Marine’s New Amphibious Combat Vehicle

| February 17, 2021


BAE Amphibious Combat Vehicle

The U.S. Marine Corps’ 67,500-pound replacement for its aging Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) is in full rate production. BAE’s new Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) hasn’t made everyone happy, however.

The U.S. Marines’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle Is A Beast

By Caleb Larson

BAE Systems, the firm behind the United States Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle, just got the go-ahead to build more of the new system, according to a BAE press release.

The Corps awarded BAE $184 million for 36 additional ACVs, and brings the total number of full-rate production vehicles to 72, a deal that covers testing equipment and spare parts.

BAE’s new Amphibious Combat Vehicle replaces the Corps’ similarly named Assault Amphibious Vehicle. The legacy AAV platform has been in service with the Marine Corps for nearly half a century, since the early 1970s. And while it provided a valuable ship-to-shore capability — of crucial importance to the Corps given their amphibious ability — it had since grown long in the tooth, necessitating a replacement.

Unlike the AAV, the newer ACV platform forwent a tracked design, opting instead for a wheeled 8×8 wheeled layout. It does however retain the AAV’s amphibious capability and features dual water thrusters at the hull rear, as well as a rear-opening egress and ingress hatch.

Still, the ACV has faced criticism from both inside and outside the Marine Corps. One of the chief points brought up against the ACV is the new platform’s relatively slow speed while in the water. Compounding the ACV’s speed issue, is its range in the water compared to proliferating anti-ship missile threats, which have significantly outpaced the vehicle.

Speed and range issues? Either someone did a poor job defining requirements, or a couple high level Deficiency Reports have hit the Program Office. Maybe both. Read how the Corps addresses this and more, here: 19 Forty Five

Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Marines

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Steve 1371

That thing looks to be more water dynamic as in aerodynamic. It actually looks like a boat to some degree. I would think it would be faster in the water than the AAV it replaces. Twin water jets powered by a big Diesel engine ought to thrust it along nicely. Those tires look to be much more buoyant than the rubber padded steel tracks of the AAV. It will never win any speed record at 67,500 lbs though.

KoB

I’ll wait for the next gen model with the 30 mm chain gun accessory factory install. And a beefed up power plant. Gimme 2 of them. One to shore up the North Wall and another for overwatch on the other side of the pond.

MI Ranger

Does it have lasers? How about an electromagnetic railgun? Maybe Electromagnetic Pulse cannon or at least some Electronic Warfare capability against drones and cruise missiles? Does it transform into a hovercraft and hid speeds of 90knots?!!

RGR 4-78

I hope it doesn’t end up being a multi-million dollar GamaGoat.

Anonymous

Only time that thing even looked any good was in Stripes with Bill Murry driving it pulling the EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle.

Charles

Does anybody have any good links to a site with the results of the investigation of the AAV that dove to the bottom of the coast of California, taking a number of Marines to their deaths? It was July of last year, and the vehicle was recovered, so I’d expect something official by now.

Manage

Lmmfao 35 short tons. Absolutely unreal…

Dustoff

I hate to be pessimistic , but every time I hear “great new weapons system” I think of the old Sgt York ADA system from my time back in the 80s. (Or the US Army’s answer to Ivan’s ZSU-23-4.) An obsolete tank bed, an off the shelf F16 radar borrowed from the Air Force, a couple of Swedish Cannons (no not the ones mounted on the Blonde from ABBA)..what could go wrong?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mVLgiY5Tig

Slow Joe

Not tracked?

How does it deal with sandy beaches?

8 wheeled Army Strykers sux in sand, so I am curious as to how BAE found a solution to the biggest problem with wheeled combat vehicles.

USMC Steve

I remember riding in the old amtrac. Will this one have venting to make sure the diesel fumes enter the personnel compartment, ensuring massive headaches and barfing? And NOTHING could be slower than a P-7 heading to a beach. I am crappy in the water and I could swim faster than those things do. God, what a miserable way to get from one place to another.