While the calendar has closed on the possibility of a potential bidder filing a Government Accountability Office (GAO) protest on that RfP, some program observers have shifted their thinking toward the possibilities of a combination of modified Bradleys and Strykers as a possible solution for the Army’s AMPV requirements. In fact, a combination fleet that would match AMPV missions with Bradley and Stryker DVH vehicle strengths is portrayed by some as an optimum approach to more quickly provide U.S. warfighters with desired levels of enhanced survivability and lower logistics costs.
In fact, a combination fleet that would match AMPV missions with Bradley and Stryker DVH vehicle strengths is portrayed by some as an optimum approach to more quickly provide U.S. warfighters with desired levels of enhanced survivability and lower logistics costs.
The combination concept would also exploit benefits of both Bradley and Stryker engineering change proposal (ECP) programs while helping to sustain and leverage the existing industrial base.
The Bradley Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) medical evacuation variant offered by BAE Systems. A mixed fleet proposal might allow the tasks of some specialized AMPV variants to be performed by Stryker “Double-V Hull” vehicles. BAE Systems photo
In addition to highlighting the recent combat contributions of the Stryker DVH platforms, General Dynamics representatives point to the frequently-overlooked fact that Stryker NBC Reconnaissance vehicles are already organic within the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT), noting that the Army’s 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division also successfully deployed to Iraq with a quantity of Stryker Medical Evacuation vehicles in 2009-2010.
Citing additional Army cost and performance analysis to support the value of a Stryker integration to perform some AMPV missions, they emphasize that Stryker’s reliability and low operations and support costs would actually offset some of the additional costs traditionally associated with tracked vehicle maintenance.
A company logistics analysis compares life cycle cost projections of a Bradley-based AMPV solution, Stryker DVH-based AMPV solution, and mixed-fleet solution, concluding that an AMPV mixed fleet would save billions of dollars through lower life-cycle costs.
A company logistics analysis compares life cycle cost projections of a Bradley-based AMPV solution, Stryker DVH-based AMPV solution, and mixed-fleet solution, concluding that an AMPV mixed fleet would save billions of dollars through lower life-cycle costs.
A capstone to the ongoing mixed fleet argument is the fact that four of the five desired AMPV variants already exist in the Stryker family today: medical evacuation, general purpose, mortar carrier, and mission command. The unstated assertion is that the availability of those variants “up-front” would reduce AMPV development timelines and pave the way for replacing the IED-vulnerable M113 platforms far more quickly.
U.S. Army soldiers from the 95th Chemical Company, 2nd Engineer Brigade, conduct chemical detection operations as part of training on the Stryker Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Reconnaissance (NBC) vehicle at the Multipurpose Training Range, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 21, 2012. Part of the appeal of a mixed Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) fleet would be that some Strykers, such as the NBC vehicle, are already organic to some Army formations. U.S. Army photo by Percy Jones
Regardless of any decisions regarding industry responses to the RfP, it’s a safe bet that the AMPV combination fleet concept is being presented to decision makers across the government. The shrinking number of vehicle acquisition efforts on the horizon exacerbate the importance of the resulting decisions and their impact on U.S. warfighters.