DEFEA 2025: BAE Systems Presents Amphibious Combat Vehicle Family with First Display of ACV-R recovery variant.

At DEFEA 2025, international defense exhibition in Athens, Greece, BAE Systems is presenting for the first time a scale model of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle Recovery variant (ACV-R), completing the showcase of all major configurations within the U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) family. This highly anticipated debut allows defense professionals and military delegations a closer look at the full spectrum of capabilities envisioned for the next-generation amphibious fleet. Alongside the ACV-P (Personnel), ACV-C (Command and Control), and ACV-30 (30mm cannon), the ACV-R completes the family designed to succeed the U.S. Marine Corps’ aging Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) fleet, which dates back to 1972.
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Scale model of the ACV-R Recovery Variant displayed by BAE Systems at DEFEA 2025, completing the full Amphibious Combat Vehicle lineup for the U.S. Marine Corps. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The ACV (Amphibious Combat Vehicle) program, led by BAE Systems in collaboration with Iveco Defence Vehicles, forms the backbone of the U.S. Marine Corps’ force modernization initiative. It delivers a new class of 8x8 amphibious platforms optimized for ship-to-shore operations, survivability in hostile environments, and modular mission configurations. The ACV family is intended to serve across expeditionary and mechanized operations, ensuring Marines maintain maneuver dominance across littoral and coastal zones.

BAE Systems has been awarded multiple contracts under this program, including a $34.9 million contract in 2021 to initiate design and development of the ACV-R variant, followed by a $79 million production contract in April 2024 for building and delivering Production Representative Test Vehicles (PRTVs). These test units are slated for delivery in 2025, in line with the Marine Corps’ fielding timeline for the complete ACV family.

The ACV-R (Amphibious Armored Vehicle - Recovery/maintenance) is engineered as a mission-critical support asset, providing recovery, field maintenance, and repair capabilities to Assault Amphibian Companies and Battalions. The platform enhances the operational readiness of frontline units by enabling rapid recovery of damaged or immobilized vehicles in high-threat environments—eliminating the need to wait for rear-echelon support.

Equipped with a high-capacity winch system, the ACV-R can extract vehicles that are mired or combat-disabled. The hydraulically powered crane allows lifting of heavy components such as engines or turrets for immediate battlefield repairs. The vehicle also features onboard diagnostic tools, power generators, welding equipment, and modular tool racks for conducting comprehensive field repairs.

Inside, the ACV-R is designed for both crew protection and efficient workspace organization. The recovery team benefits from blast-attenuating seats, a mine-resistant hull design, and advanced communications systems that ensure constant contact with higher echelons and other recovery units. Its mobility matches the rest of the ACV fleet, featuring independent suspension, central tire inflation, and fording capabilities that allow ship-to-shore amphibious operations without sacrificing protection.

"The ACV-R is a modern, highly capable recovery and mobile repair unit that provides critical expeditionary support to immobilized ACVs in the field and offers maintenance support capabilities without risking our Marines' safety," said Garrett Lacaillade, Vice President of Amphibious Programs at BAE Systems.

The appearance of the ACV-R at DEFEA 2025 reinforces BAE Systems’ role as a global leader in expeditionary vehicle technology and highlights the program’s momentum toward full operational capability. With all four variants—ACV-P, ACV-C, ACV-30, and ACV-R—now revealed, the ACV family offers an integrated platform capable of supporting diverse tactical roles under the unified doctrine of amphibious warfare.

As the ACV program matures, it is expected not only to serve U.S. Marine formations but also to attract interest from allied forces seeking interoperable, survivable, and logistically sustainable armored platforms. The ACV-R, in particular, fills a critical gap by ensuring that recovery operations can be conducted autonomously within forward-deployed Marine units, thus increasing battlefield resilience and reducing logistical strain on rear units.