The Army wants a light tank for infantry brigades that will be able to knock out bunkers and defeat enemy armored vehicles. On Tuesday, it awarded a $1.14 billion contract to General Dynamics Land Systems for the defense giant’s Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program — the Army’s first new design vehicle fielded in more than four decades.
The contract win wasn’t exactly a surprise. The only other competitor, BAE Systems, was knocked out of the running earlier this year.
“MPF will provide infantry brigades greater survivability, the ability to identify threat systems earlier and at greater distances, and will not restrict movement in off-road terrain,” Army officials said in a statement.