Military

US Army's AMPV armored fighting vehicle takes on drones

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The AMPV C-UAS
BAE Systems
The turret in air defense configuration
BAE Systems
The AMPV C-UAS
BAE Systems

In a recent live-fire field test, BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) prototype took out a small fleet of quadcopter drones in spectacular fashion using a Moog modular weapons system.

When BAE Systems delivered the first of its AMPVs to the US Army in 2020, it was doing more than supplying a replacement for the Cold War M113 fighting vehicle. It was also introducing a modular armored vehicle system that would allow the Army to quickly modify the AMPV for a wide variety of roles, from personnel carrier to mobile surgical operating theater.

One of these missions is to deal with small ground targets and drones.

In the exercise that included realistic battle scenarios at the Big Sandy range in Kingman, Arizona, the AMPV C-UAS prototype was equipped with a BAE Systems External Mission Equipment Package (ExMEP) top plate that can handle 30 different interchangeable turrets. Onto this was bolted a Moog Reconfigurable Integrated-Weapons Platform (RIwP), which is a modular weapon system that is part of the Army's Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) turret.

The turret in air defense configuration
BAE Systems

When assembled, the AMPV C-UAS carried Leonardo DRS’ Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radars (MHR) for 360-degree coverage, camera and sensor packages, associated command and control systems, stinger missiles, a machine gun, and a Northrop Grumman XM914 30mm cannon. However, this is just one of a number of possible configurations for multi-mission roles, anti-armor attack, and air defense.

For the tests, the vehicle was tasked with accurately detecting, tracking and identifying stationary and moving aerial and ground targets, then destroying or disabling them. It did so using the turret's slew-to-cue capability that allowed the sensors to tip off the cameras which way to point and then engage the target using 30mm proximity rounds to down drones with a satisfying "bang."

"From the earliest combat capability concept stage of the AMPV program, we intentionally designed a modular and flexible configuration to provide an adaptable and ready-for-growth platform for the war fighter," said Bill Sheehy, BAE Systems AMPV program director. "In just over one year, our successful collaboration with Moog on the C-UAS prototype showcased the art of the possible of what a rapid response from leading industry providers can drive. When it comes to setting the tone for future integration at a higher standard and better pace for Soldiers, this is just the beginning of what you’ll see from the AMPV."

The video below shows the APV C-UAS in action.

Source: BAE Systems

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3 comments
Smokey_Bear
Good to have in the arsenal these days, we've all seen many videos on Russian ans Ukrainian soldiers being blown to bits by cheap drones, dropping grenades on top of them.
But I think it should also have a laser, nothing is faster then the speed of light, and it finally makes it cheaper to shoot down the drone, then it does to launch it.
spyinthesky
Smokey I think eventually you may be correct but having this past week read up on present laser capabilities it’s too early for such a system on a vehicle like this. A 100mw is the minimum desirable power range though a little less might still be quite effective against these light drones. But the only way you can incorporate that on a land system with all its power generation and dedicated sensor requirements is on a specialist vehicle or vehicles. Might be worth making a specialist vehicle on this base platform perhaps, but not I would say alongside all the other weaponry don’t think it’s feasible. Who knows down the line mind but not yet.
mediabeing
I share the concern of Bear and Sky. We want lasers on our anti-drone machines.
Whether we can supply lasers for these vehicles right now or not, they should be shown. Our intent should be real clear.
We should be hearing of great advances in reliable laser weapons. It's overdue. This show needs to get going.