Updated June 16, 2025

The Army’s XM-30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle

(Formerly Known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle
[OMFV])
Background The XM-30 Combat Vehicle (previously OMFV),
The Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) as part of an Armored Brigade Combat Team
is being designed to replace the M-2 Bradley Infantry (ABCT), will replace the Bradley Infantry Fighting
Fighting Vehicle (IFV) (see Figure 1 for a notional Vehicle to provide the capabilities required to
example). Optionally manned means the OMFV is to have defeat a future near-peer competitor’s force. The
the capability to conduct remotely controlled operations XM-30 is an optionally manned platform that
while a crew is not in the vehicle. The M-2 Bradley, which maneuvers soldiers to a point of positional
has been in service since 1981, transports infantry on the advantage to engage in close combat and deliver
battlefield, provides fire support to dismounted troops, and decisive lethality during the execution of combined
can destroy enemy fighting vehicles. Updated numerous
arms maneuver. It is designed to operate with and
times since its introduction, the M-2 Bradley is widely
may operate without a crew and soldiers under
considered to have reached the technological limits of its
capacity to accommodate new electronics, armor, and armor based on the commander’s decision. It
defensive systems. Two past efforts to replace the M-2 delivers decisive lethality during the execution of
Bradley—the Future Combat System (FCS) Program and combined arms maneuver while also controlling
the Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Program—were maneuver robotics and semi-autonomous systems
cancelled for programmatic and cost-associated reasons. XM-30 Acquisition Approach
The XM-30 is currently a Middle Tier Acquisition Rapid
Figure 1. Notional Example—OMFV Prototyping (MTA-RP) program. The XM-30 is to be
Army’s first ground combat vehicle designed using state-
of-the-art digital engineering tools and techniques. It is to
be designed from the onset as a Modular Open Systems
Architected (MOSA) platform based on an Army-defined
and -owned open standard. As technology and software
evolve, MOSA could potentially facilitate rapid XM-30
modernization at a reduced cost. The open architecture of
the XM-30 could also offer more opportunities for industry
competition and innovations as the XM-30 is upgraded.
The Army is conducting a five-phase acquisition approach
to design, prototype, test, and produce the XM-30:
• Phase 1 consists of Market Research and
Requirement Development.
Source: U.S. Naval Institute (USNI), https://news.usni.org/2021/12/ • Phase 2, the Concept Design Phase, includes modeling,
30/report-to-congress-on-armys-optionally manned-fighting-vehicle, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) to inform
accessed April 18, 2022. requirements and support initial design activities.
Note: This is a notional example; the Army’s OMFV selected for • Phase 3, the Detailed Design Phase, includes detailed
production may differ from this example. design activities to mature XM-30 designs and
OMFV Redesignated XM-30 Mechanized concludes with a Critical Design Review (CDR). A
Infantry Combat Vehicle CDR is a technical review to ensure the initial product
On June 26, 2023, upon the completion of the initial digital baseline is established. Successful completion of CDR
design phase, the Army redesignated the OMFV as the XM- provides the technical basis for proceeding into
30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle. fabrication, integration, development, test, and
evaluation of a system.
Role of the XM-30 • Phase 4, the Prototype Build and Test Phase, verifies
According to the 2024 Department of Defense (DOD) FY prototype performance against performance
2025 Program Acquisition Costs by Weapons Systems, specifications. Late in this phase, a Limited User Test
(LUT) is to be conducted.

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 The Army’s XM-30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (Formerly Known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle
[OMFV])

• Phase 5, the Production and Fielding Phase, is to Program (MDAP) on April 1, 2025, and now intends to
result in a single Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) make that decision by the end of June 2025. The delay
contract for production, testing, and initial fielding. reportedly “will interrupt an audit from the Inspector
General which was supposed to assess the effectiveness of
Program Activities the Army’s management of its transition to a major
Phase 2 Contracts Awarded capability acquisition pathway, with a specific focus on its
The Army announced the award of five firm-fixed price handling of critical technologies.”
contracts for XM-30 Phase 2 Concept Design Phase using Reportedly, on June 11, 2025, American Rheinmetall and
full and open competitive procedures on July 23, 2021. The General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) were approved to
contracts were awarded to Point Blank Enterprises, Inc.
continue XM-30 development after the Army approved
(Miami Lakes, FL); Oshkosh Defense, LLC (Oshkosh, WI); entry into Milestone B, the Engineering and Manufacturing
BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P. (Sterling Heights, Development (EMD) phase, where both companies are to
MI); General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc. (Sterling
produce physical prototypes for future evaluation.
Heights, MI); and American Rheinmetall Vehicles, LLC
(Sterling Heights, MI). The total award value for all five Potential Oversight Issues for Congress
contracts was approximately $299.4 million. During this
The Army’s Plans for XM-30 Fielding
phase, competing firms were asked to develop digital
designs. On November 1, 2022, it was reported that all five The Army currently has 11 Active ABCTs and 5 Army
firms had submitted their XM-30 digital designs prior to the National Guard ABCTs. There are around 150 M-2 Bradley
IFVs in each ABCT, for an approximate total of 2,400 M-2s
November 1 deadline. All five proposals reportedly were
hybrid electric vehicles. dedicated to ABCTs. Potential oversight issues include the
following:
Phase 3 and 4 Contracts Awarded • On May 1, 2025, Army leadership published the Army
On June 26, 2023, the Army announced Letter to the Force: Army Transformation Initiative
(ATI) to implement “a comprehensive transformation
[t]he award of two firm-fixed price contracts for the
strategy.” Under ATI, will there be reductions in ABCT
Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle [XM-30] force structure and, if so, how will these changes affect
Phase 3 and 4 Detailed Design and Prototype Build current planned XM-30 acquisition quantities?
and Testing phases, using full and open competitive
procedures. The contracts were awarded to General • Will XM-30s replace ABCT M-2s on a one-for-one
Dynamics Land Systems Inc. (Sterling Heights, MI) basis? If not, how many XM-30s are planned for each
and American Rheinmetall Vehicles LLC (Sterling ABCT?
Heights, MI). The total award value for both • How many additional XM-30s will be required over and
contracts is approximately $1.6 billion. above those fielded to ABCTs? How many XM-30s will
be required for Army Prepositioned Stocks?
FY2025 Program Update
According to the Department of Defense (DOD) FY 2025 • Is the XM-30 a potential candidate for Foreign Military
Program Acquisition Costs by Weapons Systems, Sales (FMS), and have other countries expressed an
interest in the program?
The Army anticipates transitioning from an MTA-
RP to a Major Capability Acquisition Pathway at • In the past, the Army has fielded new systems as a
Milestone B in the 2nd quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) brigade set. How many ABCTs per year are planned to
2025 and plans to enter Low-Rate Initial Production be equipped with XM-30s, and when does the Army
anticipate that all ABCTs will be equipped with XM-
(LRIP) in the 1st quarter FY 2028 with a Full Rate
30s?
Production (FRP) decision slated for FY 2030.
Lessons Learned from the Ukraine Conflict
XM-30 Preliminary Design Review There are a number of military observations emerging from
Reportedly, General Dynamics Land Systems and the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Reports suggest the Russians
American Rheinmetall Vehicles completed their have lost significant numbers of armored vehicles to anti-
preliminary design review in August 2024 and, after a tank guided missiles (ATGM) and unmanned aerial systems
critical design review, development of physical prototypes (UAS). What are some of the lessons learned about armored
is planned to begin. According to Defense News, fighting vehicle vulnerability to these systems? Does the
Army have plans to incorporate Ukraine lessons learned
Prototypes will take 18 to 20 months to construct
into XM-30 design? Reportedly, Army officials have said
after the critical design reviews wrap up. Once that the XM-30 is to have a “mounted active protection
prototypes are delivered, the Army will move into a systems to ward off uncrewed aerial systems and antitank
test and evaluation phase with both competitors weapons.” If this is the case, does this proposed active
before deciding on a winner in FY2027. The first protection system address the full range of threats that have
vehicles are expected to be fielded in FY2029. emerged during the Ukraine conflict?
Milestone B Decision Delayed Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
Reportedly, the Army missed its Milestone B decision to
transition the XM-30 to a Major Defense Acquisition IF12094

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 The Army’s XM-30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (Formerly Known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle
[OMFV])

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