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Army Sends 30mm-Armed AMPV Prototypes to 1st Cavalry for Field Tests

The trials will gauge how a remote 30mm turret could reshape armored formations.

Overview

  • The 1st Cavalry Division received two Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles fitted with Kongsberg’s MCT-30 turret and plans live gunnery and “transforming in contact” experiments.
  • The unit expects two more prototypes in early 2027 for a National Training Center rotation at Fort Irwin, according to an Army spokesperson.
  • The MCT-30 is an unmanned, remotely operated 30mm turret that lets crews fight from under armor and removes the turret basket to free interior space.
  • The added cannon shifts the AMPV from a mostly support role to a direct-fire role against light armor, bunkers, and dismounted threats at longer ranges.
  • The AMPV program replaces the M113 and reached full-rate production in 2023, and using the MCT-30 tracks with turrets already on Stryker Dragoon and the Marine CorpsACV-30 to build common gear across fleets.