AUSA 2025: BAE Systems AMPV prototype showcases anti-drone capabilities and infantry support.

BAE Systems is showing an Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle in an infantry fighting vehicle configuration at AUSA 2025 in Washington, fitted with a remote 30 mm turret tuned for counter-drone roles and direct fire support. The demonstrator highlights a digital backbone for vehicle to vehicle data sharing and composite rubber tracks that cut noise and vibration, a mix aimed at faster targeting and lower signatures for land forces leaders evaluating tracked platforms.

On the AUSA show floor in Washington on October 14, 2025, BAE Systems is pitching an IFV-style evolution of the U.S. Army’s AMPV, pairing a remotely operated 30 mm turret with a networked architecture that treats each vehicle as a tactical node. Company officials have signaled this direction over the past two show cycles, first with a counter-UAS AMPV prototype and then with a 30 mm-equipped AMPV using the common top plate for rapid turret swaps, a path that set the stage for this year’s infantry support configuration. The five-member AMPV family already anchors multiple roles in the ABCT, and the IFV demonstrator is framed as a logical extension that preserves common logistics while adding organic direct fire and drone defeat options.
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Prototype AMPV IFV with 30 mm remote turret on display at AUSA 2025 in Washington DC (Picture source: Army Recognition) 

The demonstrator centers on a remotely operated 30 mm turret with an independent day-night sight and a stabilized fire control system. Programmable airburst ammunition is cited by specialists as useful against small low altitude drones while also providing options against unarmored ground targets. The turret keeps a compact profile and clean electrical integration, which supports sensor power delivery and network connection without cutting into protected volume for crew and dismounts.

Another technical point stands out. Composite rubber tracks. They reduce road noise and cabin vibration. They improve agility on roads and mixed terrain with a clear effect on the acoustic signature during approaches in urban areas. Lower vibration also benefits stabilized imaging and multifunction displays. The difference is noticeable compared with a classic steel tracked AMPV, particularly during road to trail transitions or on sensitive surfaces where infrastructure preservation matters.

The onboard architecture relies on a digital backbone linking computers, the turret, multimode radios and navigation systems. AMPVs within the same unit exchange real-time feeds. Detection tracks. Images. Formatted C2 messages. The vehicle acts as a tactical node. It gathers, filters, and disseminates relevant data to peers and to command, which shortens latency between observation and decision. This native interconnection simplifies coordination with dismounts operating close to the vehicle, including under jamming pressure.

The IFV configuration targets convoy escort, site protection, and infantry support. The 30 mm turret transitions quickly from ground engagements to very low altitude air threats. The sensor and computing chain refines identification of small signature targets such as quadcopters and loitering munitions while retaining effects against light positions. Quiet mobility from rubber tracks helps reposition without drawing attention, and the onboard network keeps a resilient link to the section in contact. In operational terms, detection to designation to fire cycles are shorter, which supports survivability for deployed elements.

The AMPV family comprises five functional variants. Command post. Medical evacuation. Troop transport. Specialized support. And here the IFV is armed with a 30 mm system. The logic is straightforward. One common base and distinct roles that share logistics, training and maintenance while allowing some hulls to take on infantry combat duties within the same combined arms sub unit. This continuity lowers entry costs for units that must mix transport, support and direct fire.

The rapid spread of tactical drones has reshaped force protection. Recent theaters show a very low layer crowded with sensors and effectors, improvised and industrial. Presenting an AMPV IFV that integrates counter UAS in its primary armament addresses that reality. The challenge, however, is not only weapons. It also involves the digital architecture, data exchange, and electromagnetic discipline. A connected platform gains relevance because it shares alerts and pools detection efforts.

A networked 30 mm IFV aligns with a broader trend across NATO armies and partners in the Indo Pacific. Forces are seeking common platforms able to absorb new sensors without reworking the hull. The aim is to keep pace with the tempo set by drones, guided artillery and militarized commercial sensors. If adopted, such an option would weigh on the standardization of data links, protection of communications, and logistical resilience in the field. It also raises export control questions. The more interoperable a networked IFV becomes, the more it depends on component ecosystems under control regimes, which can shape international diffusion and equipment timelines.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.