BAE Systems has now delivered 20 Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) to the US Army but the service has again delayed the fleet’s upcoming initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), and will not begin fielding the vehicle until 2023, Janes has learned.
Production problems coupled with the ongoing pandemic have resulted in multiple AMPV delivery delays. Delivery of the first AMPV, for example, was postponed from March 2020 until late August 2020. As of 11 March 2021 the service had accepted 20 AMPVs including two general purpose vehicles, seven mission command ones, three mortar carriers, five medical evacuation configurations, and three medical treatment vehicles, according to Ashley John, director for public and congressional affairs for the Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems.
“BAE’s projected production delivery schedule due to start-up issues and Covid-19 delays caused the programme office to adjust test events to support major programme milestones,” John wrote in a 5 March email. “In terms of cost and performance, the programme maintains their current baseline. Our future production rates will align with the army's goal of one brigade of AMPVs produced per year.”
The service has begun AMPV production, qualification, and live-fire testing activities but is postponing IOT&E from the initial April to June timeframe until January to March 2022, John wrote. This delay is roughly three to five months longer than the army anticipated in October 2020.
Soldiers will also begin receiving vehicles later than planned. The service had previously anticipated reaching the first unit equipped (FUE) milestone in July to September but now it does not plan to begin equipping this first unit with AMPVs until January to March 2023, John wrote.
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