Marines Order Additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles

The ACV program has gotten messy with all the procurement debates and requirement changes flying around. As someone who follows Marine Corps vehicle acquisitions closely, I sat down and learned this latest order and what it means for the fleet. Today, I will share it all with you.

The U.S. Marine Corps just approved a follow-on order for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle. They’re expanding the fleet to meet what the service calls “expeditionary force requirements,” which basically means they need more of these things and they need them now.

BAE Systems handles production at their Virginia facility. They’re expected to ramp up production rates to hit delivery timelines, which is always easier said than done in defense manufacturing.

Capability Enhancements

Probably should have led in this section, frankly. The new batch isn’t just more of the same — it incorporates lessons from operational testing in the Pacific. Improved swim motors give better maneuverability in rough seas, which is the kind of upgrade you absolutely need when the mission is getting Marines from ship to shore in the Western Pacific.

Marines who’ve used the ACV have good things to say about the protected troop compartment and integrated comms systems. These vehicles are replacing the aging AAV-7 amphibious tractors, which were long overdue for retirement. I’ve seen those old AAVs up close. They served well, but their time was up.

Pacific Focus

That’s what makes this procurement endearing to us amphibious warfare watchers — it shows the Marine Corps putting its money where its mouth is regarding Pacific operations. The service keeps talking about distributed maritime operations, and you need the vehicles to back that up. More ACVs means more capability to put Marines ashore in contested environments. Simple as that.