US Army Identifies AMPV Combat Vehicle with NEMO Mortar Turret as Crucial Fire Support Vehicle.

In January 2025, the U.S. Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) released its Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report, outlining key initiatives aimed at strengthening the U.S. Armed Forces. Among the most notable developments was the U.S. Army's live demonstration of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) integrated with the Patria NEMO 120mm turreted mortar system—referred to as the Modular Turreted Mortar System (MTMS). Conducted during the Maneuver Warfighter Conference in September 2024 at Fort Moore, Georgia, the event was specifically organized to inform U.S. Army leadership on the feasibility of establishing a formal AMPV MTMS program of record in Fiscal Year 2025. The initiative reflects a significant step forward in addressing indirect fire capability gaps in modern mechanized formations.
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The U.S. Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) equipped with the Patria NEMO 120mm turreted mortar system during a live demonstration.  (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

The AMPV (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle ) is a central component of the U.S. Army’s broader modernization strategy. It was developed to replace the aging M113 family of tracked vehicles and serves as a modular, multipurpose platform for a range of battlefield roles, including general-purpose transport, medical evacuation, mission command, mortar carrier, and medical treatment. Based on a common Bradley chassis, the AMPV delivers superior protection, increased mobility, and scalable power generation. These features make it an ideal host for next-generation systems such as the MTMS, enabling the U.S. Army to integrate advanced technologies rapidly across a common fleet.

Central to this modernization effort is the Patria NEMO turret, a fully protected, semi-automated 120mm breech-loaded mortar system designed for remote operation. Unlike traditional tube mortars that require manual handling and exposure of crew members, the NEMO system is housed within a turret that allows soldiers to operate the system entirely from inside the vehicle. A vehicle commander and two operators crew the system and offers a host of advanced capabilities. These include a maximum firing rate of up to 10 rounds per minute and a sustained rate of six rounds per minute. It features 360-degree traverse and an elevation range from -3 to +85 degrees, enabling both high-angle indirect fire and direct fire against close-range targets. The NEMO is also capable of conducting Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) missions—firing multiple rounds to land on a target at the same time—and offers the rare ability to fire on the move. These attributes significantly increase the responsiveness, survivability, and effectiveness of mechanized mortar units in fast-paced or urban combat scenarios.

The live demonstration held at Fort Moore in September 2024 allowed U.S. Army leadership to observe these capabilities firsthand. Soldiers operated the system during the event, placing a strong emphasis on validating its safety and operability. Testing of the AMPV-mounted NEMO system began in January 2024 and is scheduled to conclude by July, followed by additional evaluations at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) to fine-tune operational procedures and identify any remaining technical issues. According to project officer Irr, “We are diligently verifying its advertised capabilities and making sure it is safe for the Soldiers to operate. Additionally, we’re conducting several other tests to gauge the weapons system’s overall operability.”

Key safety assessments during the testing phase include evaluating the impact of repeated firing on crew hearing, given the high-intensity noise generated by the mortar, and managing the accumulation of toxic fumes inside the vehicle that may result from mortar discharge and engine operation. These considerations are essential to ensuring the health and safety of U.S. Army personnel operating in confined and potentially hazardous conditions.

The origin of the MTMS initiative lies in a multi-phase Foreign Comparative Test (FCT) program, during which the U.S. Army initially evaluated the Patria NEMO system on a foreign vehicle using U.S.-standard ammunition. This early testing confirmed the system's ability to meet U.S. Army operational standards and sparked interest in integrating it onto the AMPV platform. According to U.S. Army modernization officials, the NEMO system provides several unique capabilities not currently available in the existing inventory, including shoot-on-the-move capability, direct fire engagement, and MRSI—all of which contribute to closing a critical gap in the U.S. Army’s fire support arsenal.

The successful integration of the Patria NEMO turret onto the AMPV platform offers the U.S. Army a highly mobile, protected, and responsive indirect fire solution. It combines the tactical flexibility of rapid deployment with the survivability of an armored platform, making it ideal for supporting combined arms operations in contested and dynamic environments. The demonstration marks a pivotal milestone in U.S. Army modernization efforts and, if approved as a program of record in FY2025, could pave the way for fielding a new class of turreted mortar carriers with superior operational reach, survivability, and lethality.

By blending proven foreign technology with modern U.S. armored platforms, the AMPV MTMS concept exemplifies the U.S. Army’s commitment to innovation and capability-driven force development. As the U.S. Army continues its push toward networked, high-mobility combat systems, the integration of advanced indirect fire solutions like the NEMO mortar positions American forces to maintain overmatch in future large-scale combat operations.