On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the press service of the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division “First Team” reported on social media that it had received the first prototypes of a tracked combat support vehicle based on the BAE Systems AMPV (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle) platform, armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon, for testing at Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, in Texas.
Photos: 1st Cavalry Division via X
The first prototype of the fifth AMPV configuration was publicly unveiled on October 14–16, 2024, during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, alongside the AMPV MTMS (Modular Turreted Mortar System) self-propelled mortar, which had already been tested by the U.S. Army. The ExMEP interchangeable top plate of the hull allows the integration of various weapon modules.
It is worth adding that BAE Systems delivered two prototypes at its own risk, that is, using internal research and development funding, for testing under Transformation in Contact 2.0. The U.S. Army does not yet have an approved program for serial procurement of this version; these are capability tests, including evaluation, training, and live firing.
The infantry fighting vehicle variant has been fitted with the Kongsberg Protector MCT-30 remote-controlled turret, RT20 variant, armed with a 30 mm ATK Mk44S Bushmaster II automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun, as well as an optional launcher for FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles. It is worth adding that the turret had previously been selected by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for the heavier BAE Systems ACV-30 Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm Cannon amphibious infantry fighting vehicles and the lighter ARV-30 reconnaissance vehicles, for which competing bids were submitted by General Dynamics Land Systems and Textron Systems.
In the case of the U.S. Army, the AMPV with the unmanned MCT-30 turret could serve as support for M2A4 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and as an interim solution ahead of the planned introduction of the next-generation XM30 infantry fighting vehicles under the MICV (Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle) program, for which the bidders are American Rheinmetall, leading the Team Lynx consortium, and General Dynamics Land Systems with the Griffin III.
The U.S. Army is fielding the AMPV as a replacement for the obsolete M113 family of armored personnel carriers in the following basic variants: the M1283 General Purpose (GP) vehicle, the M1286 Mission Command (MCmd) vehicle, the M1287 Mortar Carrier Vehicle (MCV) self-propelled mortar, the M1284 Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV), and the M1285 Medical Treatment Vehicle (MTV) medical treatment vehicle – 2,906 vehicles in total. The new platform has 78% greater internal volume than the M113, while its hull is shared with the aforementioned M2A4 Bradley and the 155 mm M109A7 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) self-propelled howitzer.
Big news! The 1st Cavalry Division has just received the Army’s FIRST AMPV 30mm prototypes. Our troopers are leading the charge once again by integrating this next-generation capability into the formation and transforming how armored Divisions fight. #BeLegendary #PegasusCharge pic.twitter.com/Ny1gDRA796
— 1st Cavalry Division (@1stCavalryDiv) April 30, 2026
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