Mobile Protected Firepower (Light Tank) program

BAE Systems and General Dynamics selected by the US Army for the further development of MPF combat vehicles

As representatives of the US Army were told on December 17, 2018, BAE Systems and General Dynamics were selected as final bidders for developing tracked combat vehicles under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program on a competitive basis to create a kind of light tank with cannon armament for the American Army.

BAE Systems and General Dynamics received contracts from the US Army worth $ 375.9 and $ 335 million, respectively, each for building and supplying 12 prototypes for testing their own version of the MPF machine for the design and development phase (Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development - EMD). Prototype delivery should be started in 14 months and completed in 18-19 months from the date of receipt of the contract. According to the results of comparative tests of the prototypes presented, the army should make the final choice of the machine for mass production and in 2022 Finn by the end of the 2021 fiscal year. year to issue to the selected contractor an order for the first pre-production batch of 26 cars with an option for the second pre-production batch of 28 cars. Full-scale commercial production is expected from 2025 Fin. of the year.

The current plans of the US Army provides for the purchase of 504 MPF serial machines. First of all, these vehicles should be used to equip the planned for the formation of individual companies (the staffing level of the company is 14 vehicles) in the infantry brigades (Infantry Brigade Combat teams - IBCT). It is supposed to introduce such a company into each of the 33 infantry brigades of the regular army and the National Guard, the first such company should reach combat readiness in 2025 Fin. year

The Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program, launched by the US Army in 2015, provides for the creation of a tracked combat vehicle weighing no more than 32 tons, equipped with 105 or 120 mm cannon armament and an active defense complex. According to the plan, MPF vehicles will have a higher level of operational and tactical mobility than Abrams tanks.

Under this program, BAE Systems offers the reincarnation of the famous M8 Armored Gun Systems (AGS) Buford light tank, developed by FMC (then United Defense, now as part of BAE Systems) at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s to replace the M551 Sheridan light tank, primarily in airborne units. In 1995, the M8 tank was adopted by the US Army, but in 1997, the M8 program was canceled before the start of mass production due to cuts in military spending. It was built only six samples of the M8. The lightweight tank M8 has a combat weight of 19 to 25 tons, depending on the version of the replacement protection kit, and is equipped with a 105 mm M35 gun with an automatic loader.

General Dynamics proposes the Griffin II machine for MPF based on the Griffin I demonstrator prototype developed several years ago. Ajax (the developers and manufacturers of ASCOD 2 are European companies owned by General Dynamics - Spanish General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara Sistemas and Austrian General Dynamics European Land Systems - Steyr). The total mass of the tower in Griffin I was reduced from 22 tons (for tank M1A2SEPv.2) to only 8 tons, and the total weight of Griffin I was declared to be "less than 30 tons" (according to a number of publications - 27-28 tons).

The third contender in the MPF competition (and ultimately not in the final) was SAIC, which offered a vehicle based on the CMI Defense Cockeril 3105 co 105 HP gun based on the Singapore-based ST Kinetics NGAFV with the installation of the Belgian tower. The mass of the car was 29 tons.


ВАЕ Systems М8 Armored Gun Systems (AGS) (с) ВАЕ Systems


General Dynamics Griffin I

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3462222.html

Light Tank General Dynamics Griffin II

At the annual Modern Day Marine 2019 exhibition and conference held in Quantico, Virginia on September 17-19, 2019, General Dynamics Corporation for the first time presented the model of its "light tank" Griffin II, the project of which was previously selected by the US Army as one of two final applicants for the development on a competitive basis of tracked combat vehicles with cannon weapons under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program.


Model of a tracked combat vehicle with cannon armament (“light tank”) General Dynamics Griffin II under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program at the 2019 Modern Day Marine exhibition and conference exposition. Quantico, September 2019 (c) Jimkir / twitter.com/Jimkir78


Recall that in December 2018, the U.S. Army issued BAE Systems and General Dynamics contracts for the development of competitively tracked combat vehicles under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program, which provides for the creation of a kind of new “light tank” with cannon weapons for the American army. BAE Systems and General Dynamics received US $ 375.9 and 335 million contracts from the US Army, respectively, each for the construction and delivery for testing of 12 prototypes of its own version of the MPF machine at the R&D stage (Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development - EMD). The supply of prototypes should be started after 14 months and completed after 18-19 months from the receipt of the contract. According to the results of comparative tests of the presented prototypes, the US Army should by the end of fiscal year 2021 make the final choice of a machine for serial production and in 2022 fin. to issue an order to the selected contractor for the first pre-production batch of 26 cars with an option for the second pre-production batch of 28 cars. Full-scale serial production is expected from 2025 fin. of the year.

The current plans of the US Army provide for the purchase of 504 serial MPF machines. First of all, these vehicles should go to equip the companies planned for the formation of individual companies (staffing the company is 14 vehicles) in infantry brigades (Infantry Brigade Combat teams - IBCT). The introduction of such a company into each of the 33 infantry brigades of the regular army and the National Guard is supposed, the first such company should achieve combat readiness in 2025 fin. year.

The Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program, launched by the US Army in 2015, provides for the creation of a tracked combat vehicle weighing no more than 32 tons at first (according to the latest data, the mass limit has been increased to 38 tons - although it may mean “short” tons), equipped with cannon weapons of 105 or 120 mm caliber and active defense complex. By design, MPF vehicles will have a higher level of operational and tactical mobility than Abrams tanks.

BAE Systems offers under this program the reincarnation of the famous M8 Armored Gun Systems (AGS) Buford, developed by FMC (then United Defense, now part of BAE Systems) at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s to replace the M551 Sheridan light tank, primarily in the airborne formations. In 1995, the M8 tank was adopted by the U.S. Army, but in 1997 the M8 program was canceled before the start of mass production due to reduced military spending. Only six M8 models were built. The light tank M8 has a combat weight of 19 to 25 tons, depending on the version of the interchangeable protection kit and is equipped with a 105 mm M35 cannon with automatic loader.

At the same time, General Dynamics is proposing under the MPF program the Griffin II machine of a completely new development, the appearance of which has not been made public until recently. It is known that Griffin II was developed on the basis of the Griffin I prototype demonstrator shown several years ago, which was the installation of a modified lightweight turret of the M1A2SEPv2 Abrams tank with the new 120 mm XM360 gun on the ASCOD 2 chassis, used in the new British Ajax tracked combat reconnaissance vehicle (developers and manufacturers of ASCOD 2 are European-owned General Dynamics-owned European companies - Spanish General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara Sistemas and Austrian General Dynamics European Land Systems - Steyr). The total mass of the tower in Griffin I was reduced from 22 tons (for the M1A2SEPv.2 tank) to supposedly only 8 tons, and the total weight of the Griffin I was declared to be “less than 30 tons” (according to a number of publications - 27-28 tons).

At the same time, according to a number of publications, the combat weight of the new Griffin II reaches exactly the indicated maximum limits for MPF of 38 tons. You can see that on the presented Griffin II model the tower again returned to almost “normal” sizes for the main tank - including through the installation of very impressive modular reservation blocks ..

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3782829.html

The first public demonstration of military vehicles under the American MPF ​​program

April 23, 2020, during a visit by US Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to General Dynamics Ground System (GDLS, part of General Dynamics) and BAE Systems in Detroit, the first prototypes of competing tracked combat vehicles presented under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program were first publicly demonstrated cannon weapons of both developers.

Recall that the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program, launched by the US Army in 2015, provides for the creation of a tracked combat vehicle weighing no more than 32 tons at first (according to the latest data, the mass limit has been raised to 38 tons - although it may mean “short” tons), equipped with cannon weapons of 105 or 120 mm caliber and active defense complex. By design, MPF vehicles will have a higher level of operational and tactical mobility than Abrams tanks.

In December 2018, the U.S. Army issued BAE Systems and General Dynamics contracts for the development of competitively tracked combat vehicles under the MPF program in the amount of $ 375.9 and 335 million, respectively, each for the construction and delivery for testing of 12 prototypes of its own version of the MPF machine for stage of development work (Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development - EMD). The delivery of prototypes should be started after 14 months and completed after 18-19 months from the date of receipt of the contract - and now the first prototypes are shown to the US Army Secretary.

According to the results of comparative tests of prototypes, the US Army should make the final choice of a machine for serial production by the end of fiscal year 2021 and in 2022 fin. to issue an order to the selected contractor for the first pre-production batch of 26 cars with an option for the second pre-production batch of 28 cars. Full-scale serial production is expected from 2025 fin. of the year.

Current plans for the US Army include the purchase of 504 serial MPF machines. First of all, these machines should go to equip the companies planned for the formation of individual companies (staffing the company is 14 vehicles) in infantry brigades (Infantry Brigade Combat teams - IBCT). The introduction of such a company into each of the 33 infantry brigades of the regular army and the National Guard is supposed, the first such company should achieve combat readiness in 2025 fin. year.

BAE Systems offers under this program the reincarnation of the famous M8 Armored Gun Systems (AGS) Buford, developed by FMC (then United Defense, now part of BAE Systems) at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s to replace the M551 Sheridan light tank, primarily in the airborne formations. In 1995, the M8 tank was adopted by the U.S. Army, but in 1997 the M8 program was canceled before the start of mass production due to reduced military spending. Only six M8 models were built. The light tank M8 had a combat weight of 19 to 25 tons, depending on the version of the interchangeable protection kit, and was equipped with a 105 mm M35 gun in a remote installation with an automatic loader. Judging by the first prototype of the M8-based MPF machine publicly demonstrated during the visit of the US Army Secretary to the BAE Systems facility, the updated version of the machine has enhanced armor reservation and gun installation.

Under the MPF program, General Dynamics offers a completely new development of the Griffin II vehicle based on the Griffin I prototype demonstrator shown several years ago, which was the installation of a modified lightweight turret of the M1A2SEPv2 Abrams tank with the new 120 mm XM360 cannon on the ASCOD 2 chassis used in the new British caterpillar Ajax combat reconnaissance vehicle (ASCOD 2 developers and manufacturers are European companies owned by General Dynamics - Spanish General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara Sistemas and Austrian General Dynamics European Land Systems - Steyr). The total mass of the tower in Griffin I was reduced from 22 tons (for the M1A2 SEPv.2 tank) to supposedly only 8 tons, and the total mass of the Griffin I was declared to be “less than 30 tons” (according to a number of publications - 27-28 tons).

At the same time, according to a number of publications, the Griffin II combat mass reaches exactly the indicated maximum MPF 38 tons. You can see that on Griffin II the tower again returned to almost “normal” sizes for the main tank - including through the installation of very impressive modular reservation blocks.

Also, the U.S. Army Minister at the GDLS facility was shown (also for the first time publicly) a prototype Griffin III infantry fighting vehicle (on the same platform), presented by the company at a recent failed competition under the US Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program to replace the current U.S. fleet BMP M2 Bradley (now this program is restarted), and the chassis of a prototype demonstrator of a TL1 crewless tracked combat platform under the US Army Robotic Combat Vehicle-Medium (RCV-M) program. In addition, there was one of the prototypes of the GDLS MUTT (Multi-Utility Tactical Transport) land-based light wheeled light vehicle transport platform, which was already repeatedly demonstrated since 2014, under the US Army Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) program.

Griffin II combat vehicle , developed by General Dynamics under the US Army's Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)



Combat vehicle based on the M8 light tank, developed by BAE Systems under the US Army's Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)



Griffin III infantry fighting vehicle developed by the General Dynamics Ground System (GDLS) under the US Army Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program.



https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4004264.html

Light tank prototypes arrive at Fort Bragg for soldier evaluation

General Dynamics’ offering for the Army’s Mobile Protected Firepower combines a version of its latest Abrams turret with a chassis that leverages experience from the United Kingdom’s AJAX program. (Richard Watt/British Ministry of Defence)

WASHINGTON — Prototype candidates competing to be the new light tank for the U.S. infantry are being delivered to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where soldiers will help decide which vehicle will prevail, the Army announced in a Dec. 11 statement.

“Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne will soon get the chance to do something no U.S. infantry soldier has done in 26 years — employ a dedicated mobile, direct fire vehicle platform against hardened positions, dismounted personnel and light armored vehicles,” the statement reads.

The soldier vehicle assessment of two different Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) prototypes for infantry brigade combat teams will start on Jan. 4, 2021, and run through June 2021.

BAE Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems were chosen in December 2018 to each build 12 prototypes of the Army’s future MPF vehicle identified in the service’s ground combat vehicle strategy published in 2015. Infantry Brigade Combat Teams don’t have a combat vehicle that provides “mobile, protected, direct, offensive fire capability,” organic to those units and that is capable against near-peer and peer threats, according to the statement.

GDLS is building a vehicle that takes the United Kingdom’s AJAX chassis and combines it with an M1 Abrams tank turret.

BAE Systems’ design is an updated M8 Buford armored gun system with new capabilities and components.

“We are incredibly excited to see the MPF platform entering into this phase,” Brig. Gen. Glenn Dean, the new program executive officer for Ground Combat Systems, said in the statement. “MPF represents an innovative and aggressive approach to system acquisition. The beginning of our SVA in January illustrates how hard the teams are working to keep the major events of this program on schedule.”

The MPF will be “an integration of existing mature technologies and components that avoids development which would lengthen the program schedule,” the statement notes. “The priority has always been to field this new critical capability soonest, but the MPF will also be capable of accommodating additional weight and spare electrical power to support future growth.”

The soldiers will put the MPF prototypes through a variety of operational paces and is not considered a formal test. The evaluation will “directly” inform tactics, techniques and procedures for MPF, according to the Army statement.

“Once they are able to begin interacting with these prototypes, I know that our soldiers are going to come up with the best ways to utilize MPF in our light formations,” Brig. Gen. Ross Coffman, who is in charge of Next-Generation Combat Vehicle modernization capability, said in the statement.

The Army is expected to choose a winner and transition to production “near the end of” fiscal 2022, the statement adds.

The first units will get MPF in fiscal 2025. The Army plans to initially build 26 vehicles, with an option to build 28 more and retrofit eight prototypes.

The two solutions are very different from one another. BAE’s offering is smaller — fitting in between the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and a Stryker in terms of size — while GDLS’ vehicle is bigger, as it’s based on the M1 Abrams chassis.

BAE’s MPF prototype can be transported via a C-130 aircraft. Three can fit on a C-17 aircraft. The Army is requiring the vehicle be C-17 transportable.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/12/11/light-tank-prototypes-arrive-at-fort-bragg-for-soldier-evaluation/

Fighting vehicle BAE Systems according to the American program Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)

BAE Systems Corporation has published an official infographic showing the final appearance of its tracked combat vehicle with cannon armament for the US Army's Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) tender. The final look of the tracked combat vehicle with cannon armament presented by the BAE Systems corporation for the tender of the US Army under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program (c) BAE Systems

BAE Systems offers, under this MPF program, the reincarnation of the famous M8 Armored Gun Systems (AGS) Buford light tank, developed by FMC (then United Defense, now part of BAE Systems) at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s to replace the M551 Sheridan light tank , primarily in airborne formations. In 1995, the M8 tank was adopted by the US Army, but in 1997 the M8 program was canceled before the start of mass production due to cuts in military spending. Only six M8 samples were built. The M8 light tank had a combat weight of 19 to 25 tons, depending on the version of the interchangeable protection kit, and was equipped with a 105 mm M35 cannon in an out-mounted installation with an automatic loader.

Judging by the infographics released by BAE Systems, the updated MPF machine based on the M8 has a significantly redesigned turret with a modular reservation system and the installation of the Elbit Systems Iron Fist active protection complex. The 105-mm XM35 cannon with an automatic loader is retained, the ammunition load is 21 shots. A new fire control system and new tracks were applied, the power plant was modernized - an MTU diesel engine was used in combination with an Allison 3040MX automatic transmission. Air transportability is declared - one Boeing C-17A can carry two cars, and the Lockheed Martin C-130 aircraft - one car.

Recall that the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program, launched by the US Army in 2015, provides for the creation of a tracked combat vehicle with a mass of no more than 32 tons at first (later the weight limit was increased to 38 tons - although it may mean "short" tons ), equipped with cannon armament with a caliber of 105 or 120 mm and an active protection complex. By design, MPF vehicles will have a higher level of operational and tactical mobility than Abrams tanks.

In December 2018, the U.S. Army issuedcorporations BAE Systems and General Dynamics contracts for the development on a competitive basis of tracked combat vehicles under the MPF program in the amount of $ 375.9 and 335 million, respectively, each for the construction and delivery for testing of 12 prototypes of their own version of the MPF machine at the R&D stage (Engineering, Manufacturing , and Development - EMD). Delivery of prototypes was to start in 14 months and complete in 18-19 months from the date of receipt of the contract.

As already mentioned above, BAE Systems offers under this program the reincarnation of the famous light tank M8 Armored Gun Systems (AGS). General Dynamics Corporation offersunder the MPF program, the Griffin II machine is a completely new development based on the Griffin I demonstrator prototype shown a few years ago, which was the installation of a modified lightweight tower of the M1A2SEP v.2 Abrams tank with a new 120-mm XM360 cannon on the ASCOD 2 chassis used in the new British tracked combat reconnaissance vehicle Ajax (developers and manufacturers of ASCOD 2 are European companies owned by General Dynamics - Spanish General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara Sistemas and Austrian General Dynamics European Land Systems - Steyr). The total mass of the tower in the Griffin I was reduced from 22 tons (for the M1A2 SEPv.2 tank) to supposedly only 8 tons, and the total mass of the Griffin I was declared to be "less than 30 tons". However, it is reported thatThe combat weight of the Griffin II reaches exactly the specified limit for the MPF of 38 tons, and you can see that on the Griffin II the tower has returned to almost "normal" dimensions for the main tank - including through the installation of very impressive modular armor units.

In fact, however, the program for both performers encountered delays - the first prototypes of both machines were shown to US Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy in Detroit only on April 23, 2020. Only on December 10 and 11, General Dynamics delivered the first two prototypes of its Griffin II vehicle to Fort Bragg for testing at the 3rd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army . December 14General Dynamics said it has already formally donated 10 of the 12 prototypes to the US Army, with the final two being delivered later this month. The delivery of the first two prototypes of the MPF machine developed by BAE Systems is expected to Fort Bragg only by January 4, 2021. The assembly of these machines is carried out at the BAE Systems facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

According to the results of comparative tests of prototypes, the US Army should make the final choice of a vehicle for serial production by the end of fiscal year 2021 and issue an order for the first pre-production batch of 26 vehicles to the selected contractor in the second half of fiscal year 2022 with an option for a second pre-production batch of 28 vehicles. Full-scale emergency production is expected from FY2025.

The current plans of the US Army provide for the purchase of 504 production MPF ​​vehicles. First of all, these vehicles should be used to equip separate companies planned to be formed (the company's staff size is 14 vehicles) in the Infantry Brigade Combat teams (IBCT). It is planned to introduce such a company into each of the 33 infantry brigades of the regular army and the National Guard, the first such company should reach combat readiness in 2025 fiscal year. The final look of the tracked combat vehicle with cannon armament presented by the BAE Systems corporation for the US Army tender under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program (c) BAE Systems




https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4214818.html

General Dynamics won the US Army competition for a tracked combat vehicle ("light tank") with cannon armament under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program , and issued a $320.325 million contract to General Dynamics Land Systems for the production of the first low-rate batch (Low-Rate Initial Production - LRIP) of 26 MPF vehicles by October 24, 2024

George1 wrote: However, it is reported thatThe combat weight of the Griffin II reaches exactly the specified limit for the MPF of 38 tons, and you can see that on the Griffin II the tower has returned to almost "normal" dimensions for the main tank - including through the installation of very impressive modular armor units.

Incredible. It only took the Americans some 60 years to develop an inferior T-64.
By the end of the century they should be able to finally field a T-90 analog.

New American tank M10 Booker

For the first time in many years, the US Army will have a light tank. This is the General Dynamics Land Systems light tank that won the auction last year – the M10 Booker.

The US Army is expected to place an initial order of 96 units. The first of them will have to be delivered already this year in October. The 96 M10 Booker tanks will cost US taxpayers $1.14 billion.

The M10 Booker is a light tank weighing between 27 and 50 tons depending on the three chassis configurations. Also depending on the configuration, the tank can be armed with one of three types of guns: 120mm XM360 gun, 105mm M35 gun or
50mm XM913 gun.

For close combat, the tank has secondary armament – one 0.50 caliber [12.7 mm] M2HB heavy machine gun and/or one 7.62 mm [.308 in] M240B machine gun. According to sources in the US, Washington will order the medium version of the tank, which is actually approved by the Pentagon, i.e. 105mm gun and tank weight of 38 tons.

https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2023/06/10/first-of-96-m10-booker-tanks-is-coming-to-the-us-army-in-october/

https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2023-06-10/army-combat-vehicle-m10-booker-10387122.html