Marines take delivery of new amphibious assault vehicles: Weapon of the week

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

WHO NEEDS S-P-F 50 AT THE BEACH WHEN YOU CAN HAVE AN A-C-V 30.

A BUNCH OF MARINES STATIONED IN JAPAN CAN NOW ANSWER THAT QUESTION, AS THEY RECENTLY TOOK DELIVERY OF A FLEET OF AMPHIBIOUS COMBAT VEHICLES. 

IT’S OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK.

THIS WAS THE SCENE AT NAHA MILITARY PORT, IN OKINAWA EARLIER THIS SUMMER WHEN THE 3RD MARINE DIVISION GOT THE KEYS TO SOME BRAND NEW A-C-V 30s. 

THE EIGHT-WHEELED COMBAT FIGHTING VEHICLE IS A BIG PART OF THE MARINE CORPS’ PLAN FOR COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

BUILT BY B-A-E SYSTEMS AND IVECO (ai-veh-kow), THE A-C-V-30 CAN LAUNCH FROM THE OPEN SEA, TRAVEL AS FAR AS 12 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE SHORE, THEN TRAVEL AN ADDITIONAL 250 MILES ON LAND. AND ONCE IT HITS TERRA FIRMA IT TOPS OUT AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON PAVED ROADS. 

[KENDRA CAMPBELL]

“This is the first time the ACVs have been out here in Okinawa, Japan. We’re really excited to start operating with them and testing them out in this environment. They ACVs add an increased lethality to the Marine Corps due to their ship to shore surface connector capability as well as an increased protection for the troops that will be embarked inside the vehicles due to their V shaped hull.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE A-C-V-30 IS PART OF A LONG-PLANNED UPGRADE FROM THE 1970s ERA ASSAULT AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE.  

OPERATED BY A CREW OF THREE AND CAPABLE OF CARRYING 13 ADDITIONAL MARINES, ITS ARMED WITH A M-K 44 STRETCH BUSHMASTER DUAL-FED CANNON, THAT’S NOW THE LARGEST DIRECT-FIRE GUN IN THE MARINE CORPS’ INVENTORY. 

WITH A PRICE TAG OF THREE TO FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THE MARINES EXPECT TO TAKE DELIVERY OF 632 A-C-Vs IN FOUR VARIANTS, 175 OF WHICH WILL BE A-C-V-30s.