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June 17, 2021
The Army’s Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System
What Is the Mobile Protected Firepower On December 17, 2018, the Army awarded two Section 804
(MPF) System?
Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Prototyping
The Army’s MPF system is intended to address an
contracts for MPF. The two companies awarded contracts
operational shortfall:
were General Dynamic Land Systems (GDLS), Inc.
(Sterling Heights, MI) and BAE Systems Land and
Currently the Army’s Infantry Brigade Combat
Armaments, LP (Sterling Heights, MI). Each MTA Rapid
Teams (IBCT) do not have a combat vehicle
Prototyping contract was not to exceed $376 million. The
assigned that is capable of providing mobile,
MTA Rapid Prototyping contracts required delivery of 12
protected, direct, offensive fire capability.... The
pre-production vehicles (from each vendor) for
MPF solution is an integration of existing mature
developmental and operational testing, and a Soldier
technologies
and
components
that
avoids
Vehicle Assessment (SVA).
development which would lengthen the program
schedule.
Reportedly, BAE delivered its prototypes (Figure 1) to the
Army in March 2021 after production difficulties and
Operationally, the Army wants the MPF to be able to
supplier issues related to COVID-19. Reportedly, GDLS
was able to deliver all of its prototypes (Figure 2) in
Neutralize enemy prepared positions and bunkers
December 2020. The SVA reportedly began in January
and defeat heavy machine guns and armored
2021 at Fort Bragg, NC—without the BAE prototypes—
vehicle threats during offensive operations or when
with testing scheduled to run through June 2021. During the
conducting defensive operations against attacking
assessment, soldiers are to assess MPF prototypes in a
enemies.
variety of operational scenarios. If subsequent operational
testing proves successful, the Army plans to select a single
In terms of the Army’s overall procurement plans for MPF,
vendor and transition into production near the end of
FY2022.
The Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) for MPF
is 504 vehicles, with 14 MPFs per IBCT. The
Figure 1. BAE MPF Prototype
targeted fielding for the First Unit Equipped (FUE)
is Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.
MPF Acquisition Strategy
In November 2017, the Army issued a Request for Proposal
(RFP) for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development
(EMD) phase and, in order to maximize competition,
planned to award up to two Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA)
contracts for the EMD phase in early FY2019.
Source: https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/article/bae-systems-
Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) according to the Defense
awarded-development-contract-for-mobile-protected-firepower,
Acquisition University, is a rapid acquisition approach that
accessed June 14, 2021.
focuses on delivering capability in a period of 2 to 5 years. The
authority to use MTA was granted by Congress in Section 804
of the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
(P.L. 114-92). Programs using MTA are not subject to the Joint
Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) and
provisions of DOD Directive 5000.01 “Defense Acquisition
System.†MTA consists of utilizing two acquisition pathways:
(1) Rapid Prototyping, which is to streamline the testing and
development of prototypes, and (2) Rapid Fielding, which is to
upgrade existing systems with already proven technologies.
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The Army’s Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System
Figure 2. GDLS MPF Prototype
enter production before manufacturing process are
demonstrated to be stable, adequately controlled,
and capable. This could increase risk that the
program may not be able to meet its cost, schedule,
and quality targets. (p. 155)
FY2022 MPF Budget Request
The Army’s FY2022 MPF Budget Request is for $286.977
million in Procurement funding for 23 vehicles, with the
Army noting that “MPF testing will be completed early 2nd
quarter FY2022 and will inform both the selection of a
vendor for Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) and a 3rd
quarter FY 2022 Milestone C decision.†(p. 15) GAO notes
Source: https://www.gdls.com/news/news-interior.html, accessed
that as of January 2021, MPF has received $852.36 million
June 14, 2021.
in total funding (in FY2021 dollars). (p. 153)
Government Accountability Office
Potential Issues for Congress
(GAO) Concerns
In its June 2021 report to congressional committees titled
Status of Ongoing and Future MPF Testing
“Weapon Systems Annual Assessment,†GAO expressed
Department of Defense Instruction 5000.80, “Test and
the following MPF programmatic concerns:
Evaluation,†requires both MTA rapid prototyping and
rapid fielding programs develop a test strategy. Programs
MPF compressed its testing schedule due to delays
under test and evaluation oversight are to submit this test
to the start of testing of the contractors’ prototype
strategy, including plans for operational testing and
designs. According to program officials, COVID-
operational demonstrations, to the Director, Operational
19 and integration challenges delayed the
Testing &Evaluation (DOT&E) for approval. According to
contractors’ prototype deliveries. While the
the Army’s FY2022 MPF Budget Request, plans call for the
completion of MPF testing in early 2nd quarter FY2022.
program has a plan in place to mitigate these
Furthermore, the Army notes that the ongoing SVA at Ft.
delivery delays, further delays to testing will
increase the risk that the program’s planned
Bragg, NC is an operational assessment rather than a formal
test event designed to inform the development of MPF
completion date will not be achieved. Program
tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).
officials stated that the program had planned for
each of the two contractors to begin delivering 12
In this regard, CRS has not determined what formal
prototypes by the second quarter of FY2020, with
DOT&E-approved testing has been accomplished and what
warfighters assessing each contractor’s vehicles
testing remains before the Army’s planned 2nd quarter
separately over the course of 3 months. However,
FY2022 deadline.
contractor prototype deliveries did not start until the
third quarter of FY2020, which delayed the start of
Is MPF Testing Being Compressed?
testing to August 2020. The MPF contractors plan
As previously noted, MPF testing was delayed until August
to deliver the remaining prototypes for testing as
2020 and, as GAO reported,
they are built and the Army expects these deliveries
will continue throughout FY2021. (p. 155)
To accommodate the delays, the program plans to
test the prototypes from each contractor as they are
To accommodate the delays, the program plans to
received, leveraging remaining time to complete as
test the prototypes from each contractor as they are
much testing as possible [emphasis added by CRS]
received, leveraging remaining time to complete as
to support the contractor down-select and planned
much testing as possible to support the contractor
low-rate production decisions. Program officials
down-select and planned low-rate production
told us the program plans to complete all tests
decisions. Program officials told us the program
within the original schedule. (p. 155)
plans to complete all tests within the original
schedule. (p. 155)
As reported by GAO, this could suggest MPF operational
testing is being compressed or modified to meet the Army’s
GAO further notes
schedule or perhaps to meet the MTA requirement of two to
five years for capability delivery. Congress might decide to
The MPF program plans to transition to the major
review MPF operational testing with the Army to clarify
capability acquisition pathway with entry at
whether adequate operational testing—independent of
production in June 2022 with a single vendor. The
Army-imposed production deadlines or MTA stipulations—
Army’s goal is to equip the first MPF unit in
is being conducted.
FY2025. However, the program does not plan to
meet our leading acquisition practices for acquiring
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
knowledge prior to beginning production. For
example, the program will not demonstrate critical
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processes on a pilot production line and plans to
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The Army’s Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
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