The Marine Corps plans to replace the amphibious assault vehicle with 1,013 advanced amphibious assault vehicles for $6.7 billion, including a $456-million increase due to a 2-year procurement delay. With a water speed of 23 to 29 miles per hour, the new vehicle could be launched from amphibious ships 25 miles or more offshore and reach shore far more quickly than the current vehicle. This improved mobility would reduce the risk to Navy ships from missiles, aircraft, boats, and mines. Until the new vehicle is fielded, beginning in 2008, the Marine Corps anticipates spending more to maintain the current vehicle. The Marine Corps is developing the AAAV to replace the AAV as its primary combat vehicle for transporting troops on land and from ship to shore. The AAAV must satisfy many operational requirements, which will provide increased capabilities compared to the AAV and improve the ship-to-shore movement, thus allowing the Marine Corps and the Navy to more effectively implement OMFTS. Table 3.1 compares selected AAAV requirements with the AAV's current capabilities.
Comparison of Selected AAAV Requirements With AAV's Current Capabilities Function AAAV requirement AAV capability ------------------------------ ------------------ ------------------ Water speed 23-29 miles per 6-8 miles per hour hour Cross-country land speed Keep up with main 15-20 miles per battle tank, which hour travels at about 30 miles per hour Range on water 65 miles 45 miles Range on land 300 miles 300 miles Troop-carrying capacity 18 combat- 18 combat- equipped troops equipped troops Survivability (armor Survive 14.5mm Can only survive protection) bullets without 14.5mm bullets if attaching enhanced enhanced armor armor plating to plating has been vehicle's hull attached to vehicle's hull Lethality (main armament) Defeat light 40mm and .50 armored combat caliber machine vehicles of 2005- guns, which cannot 2025 time frame defeat light during day and armored combat night while moving vehicles of today
This is the U.S. Marine Corps only acquisition category (ACAT) I acquisition program. The Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) represents the signature mission of the USMC. A truly amphibious vehicle that will replace the USMC's aging current system and provide the capability to maneuver, combat loaded with a Marine rifle squad, at 20-25 knots in the water and maneuver cross country with agility and mobility equal or greater than that of the M1 Main Battle Tank (MBT). The AAAV will virtually revolutionize every facet of USMC combat operations. It is one of the most capable all-around weapon systems in the world. The technology to meet these requirements has been demonstrated, and the plan to procure this system represents the most operationally effective solution for meeting USMC requirements. The AAAV will allow the Navy and Marine Corps to seamlessly link maneuver in ships and maneuver ashore enabling Operational Maneuver From The Sea (OMFTS). The AAAV will be the principal means of armored protected land and water mobility and direct fire support for Marine infantry during combat operations. Based on this unique mission profile, the AAAV must leverage state of the art advances in water propulsion, land mobility, lethality and survivability. Lightweight components and structures that are cost and operationally effective and supportable together with a significantly more powerful engine are the primary technical challenges for the AAAV. There are currently 1,322 USMC Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV7A1 ) which will be replaced by 1,013 AAAVs beginning late in the first decade of the next century. The Marine Corps has a requirement to procure 1,013 AAAVs. Prior to December 1994, the cost to develop and procure AAAVs was estimated at $7.2 billion (then-year dollars). Due to budget constraints, DOD reduced AAAV funding in the FYDP by $189 million in December 1994. As a result, the Marine Corps extended the demonstration and validation phase 22 months and delayed procurement by 2 years, which increased the program's cost by $456 million, to $7.6 billion. As a result, low-rate initial production has been delayed from fiscal year 2003 to 2005; initial operational capability from fiscal year 2006 to 2008; and full operational capability--fielding all required AAAVs to the active assault amphibian battalions and the maritime prepositioning squadrons--from fiscal year 2012 to 2014.
| Weight |
Empty: 62,880 Pounds (Less Fuel, Ammo, Crew, Infantry) Combat Equipped: 74,500 Pounds (Full Fuel, Ammo, Crew, Infantry) | Reserve Buoyancy | 30% | Center of Gravity: |
Longitudinal: 131 Inches Aft of Final Drive Transverse: +/- 1.0 Inch of Vehicle Centerline Vertical: 20.7 Inches Above Final Drive |
Mean Transition Sea Water Draft : 80 Inches (Appx.) Mean High Speed Configured Draft: 58 Inches (Appx.) |
Freeboard at Bow : 16 Inches (Appx.) Freeboard at Stern : 14 Inches (Appx.) | Unit Ground Pressure |
Soft Soil: 8.9 psi Hard Surface: 24.4 psi | Fuel Capacity | 400 Gallons | PERFORMANCE |
Horsepower (Sea) to Weight Ratio (Combat Equipped): 69.1 HP/Ton Horsepower (Land) to Weight Ratio (Combat Equipped): 22.8 HP/Ton | Drawbar Pull |
43,500 Pounds on Level, Firm Terrain (Maximum at Stall Tractive Effort): | Range |
Cruising Range - Land at 25 MPH: 300 Miles Water at 20 knots: 65 Nautical Miles | Speed |
Cruising Speed - Land: 20 to 30 MPH Water: 20 Knots Maximum Speed Forward - Land: 45 MPH Water, High Speed: 25 Knots Water, Transition Speed: 10.5 Knots Maximum Speed Reverse - Land: 15 MPH Water: 4.5 MPH | Obstacle Ability |
8-Foot Trench Span, 3-Foot Vertical Wall Maximum Forward Grade (Combat Equipped): 60% Maximum Side Slope (Combat Equipped): 40% Ground Clearance (Combat Equipped): 16 inches | Minimum Turning Radius |
Land: Pivot Water, High Speed: 328 feet at 80% of top speed Water, Transition: Pivot | Objective Surf Transit | Negotiate 8-Foot Plunging Surf Maintain Planing Speed in 3 Foot Significant Wave Height | ENGINE |
Make: MTU Model: MT883 | Type | 4 Cycle, 12 Cylinder, 90° Vee, Water Cooled, Turbocharged Bore: 5.7 Inches Stroke: 5.5 Inches Displacement: 1669 Cubic Inches Compression Ratio: 12.5:1 | Fuel | Multi-fuel | Rated Horsepower | - Land : 850 @ 2600 RPM Sea: 2575 @ 3300 RPM Rated Torque - Land: 2626 ft-lbs @ 1700 RPM Sea: 4098 ft-lbs @ 3300 RPM | Oil Capacity | 33.3 Gallons, 15W-40 Oil | Engine Coolant Capacity | 40 Gals., 50/50 Ethylene Glycol/Water | POWER TRAIN |
Transmission: Allison Six Speed Transmission Type: Hydrokinetic with Infinitely Variable Steering, HD World Transmission (WT), Packard Electronic Controls Maximum Converter Torque Multiplication: 2.27:1 | Gear Ratios Forward |
First Speed: 6.370:1 Second Speed: 3.002:1 Third Speed: 2.074:1 Fourth Speed: 1.357:1 Fifth Speed: 1.037:1 Sixth Speed: 0.911:1 Equal Forward and Reverse Speeds Final Drive Ratios: 4.1176:1 | Overall Maximum Torque Ratio | (Engine to Sprocket): 59.5:1 |
Transmission Oil Capacity: 10 Gallons 15W-40 Oil Power Transfer Module Capacity: 10 Gallons 15W-40 Oil Final Drive Capacity: 1.8 Gallons Each, 15W-40 Oil | MARINE DRIVE TRAIN |
Water Jet Pumps: Thrust: 22,794 Pounds Maximum (total) Quantity: 2 Location: Port and Starboard, Aft Steering and Reverse by Jet Deflectors | RUNNING GEAR |
Type: Hydropneumatic Suspension, Front Sprocket, Raised Rear Idler Number of Wheels: 7 Rubber Tired, Dual per Side, 24 Inch Dia. Number of Return Idlers: 3 per Side | Sprocket |
Number of Teeth: 11 Feet per Revolution 5.5 Number of Damped Stations: 3 per Side Number of Undamped Stations: 4 per Side Track: Aluminum, Double Pin, Rubber Bushed, with Replaceable Pads Number of Blocks: 103 Maximum per side Pitch: 6 Inches Weight per Block: 26.1 Pounds Maximum Weight per Side: 2688 Pounds Maximum Hub Capacity: 14 oz of 15w-40 Oil | ELECTRICAL |
Nominal Voltage: 28VDC Generator: 1000 Amp, 28VDC | Battery: |
Volts: 24 V Battery Packs (2x12V in Series) Type: OPTIMA 800U Quantity 2 Packs | COMMUNICATION |
VEHICLE SYSTEM: Radio: 3 VHF 1 Multi-band (Incl. SATCOM) Intercom: Wireless headset | PROTECTION |
14.5 mm AP at 300 Meters 155/152 mm Fragments at 15 Meters | FIRE EXTINGUISHERS |
Automatic Fire Sensing and Suppression System (AFSSS) Number of Cylinders: 2, Engine/APU/Transmission Compartment 3, Crew Compartment Capacity: 8 lbs each for Engine/APU/Transmission One 10 lb, and Two 7 lb each for Crew Number of Sensors: 14 Portable Fire Extinguishers: Number: 2 Capacity: 2.5 lbs each Location: Behind Driver and Turret | VISION AND SIGHTING REQUIREMENT | Commander/Gunner: 360 Field of Vision Infantry Commander (IC): 120 Field of Vision Driver: 120 Field of Vision Combined IC and Driver: 270 Field of Vision Driver’s Ground Intercept: 10 meters | CAPACITY |
Cargo Space Volume: 350 Cubic Feet 5,000 lbs Cargo Capacity (in lieu of Marines) | PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT |
Crew 3 (Commander, Gunner, Driver) Combat Equipped Marines: 17 (285 lbs person and gear) | ARMAMENT AND AMMUNITION | Main | Bushmaster II 30 mm Cannon Main-AP: Objective Ready Rounds: 50 Objective Stowed Rounds: 100 Main-HE: Objective Ready Rounds: 150 Objective Stowed Rounds: 300 Traverse: 360° Continuous Elevation: +45° , -10° | Secondary: |
M240 Machine Gun, 7.62 mm Coax Objective Ready Rounds: 800 Objective Stowed Rounds: 1600 Full Solution Fire Control | NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT |
Position Locating Reporting System (PLRS) AN/VSQ-1 Global Positioning System (GPS) Compass | Smoke Grenade Launchers: |
Hull: 16 Turret: 16 | OTHER |
Auxiliary Power Unit: 30 Horsepower Water Cooled Diesel: 10 KW Electric 3.5 GPM Hydraulic NBC/Climate Control Overpressure Micro-Climate/Macro-Climate Cooling | Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR) Hydraulic Capacity: 35 gals, MIL-H-46170 Air Conditioning Coolant: R-134a |
