BAE Systems Inc., which operates part of its Platforms and Services business sector in Sterling Heights, has delivered the first Amphibious Combat Vehicle Command and Control (ACV-C) variant under the full-rate production contract to the U.S. Marine Corps.
The ACV-C will provide Marines with a mobile command center which enables situational awareness and operations planning in the battlespace.
ACV-C provides open-ocean and ship-to-objective amphibious capability, land mobility, survivability, and ample growth capacity and flexibility to incorporate and adapt future technologies.
Through previous studies with the Marine Corps, BAE Systems states it has proven that the ACV is truly customizable and has the built-in growth capacity to integrate future mission critical technologies, including new battle management capabilities, advanced communications, multi-domain targeting management, beyond-line-of-sight sensors, and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) with autonomous and unmanned systems.
“We are thrilled to deliver this critical capability into the hands of Marines in the field,” says Garrett Lacaillade, vice president of the amphibious vehicles product line for BAE Systems. “As the Marines begin to familiarize themselves with the new ACV-C, BAE Systems and our strategic partner, Iveco Defence Vehicles, remain ready to fulfill any of the Corps’ critical amphibious warfighting needs to ensure the Fleet Marine Force is mission ready.”
The Marine Corps and BAE Systems entered full-rate production on the ACV program with a contract award in December 2020. Currently, two of the four ACV variants are in production today at BAE Systems facility in York, Pennsylvania: the ACV Personnel variant (ACV-P), which provides transport for 13 combat-loaded Marines and three crew, and the new ACV-C variant. Production Representative Test Vehicles (PRTVs) are currently in production for ACV 30mm (ACV-30).
ACV-30 is armed with a 30mm Remote Turret System that provides the lethality and protection Marines need while leaving ample room for troop capacity and payload.
The fourth variant on contract, the ACV Recovery variant (ACV-R), recently completed phase one of the design process. BAE Systems will deliver production representative test vehicles in 2025. ACV-R will provide direct field support, maintenance, and recovery to the ACV family of vehicles.
ACV production and support is taking place at BAE Systems locations in Sterling Heights (approximately 432 employees), Stafford, Virg.; San Jose; Aiken, S.C.; and York, Penn.