BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded an $183,840,645 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,304,536,113. This modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 36 full rate production ACVs and associated production and fielding and support costs. Work is expected to be completed in April 2023. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006).
In June 2018, the BAE design was selected, with an initial order of 30 ACVs. In June 2019, BAE Systems and Iveco were awarded a contract to develop Command and 30mm gun armed variants. On 15 October 2020, Iveco announced that the first fleet of 18 ACVs had been delivered to a platoon of Marines after five years of testing development. On 10 December 2020 the Marine Corps and BAE Systems announced the commencement of full-rate production, with an initial batch of 36, expected to grow to 72 in early 2021. A January 2021 report from the Department of Defense’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) pointed to several problems with the ACV, including cramped quarters, difficult egress, and frequent breakdown.
The BAE Systems’ ACV solution has greater ship-to-shore objective capability than that of any similar vehicle in the world. In fact, we’ve already completed several sea demonstrations conducted including operating in Sea State 3 conditions. During these demonstrations, the ACV offering proved its ability to successfully perform ship launch and recovery – an important requirement of the ACV program. Additionally, our solution – equipped with a robust 690HP engine, providing a significant power increase over the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) – has a range of more than 325 miles on land before refueling and can travel at speeds in excess of 65 miles per hour.
The ACV is a highly mobile, survivable, and adaptable platform for conducting rapid ship-to-shore operations and brings enhanced combat power to the battlefield. BAE Systems is under contract to deliver two variants to the Marine Corps under the ACV Family of Vehicles program: the ACV-P and the ACV command variant (ACV-C). A 30mm cannon (ACV-30) is currently under contract for design and development and a recovery variant (ACV-R) is also planned. The Marine Corps selected BAE Systems along with teammate Iveco Defence Vehicles for the ACV program in 2018 to replace its legacy fleet of Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV), also built by BAE Systems.
