Cummins Power Generation has received approval from the U.S. Army to proceed with Full Rate Production of its Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources (AMMPS) generators. Compared with the previous line of fielded generators, the AMMPS product line offers substantially improved fuel economy and reliability at a lower cost.
The green light for the AMMPS program came in a July 20 Full Rate Production decision by Brig. Gen. (Promotable) N. Lee S. Price, program executive officer for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T), coupled with a Full Material Release decision by Maj. Gen. Randolph P. Strong, Commanding General of the Communications-Electronics Command. Production of these generators is expected to be on contract by mid-August, with the first units expected to arrive in Afghanistan in November.
“Power is the lifeblood of the networked systems our soldiers rely on to communicate critical information across the battlefield,” Price said. “As those systems multiply in number and capability, the demand for power follows, increasing the need for more efficient ways of generating, storing and distributing energy. The AMMPS family of generators answers that call. The most important factor is the number of soldiers who will not be placed in harm’s way having to transport that fuel.”
The new AMMPS generators are projected to deliver 21 percent better fuel efficiency compared to the previous models at nearly a 20 percent reduction in cost. The Army estimates the new AMMPS line will save millions of gallons of fuel annually in wartime use. In addition, the generators will be lighter, quieter and more reliable than the generators they are replacing. The Army will contract for approximately 5,500 AMMPS units this year.
AMMPS generators provide mobile, tactical electric power to deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines worldwide. They directly support weapon systems, tactical operation centers, communications, intelligence and numerous other battlefield systems.
“Cummins’ work to provide power solutions to the U.S. military dates back to World War II, and we are excited about this important next step in our partnership with the U.S. Army,” said Tony Satterthwaite, president of Cummins Power Generation. “Our next-generation AMMPS products represent a significant leap forward in performance, fuel economy and reliability. Our new line of tactical power sources also has a greatly reduced environmental footprint, consistent with Cummins’ commitment to contributing to a cleaner environment.”
“These power sources will significantly improve the quality of life for our soldiers in the field, as well as the Army’s ability to successfully conduct its missions,” said Lt. Col. Michael E. Foster, PM MEP’s product manager for Medium Power Sources.
