M10 Booker advances towards service
The first Booker was handed over to the US Army in February. (Photo: GDLS)
The M10 Booker will be the US Army’s first new light tank in decades and last month’s low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract for continued manufacture was a major step in a programme which will substantially reshape the force’s Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs).
In July 2022, the US Army selected General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) to meet its Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) requirement, a platform later named as M10 Booker.
Major milestones have been passed this year, specifically the awarding of a US$322 million LRIP contract in August, with the first vehicle handed over in February 2024.
GDLS developed the platform for MPF by leveraging several components from the company’s Austro-Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) family and the M1 Abrams main battle tank (MBT).
It is intended to provide organic direct fire support to IBCTs and, importantly, the MPF will be smaller and lighter
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Land Warfare
-
![US Army seeks industry support to prepare acquisitions of Group 4+ UAVs]()
US Army seeks industry support to prepare acquisitions of Group 4+ UAVs
The US Army is keen to hear about vendor designs, strategies and potential hardware and software solutions to inform requirements for procurement efforts.
-
![Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential]()
Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential
Top attacks have proven effective against heavily armoured vehicles in Ukraine. A new family of uncrewed aerial system-delivered munitions is looking to press that advantage further.
-
![Elbit bets on local content for US howitzer bid as it faces off against popular systems]()
Elbit bets on local content for US howitzer bid as it faces off against popular systems
The Israeli company hopes that producing its Sigma artillery system wholly in the US will help it win a key US Army contract, but it will be up against the popular CAESAR Mk II wheeled weapon and the K9 tracked.
-
![Germany signs multi-billion-dollar deals for 6x6 CAVS and GDELS Eagle vehicles]()
Germany signs multi-billion-dollar deals for 6x6 CAVS and GDELS Eagle vehicles
The order is a further boost for the Common Armoured Vehicles System programme which has notched notable successes in the past 12 months. The first vehicle, made in Finland, will be delivered next year with local production expected to ramp up in 2027.
