Jane Edwards
The U.S. Marine Corps will select by summer 2018 a new amphibious combat vehicle from prototypes developed by BAE Systems and Science Applications International Corp. to replace its existing fleet of Assault ÂAmphibious Vehicles, the Marine Corps Times reported Thursday.
The service branch awarded two contracts worth up to $225 million combined to BAE and SAIC in November 2015 to develop ACV increment 1 prototypes.
The Marine Corps expects the production phase to start by fall 2018 with plans to initially procure 204 ACV 1.1 vehicles and then purchase 490 ACV 1.2 units after the preliminary manufacturing stage.
The proposed ACV will be an armored V-shaped hull personnel carrier designed to transport a three-person crew, 10 infantrymen and a .50-caliber remotely operated gun, the report added.
