Orders Now Stand at 116 and Programme Nears Full-Rate Production

BAE Systems and Iveco Defence Vehicles have received at $113.5 million (€104.5 million) contract to deliver an additional 26 Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV) to the US Marine Corps.

The award brings the total number of vehicles ordered under the low-rate initial production (LRIP) phase of the contract to 116 and also moves the programme closer to full-rate production.

ACV is an advanced 8×8 open ocean-capable vehicle, equipped with a new six-cylinder, 700hp engine, providing a significant power increase over the fleet currently in service. The vehicle delivers best-in-class mobility in all terrain and has a suspended interior seat structure for 13 embarked troops, blast-mitigating positions for a crew of three and improved survivability and force protection over currently fielded systems.

Current LRIP is focused on the ACV-P variant, but further specialised variants will be added under full rate production within the ACV Family of Vehicles programme. Iveco Defence Vehicles and BAE Systems previously received the Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3 awards. The companies and the USMC have been making significant strides to reach full-rate production, including successful completion of a Logistics Demonstration as a critical enabler for the programme to move into Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) with trained USMC maintainers. This and other major milestones, such as operator training and additional testing, will take place before full-rate production.