BAE Systems to produce 33 additional ACV Amphibious Combat Vehicles for US Marine Corps

Defense News December 2021 Global Security army industry
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According to a contract published by the United States Department of Defense on December 23, 2021, BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $169,334,012 modification contract to produce more Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV) for U.S. Marine Corps.
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U.S. Marines with Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch, Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, maneuver an Amphibious Combat Vehicle into the well deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) as part of the vehicle’s developmental testing off the shore of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, (Picture source U.S. DoD)

The total value of the contract if all options are exercised is $3,354,159,920. This modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 33 full rate production ACVs (Amphibious Combat Vehicles) and associated production, and fielding and support costs.

In November 2015, the U.S. Marine Corps had awarded BAE Systems’ team a contract worth $103.7 million for the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) phase of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) 1.1 program.

Proven to be significantly more effective than the 40-year old Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV), the Marine Corps approved the Initial Operational Capability of the ACV on November 13, 2020. This declaration came shortly before BAE Systems’ received a $184 million contract to move into full-rate production on the program.

BAE Systems’ ACV 1.1 solution is an advanced 8x8 open ocean-capable vehicle that is based on a platform developed by the Italian company IVECO Defence Vehicles. It is equipped with a new 6-cylinder, 700HP power pack, which provides a significant power increase over the current Assault Amphibious Vehicle.

The ACV vehicle performs best in class mobility in all terrains and has a suspended interior seat structure for 13 embarked Marines, blast mitigating positions for a crew of three, and improved survivability and force protection over currently fielded systems. The team has conducted extensive risk mitigation testing and evaluation for swim, land mobility, and survivability capabilities that have proven the solution’s capabilities.

BAE Systems has developed four variants of the ACV including the ACV-30 fitted with a turret armed with one 30mm automatic cannon, ACV-P armored personnel carrier, ACV-C command post, and ACV-R armored recovery vehicle.