AMPVs and ACVs spur changes for BAE Systems’ York production line

Global Force 2023 — BAE Systems is making space at its York, Pa. facility to ramp up production of the Army’s Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle line and Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicles by moving other vehicle work to different locations around the country, according to a company official.

Although the Army has not yet made its AMPV full-rate production decision, that pending milestone will require the company to move from producing 12 vehicles per month up to roughly 16, with the goal of churning out 197 AMPVs each year. When combined with the Marine plans for its ACV line, BAE’s vice president of business development for combat mission systems, Jim Miller, said the company needs to clear out space at York to make it the AMPV and ACV “Center of Excellence.”

“We want to create more room for AMPV there and we’ve clearly got to sustain what we’re doing at ACV there as well,” he told reporters on Wednesday at the Association of the US Army’s Global Force symposium in Huntsville, Ala. “In order to do that, we need to move some things.”

Those moves have already begun but will increase this summer. The first big change previously involved moving M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES) production to Anniston Army Depot in Alabama, but now the company has decided to move M88 hull work over to a different “partner” altogether.

“We will let you know as soon as we can announce who that is but… they’ll deliver the hulls to Anniston where we’ll do the assembly,” Miller explained. 

Also aligned for changes is the Army’s Self-Propelled Howitzer Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) program, one that includes the M109A7 howitzer and the ammunition carrying vehicle. Miller said the welding machines at York will still be used to fabricate PIM hulls but vehicle assembly will be moved to Anniston before they are moved to Elgin, Okla. for final assembly and testing.

“That’s going to free up a lot of space for us at York,” Miller said in reference to the entire plan, and noted that this will prevent them from moving out a major expansion at York right now. However, he noted that changes at York are occurring, in part, due to $27 million from Ukraine supplemental  to ramp up AMPV manufacturing, and another $250 million internal investment. Those dollars, Miller said, helped pay for new robotic welding machines and an ACV swim pond.

“We used to take our ACVs to Baltimore Harbor, and it was a waste of time and money to do that,” Miller added.