WASHINGTON — BAE Systems successfully tested a counter-drone capability on one of the U.S. Army’s Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles in a recent live-fire event at the Big Sandy Range in Kingman, Arizona.
The counter-unmanned aircraft system prototype, developed in collaboration with Moog, showed it could detect, track, identify, and defeat or disable both stationary and moving targets on the ground and in the air in “realistic battlefield scenarios” at the Big Sandy Range in Kingman, Arizona.
The prototype demonstrated “the turret engaging with ground targets and utilizing a slew-to-cure capability to target both stationary and moving small drones with 30mm proximity rounds.”
BAE built the AMPV early on to be modular and flexible for future configurations. BAE first unveiled the prototype at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in October 2023, featuring both the existing chassis but includes enhancements such as the firm’s External Mission Equipment Package top plate.
The Army has already validated the integration of a maneuver short-range air defense turret for the AMPV, just one of the 30 turret systems enabled by Moog’s weapons package. Moog’s cUAS weapon system, includes Leonardo DRS’ Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar and Northrop Grumman’s XM914 30mm gun.
AMPV reached full-rate production in 2023, replacing the M113 troop carrier with five variants, including versions designed to fire mortars, a command-and-control platform, and medical vehicles for evacuating or treating troops wounded on the battlefield.
BAE continues to develop new capabilities for the AMPV, anticipating the Army may want the vehicle to carry out additional missions.
