AMPV in our prototype shop. More to come on that soon…
