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Updated June 22, 2023
The Army’s M -10 Booker (formerly known as Mobile Protected
Firepower (MPF)) System
What Is the Mobile Protected Firepower
(MPF) System?
Note: CRS Reports and Future References for MPF.
Until the Army adopts the M-10 designation in official
The Army’s MPF system is intended to address an
documents and replaces reference to MPF, CRS wil continue
operational shortfall in infantry units:
to use MPF in reports for historical purposes and to avoid
Currently the Army’s Infantry Brigade Combat
confusion.
Teams (IBCT) do not have a combat vehicle
assigned that is capable of providing mobile,
MPF Acquisition Strategy
protected, direct, offensive fire capability.... The
In November 2017, the Army issued a Request for Proposal
MPF solution is an integration of existing mature
(RFP) for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development
technologies
and
components
that
avoids
(EMD) phase and, in order to maximize competition,
development which would lengthen the program
planned to award up to two Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA)
schedule.
contracts for the EMD phase in early FY2019.
Operationally, the Army wants the MPF to be able to:
Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) according to the Defense
Neutralize enemy prepared positions and bunkers
Acquisition University is a rapid acquisition approach that
and defeat heavy machine guns and armored
focuses on delivering capability in a period of 2 to 5 years. The
vehicle threats during offensive operations or when
authority to use MTA was granted by Congress in Section 804
conducting defensive operations against attacking
of the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
enemies.
(P.L. 114-92). Programs using MTA are not subject to the Joint
Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) and
In terms of the Army’s overall procurement plans for MPF:
provisions of DOD Directive 5000.01 “Defense Acquisition
The Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) for MPF
System.” MTA consists of utilizing two acquisition pathways:
is 504 vehicles, with 14 MPFs per IBCT. The
(1) Rapid Prototyping, which is to streamline the testing and
targeted fielding for the First Unit Equipped (FUE)
development of prototypes, and (2) Rapid Fielding, which is to
upgrade existing systems with already proven technologies.
is Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.
MPF Redesignated as the M-10 Booker
On December 17, 2018, the Army awarded two Section 804
Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Prototyping
On June 14, 2023, the Army announced the redesignation
contracts for MPF. The two companies awarded contracts
of the MPF as the M-10 Booker infantry assault vehicle.
were General Dynamic Land Systems (GDLS), Inc.
According to the Army:
(Sterling Heights, MI) and BAE Systems Land and
Armaments, LP (Sterling Heights, MI). Each MTA Rapid
The vehicle platform honors two enlisted Army
Prototyping contract was not to exceed $376 million. The
soldiers who served our nation selflessly during
MTA Rapid Prototyping contracts required delivery of 12
times of great conflict – Medal of Honor recipient
pre-production vehicles (from each vendor) for
Private. Robert D. Booker, who perished in World
developmental and operational testing, and a Soldier
War II, and Distinguished Service Cross recipient
Vehicle Assessment (SVA).
Staff Sergeant Stevon A. Booker, who died from
MPF Program Status
injuries sustained in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The SVA reportedly began in January 2021 at Fort Bragg,
The Army noted the historical significance of the M-10
NC—without the BAE prototypes because of production
Booker:
challenges—with testing running through June 2021. While
BAE was unable to provide prototypes at the beginning of
The Army’s last named combat vehicle platform
testing, prototypes were eventually provided to the Army
was the M-1126 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle,
for testing. During the assessment, soldiers evaluated
also named for two soldiers. Other combat vehicles
GDLS and BAE MPF prototypes in a variety of operational
named in honor of soldiers include the M-1 Abrams
scenarios.
Main Battle Tank, the M-2 Bradley Infantry
MPF Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP)
Fighting Vehicle, and the former M-60 Patton
Contracted Awarded
Tank. The M-10 Booker is the Army’s first vehicle
On June 28, 2022, the Army announced the award of a
to be named after a soldier who fought in a post 9/11
$1.14 billion contract to GDLS for the production and
war.
fielding of up to 96 MPF systems (Figure 1). Delivery of
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s M -10 Booker (formerly known as Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)) System
the first LRIP MPF system is expected in 19 months, and
FY2024 MPF Budgetary Information
Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation is planned for the
end of FY2024. The first unit equipped is scheduled for the
Table 1. FY2024 MPF Budget Request
fourth quarter of FY2025, consisting of a battalion of 42
Total
MPFs. Each LRIP MPF system is expected to cost about
Total Request
Request
$12.8 million. Full-Rate Production MPF systems are
Funding Category
($M)
(Qty.)
expected to cost less than LRIP variants and may include
RDT&E
$102.201
—
modifications based on Operational Testing and Evaluation
Procurement
$394.635
33
results.
Future MPF Fielding
Sources: RDT&E: Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2024
The Army’s MPF acquisition objective is for 504 systems,
Budget Estimates, March 2023, Army Justification Book Volume 3a of
with Army officials reportedly noting that this number
3 Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, RDT&E − Volume II,
could vary “slightly.” Under current Army plans, four MPF
Budget Activity 5A, p. 222. Procurement: Department of Defense
battalions are to be fielded by 2030, with the bulk of the
Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Budget Estimates, March 2023, Army,
planned acquisition scheduled to be completed by 2035.
Justification Book Volume 1 of 1, Procurement of W&TCV, p. 38.
Notes: $M = U.S. dollars in mil ions; Qty. = FY2024 procurement
quantities.
Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) is a programmatic
decision made when manufacturing development is completed
Considerations for Congress
and there is an ability to produce a small-quantity set of
Oversight questions Congress could consider include the
articles. It also establishes an initial production base and sets
following:
the stage for a gradual increase in the production rate to
allow for Ful -Rate Production (FRP) upon completion of
Creating MPF Battalions
Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E).
Reportedly, the Army is planning to create a MPF battalion
Full-Rate Production (FRP) is a decision made that allows
at division level. From this battalion, MPF companies
for government contracting for economic production
would then be allocated to IBCTs. In terms of personnel,
quantities fol owing stabilization of the system design and
each MPF company requires 64 armor crewmen and 24
validation of the production process.
armor maintenance soldiers to maintain MPF systems.
Given current and anticipated future recruiting challenges,
the Army might have difficulties in meeting the demand for
MPF crew and maintenance soldiers for new units.
Figure 1. GDLS MPF Variant
Sustaining and Basing MPF Battalions
Another concern is a limited quantity of on hand,
serviceable 105 mm ammunition for MPF training and
operational use. As such, there could be a requirement to
procure additional 105 mm ammunition and there might
also be industrial base- associated ammunition production
challenges as well. The provision of existing 105 mm
ammunition to Ukraine as part of current and future
Security Force Assistance efforts might also have an impact
on 105 mm ammunition availability for MPF systems.
There are also concerns about suitable storage and
Source: General Dynamics, “General Dynamics Land Systems Wins
maintenance facilities and training ranges for MPF units
U.S. Army Competition for Mobile Protected Firepower Vehicles,”
assigned to infantry posts not structured to accommodate
June 29, 2022.
armored fighting vehicles. Additionally, there might be
FY2022 Director, Operational Test and
environmental concerns about stationing MPF units at bases
Evaluation Report
in Hawaii and Alaska, for example. One possible solution
In January 2023, the Department of Defense’s
might be to station MPF units at bases better suited to
Director,
support armor units, but the Army reportedly would like to
Operational Test and Evaluation Report (DOT&E) issued
its annual report on the previous fiscal year’s test and
keep MPF units within at least a six-hour drive from the
division they are assigned to. Another issue is that there
evaluation activities. The report notes the MPF’s progress
might be related challenges in creating MPF units in the
toward achieving operational effectiveness is “satisfactory.”
The report also noted, “D
Army National Guard (ARNG). Given these MPF unit-
evelopmental testing found that
related considerations, Congress might also monitor the
the MPF had high levels of toxic fumes when firing the
Army’s progress in addressing the aforementioned
main gun, requiring modifications to crew procedures
challenges in creating new MPF units.
during firing to mitigate the build-up of fumes in the
turret.” DOT&E recommended the Army “continue
implementing system design fixes to reduce the high level
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
of toxic fumes when firing the main gun.” DOT&E further
IF11859
recommended the Army “continue improving the vehicle’s
cooling system to reduce preventative maintenance checks
and services times required.”
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The Army’s M -10 Booker (formerly known as Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)) System
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11859 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED