Emphasizing the Marines’ new amphibious troop transport is critical to the nation’s crisis response, a top Marine Corps leader told senators during a committee hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday that Camp Pendleton Marines are being retrained after a series of accidents involving the vehicle, but the request to purchase more still stands.
Assistant Marine Commandant Eric Smith told senators during the Fiscal 2024 budget hearing on readiness with the House Armed Service Committee that the new Amphibious Combat Vehicle recently purchased from BAE Systems – at least 139 are now part of the Marine Corps’ fleet, each costing $5.9 million – is significantly better “in mobility, lethality, protection and safety” than the legacy vehicle it is replacing for transporting troops between ships and the shore and onto land.
But he also outlined for the committee the adjustments in training with the vehicle and mechanical improvements being made following four instances when the troop transport flipped over while maneuvering in surf at Camp Pendleton since its rollout in 2019. There have been no reported injuries in the training accidents.
The ACVs have yet to deploy overseas with a Marine unit after missing a planned debut last year.
Despite the issues, Marine leaders are convinced the vehicles are the future of the amphibious fight, Smith said.
Smith explained to senators that the ACVs – several more models are on order from BAE Systems – are operating and handling much differently than their predecessor, the Amphibious Assault Vehicle, which has been the service branch’s most relied-upon vehicle since being introduced to the fleet in 1972. After initial investigations into the training accidents, it was determined the Marines need to be trained to adjust to the new vehicle’s completely different steering system and propellor systems, among other variations, he said.
Those alterations in protocols for training to drive and maintain the vehicle…
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