RRAD hopes to add new vehicle to maintenance lineup
As Red River Army Depot seeks to expand its role in the nation’s defense efforts, officials are trying to add two new military vehicles to its maintenance lineup.
The depot’s main mission is repairing and reconditioning a range of wheeled and light tracked vehicles for the Army. The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, produced by BAE Systems, and the Rough Terrain Container Handler could become part of that mission, according to representatives of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s office.
The AMPV is in the testing stage and is intended to replace the M113 armored personnel carrier family of vehicles, for which the depot now provides maintenance. It will cover a wide range of missions similar to those of the M113, including general purpose, mission command, mortar carrier, medical evacuation and medical treatment. An engineer variant is also being designed. Right now, according to BAE’s website, the AMPV is scheduled for “Milestone C” in 2019, when the program will be evaluated to see if it is ready for low-rate production.
The RTCH, or Rough Terrain Container Handler, which is already in service, is designed to handle large cargo in the form of large shipping containers in a wide range of climate conditions and terrain—including some that might challenge conventional vehicles. It lifts heavy cargo containers and is capable of stacking them three high. The vehicle also can pick up a container in the second row.