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  December 11, 2020 | International, Naval

  Marine Corps’ amphibious combat vehicle reaches full-rate production

  By: Jen Judson   WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems with a $184 million contract to deliver Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV) at full-rate production, according to a Dec. 10 company announcement. The first lot of FRP ACVs amounts to 36 vehicles but is expected to grow to 72 vehicles in early 2021, with the option for 80 vehicles annually over five years. The Marine Corps declared the ACV had met Initial Operational Capability (IOC) requirements on Nov. 13. The FRP decision was delayed due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. “As the ACV enters into service it will be providing highly advanced solutions for conducting maritime-based warfare operations and will play a vital role in the Marine Corps' complex and challenging missions,” John Swift, director of amphibious programs at BAE Systems, said in the statement. “For BAE Systems, full-rate production validates years of dedication and teamwork in partnership with the Marines to introduce this capability to the warfighter and leave our adversaries on the battlefield at a marked disadvantage.” BAE, with teammate IVECO Defence Vehicles, of Italy, beat out SAIC for the contract to build ACV following a competitive evaluation period in June 2018. That contract allowed the company to enter low-rate initial production with 30 vehicles expected by the fall of 2019 and valued at $198 million. The ACV offers “force protection capability three times greater” than its predecessor the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, the BAE statement notes. “It provides substantially increased horsepower, with its six-cylinder, 690 horsepower engine, making it capable of land speeds exceeding 55 mph while running extremely quietly. It's also designed to provide Marines the flexibility to address additional mission roles and future technologies through its modular design,” the statement adds. The BAE ACV provides space for 13 embarked Marines and a crew of three, which keeps the rifle squad together. The vehicle has a V-shaped hull to protect against underbody blasts, and the seat structure is completely suspended. BAE is currently under a $67 million contract modification awarded in June 2019, according to the company, to develop new variants for the ACV including adding a command vehicle and a version with a 30mm medium caliber cannon. The company notes that the design and development for both have begun. The Marines plan to field 204 of the vehicles. The total value of the contract with all options exercised is expected to amount to about $1.2 billion. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/12/10/marine-corps-amphibious-combat-vehicle-reaches-full-rate-production/

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  May 26, 2022 | International, Naval

  Photos show China has fielded another semi-submersible transport ship

  The official China Military Online website showed the semi-submersible heavy ship Yinmahu transporting a Type 958 air-cushioned landing craft.

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  January 30, 2019 | International, Naval, Land

  The Marine Corps wants three types of amphib vehicles ― including one with a 30mm cannon

  By: Todd South The Marine Corps is looking to plus up the firepower aboard its new amphibious combat vehicle with a 30mm cannon. Officials with Marine Corps Systems Command posted a request for information on the government website FedBizOpps on Monday. The ACV will replace the aging assault amphibious vehicle, which entered service in the early 1970s. The Marines want three variants of the ACV ― a command and control configuration, a recovery and maintenance setup and ACVs with 30mm medium-caliber cannons. The older AAV had space for a 40mm grenade launcher, but in direct vehicle-on-vehicle fighting the 30mm cannon offers fast, high-volume direct fire. BAE Systems was selected in 2018 to produce the ACV, which is expected to reach initial operational capability by fiscal year 2020. The company has built amphib vehicles for the military since 1941. The ACV is a chief “connector” from ship to shore for Marine amphibious operations. it will include mine resistant ambush protected-level armor, and able to “negotiate two-foot significant wave height and four-foot plunging surf,” according to Program Executive Office-Land Systems. The 30mm-cannon arming follows suit with making existing and future ground combat vehicles more lethal. The Army began upgunning its Stryker vehicles with a 30mm cannon, replacing its twin .50-caliber machine guns. In 2018, the Army also put in place the common remotely operated weapon station for the Javelin missile on the Stryker, keeping soldiers inside the vehicle when firing the missile. Those upgrades began first in Germany as a counter to increased capabilities in the Russian ground formations. The Marines have also started upgrading their light armored vehicle, also a decades-old platform, to include a better powerpack, drive train and digitized instrument panels. Late last year the Corps was still only looking at two ACV variants, according to official postings: the turreted assault vehicle and the command and control version. At the annual Modern Day Marine Military Expo at Quantico, Virginia, John Swift, program director for BAE's amphibious vehicles, told Marine Corps Times that they expect to have 30 vehicles built by the end of summer 2019 to go through testing and modifications as the Corps decides the composition of the ACV fleet. Those will be basic testing platforms. This most recent posting gives some indications of what the Corps needs. Most recently the Corps was asking for 704 ACVs when full production begins in 2022. Those are expected to be done within six years. And a previously ongoing contract with another company to perform survivability upgrades on an estimated 392 AAVs was cancelled last year in a move of funding from that program to more rapid modernization priorities. The legacy AAV is a tracked vehicle, while its replacement will be an eight-wheel vehicle. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/01/29/the-marine-corps-want-three-types-of-amphib-vehicles-including-one-with-a-30mm-cannon