Boeing has delivered four MH-139A Grey Wolf test aircraft to the U.S. Air Force as the service prepares to replace its aging fleet of UH-1N helicopters.
MH-139A Grey Wolf will protect intercontinental ballistic missiles and support four Major Air Force Commands and other operating agencies
The Grey Wolf is a multi-mission aircraft – based on the proven commercial AW139 helicopter – designed to protect intercontinental ballistic missiles and transport U.S. government officials and security forces. Boeing was awarded a $2.4 billion contract in September 2018 for 80 helicopters, training systems and associated support equipment.
«The Grey Wolf is a modern, versatile aircraft offering greater range, speed and endurance than the UH-1N Huey it replaces», said Mark Cherry, vice president and general manager of Boeing Vertical Lift. «I am proud of our team who, along with our partner Leonardo, helped us to achieve this milestone – a tremendous first step in a long line of Grey Wolf deliveries».
The delivery milestone follows receipt of the Federal Aviation Administration-issued supplemental type certificate, required to commence deliveries. With aircraft in hand, the Air Force will now proceed with Military Utility Testing as the program progresses toward Milestone C.
«We are thrilled that the first four MH-139As have been accepted by the U.S. Air Force», said Clyde Woltman, chief executive officer, Leonardo Helicopters U.S. «This aircraft is well-positioned to become an important asset in the defense and security of the United States».
Leonardo produces the helicopter at its plant in northeast Philadelphia, while Boeing is responsible for military equipment procurement ad installation, and post-delivery support of the aircraft.
Boeing has the most advanced military rotorcraft in the world, renowned for leading-edge solutions that deliver proven capabilities. With 60 years of expertise and a global fleet over 2,500 strong – comprising the AH-6 Little Bird, AH-64 Apache, V-22 Osprey and H-47 Chinook aircraft, and in-development entrants, including the MH-139A Grey Wolf and DEFIANT X – Boeing advances missions ranging from precision attack and reconnaissance to medium and heavy lift operations.
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.
DARPA is moving into Phase 2 of the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program, which seeks to build and demonstrate a revolutionary new Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) that can go to sea and perform missions with unprecedented reliability and availability, while carrying a significant payload. The agency selected Serco Inc.’s design to move forward at the conclusion of Phase 1.
Concept design for NOMARS Defiant unmanned ship
NOMARS took a clean-sheet approach to ship design, holding firmly to the requirement that there will never be a human on board the vessel while it is at sea – including during UNderway REPlenishment (UNREP) events. By eliminating all constraints and requirements associated with humans, NOMARS opened up the design space to novel ship configurations and capabilities that could never be considered for crewed vessels.
NOMARS is also pushing the boundaries on ship reliability. Because there is no crew on board to perform maintenance, NOMARS required new approaches for power generation, propulsion, machinery line-up, and control schemes to ensure continuous functionality throughout a long mission in all weather, temperature, and sea states.
«NOMARS plans to demonstrate a next-generation completely unmanned ship that will enable entirely new concepts of operations», said Gregory Avicola, program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. «We will enable methods of deploying and maintaining very large fleets of unmanned surface vessels that can serve as partners, across the globe, for the larger crewed combatants of the U.S. Navy».
In Phase 1, Serco developed a new Design Space Exploration (DSX) toolset that can evaluate spaces with a variety of parameters and outputs millions of ship designs to meet a diverse set of performance objectives and constraints. Serco used their DSX tool to create a set of ship designs ranging from 170-270 metric tons, then refined those into a single ship for the preliminary design review, which the company dubbed Defiant. In Phase 2, Serco will finalize ship design, build the ship, and work through a series of rigorous testing activities before taking it to sea for a three-month demonstration event. Serco is working with Beier Integrated Systems LLC, Caterpillar, DRS Naval Power Systems Inc., ICE FLOE LLC (dba Nichols Brothers Boat Builders), Metron Inc., Serco Inc. (div Maritime Engineering Operations), Submergence Group LLC, and Thrustmaster of Texas Inc. on the project.
Defiant will be the first of its kind. The 210-metric ton MUSV-class ship aims to maximize performance, reliability, and maintenance efficiency while still carrying significant payload at tactically useful ranges. The goal is to achieve ultra-reliability objectives by integrating distributed hybrid power generation, podded propulsors, and high-capacity batteries. A key philosophy of NOMARS is «graceful degradation», which allows individual equipment to fail over time by having enough system-level redundancy to meet full system requirements at speeds of at least 15 knots/17 mph/28 km/h after one year at sea. The major system components of the selected design are modularized, so repairs can be conducted with equipment typically found in yacht-yards worldwide. This maintenance philosophy supports rapid turnaround, allowing the ships to spend a majority of their lifetime at sea performing missions.
BAE Systems’ Beowulf has won the U.S. Army’s competition for its Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) program and the company has received a $278 million contract for production units, spare parts and contractor logistics support.
Whether operating in swamps or the frozen arctic, BAE Systems’ Beowulf is based on proven, existing solutions and capable of moving personnel and cargo under the most remote and harshest conditions
The win further confirms BAE Systems as the industry leader in the design and production of military all-terrain vehicles for operations in harsh terrains and in the toughest weather conditions.
Beowulf is an unarmored, tracked, and highly versatile vehicle for carrying personnel and a variety of payloads in either of its two compartments. Beowulf can traverse snow, ice, rock, sand, mud, and swamp conditions, and can operate in steep mountain environments. Its amphibious feature also allows it to swim in flooded areas or coastal waters. This marks the first sale of Beowulf, which is based on its sister BvS10 armored variant in service with several European nations.
As the focus on Arctic Mobility operations grows, we see increasing opportunities in other markets for the BvS10 and Beowulf with an emerging demand to replace legacy BV206s.
«Beowulf is a highly capable solution to meet the US Army’s requirement for Arctic operations. We look forward to providing our soldiers operating in challenging terrain and environments with this highly capable vehicle», said Mark Signorelli, vice president of business development at BAE Systems Platforms & Services. «We have been maturing and modernizing cold weather all-terrain capabilities for decades, bringing advanced capabilities to the United States and numerous other countries. This contract means we will continue to do so for many years to come».
Beowulf’s articulated mobility system is key to its effectiveness, providing optimal maneuverability across varying surfaces. Its modular design can be reconfigured for multiple missions, such as logistical support, disaster and humanitarian relief, search and rescue, and other missions as required.
Its large windows and spacious cabin make Beowulf suitable to the tasks for the CATV program, including search and rescue, defense support to civilian authorities, and homeland defense. Its modern, commercial design ensures soldiers’ operational effectiveness in executing a wide variety of difficult missions.
Beowulf successfully completed the prototype evaluation phase of the CATV program earlier this year in Alaska. It performed in multiple tasks while remaining fully mission capable. The testing included amphibious operations, navigating terrain with varying levels of complexity, starting and operating in extreme cold weather, and most critically, user assessment by soldiers.
Beowulf is built by BAE Systems Hägglunds in northern Sweden, adding firsthand experience in operating in an arctic environment. The platform includes several key components from U.S. suppliers, such as its engine, transmission, and hydraulic system. The CATV program will replace the legacy fleet of Small Unit Support Vehicles (SUSVs), also built by BAE Systems Hägglunds, and known internationally as the BV206. The BV206 has been in service globally, including with the U.S. Armed Forces, since the early 1980s.
BAE Systems wins U.S. Army’s CATV competition, receives $278 million contract
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), America’s only builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and leading provider of mission-driven defense technologies, celebrated the ceremonial keel-laying of aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-80) at its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division on August 27, 2022.
USS Enterprise (CVN-80) keel laying
U.S. Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are the ship’s sponsors. Ledecky attended in person, while Biles participated via video, as the pair marked the important first milestone in construction of the aircraft carrier.
During the ceremony, Biles and Ledecky’s initials were welded onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the ship, signifying the sponsors’ enduring relationship with the shipbuilders and crew.
In his remarks, Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven stressed the significance of aircraft carriers, calling upon shipbuilders to recognize the importance of what they build.
«Our aircraft carriers would not be possible without the designers and builders right here at Newport News Shipbuilding», Raven said. «Every team member here at Newport News can be certain that each cut of steel, every wrench turned, and every challenge encountered to build her were steps toward strengthening our naval and national greatness — especially when this ship sails the open seas to protect our nation’s interests».
NNS President Jennifer Boykin spoke highly of the skilled shipbuilders constructing Enterprise, highlighting their commitment to the Navy and our nation as the only shipyard capable of building nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
«These hardworking women and men take 100,000 tons of steel and technology and make it not only float, but serve as home, workplace, and shield for our Navy’s sailors», Boykin told the crowd. «Shipbuilding takes discipline, precision, and an unrelenting drive for excellence, which we can never let falter because our sailors and their families depend on us».
Boykin also recognized all the veterans in attendance from previous U.S. Navy ships that have been named Enterprise, including CV-6 and CVN-65, both built at NNS. CVN-80 will be the ninth U.S. Navy vessel to carry on the name Enterprise. The most recent, CVN-65, was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in history. Already, 20,000 pounds/9,072 kg of steel from CVN-65 have been incorporated into modules for CVN-80. When fully constructed, more than 35,000 pounds/15,876 kg of steel from CVN-65 will live on in CVN-80, ensuring the Enterprise legacy continues.
USS Enterprise (CVN-80) is the third Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier. Designed to replace Nimitz-class carriers, the Ford class features a new nuclear power plant, a redesigned island, electromagnetic catapults, improved weapons movement, an enhanced flight deck to support increased operational efficiency, and growth margin for future technologies.
As America recognizes the 100-year legacy of aircraft carriers this year, all aircraft carriers operating in the U.S. Navy fleet today were built at NNS. Enterprise is the first aircraft carrier not only designed digitally, but also being built digitally using visual work instructions on laptops and tablets rather than paper drawings. Construction processes on Ford-class carriers, including Enterprise, are enabled by workforce learning that took place on USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79). Enterprise is the first of a two-carrier block buy for the U.S. Navy, with work also underway at NNS on the second, USS Doris Miller (CVN-81).
General Characteristics
Builder
Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Kewatec delivered the first service boat to the Finnish Navy at the handover and baptizing ceremony on Tuesday 16.8. in Upinniemi. The options in the agreement with the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command will also be redeemed. Eight more boats will now be built, the latest of which will be delivered in 2024. The Navy’s new service boat class is named Utö.
The Finnish Navy has received its first service boat
Kewatec Work 1920 is a fast workboat that is ideal for sea transport of the Navy’s materiality and that significantly supports the movement of troops. The new service boats run on water jet propulsion and are equipped with, among other things, a deck crane. After commissioning, the boats will be operated both by their own personnel and conscripts having received boat operator training.
The Utö class is a versatile vessel with carrying capacity that increases the operational agility of both the navy and coastal forces, says Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Jori Harju in his speech.
This is necessary for us to be able to take full advantage of the Navy in the joint activities of the Navy or in the naval operations that we conduct ourselves.
The order is significant for Kewatec and has a major employment impact as an individual project, especially for our unit in Kokkola and its surroundings. At the same time, it is a socially important industrial preparation in a tightened international security situation. Kewatec will gain valuable expertise in the Navy’s expectations of fleet performance and functionality, as well as learn from cooperation with the Navy.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation office has invested $15 million upgrading a decades-old workhorse to make it relevant for 21st century warfighter challenges.
Modified X-62 helps accelerate tactical autonomy development
AFRL’s Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation team is using a highly modified Air Force Test Pilot School NF-16, an aircraft recently designated the X-62, to accelerate the development of tactical autonomy for uncrewed aircraft.
Matthew Niemiec, the autonomous aircraft experiment portfolio lead, said the upgrades to the X-62, also known as the Variable In-flight Stability Test Aircraft, or VISTA, include software that allows it to mimic the performance characteristics of other platforms. He said it also could host a variety of autonomy behaviors, including those from the Skyborg Autonomy Control System and others provided by third-party industry partners.
Skyborg is a Department of the Air Force Vanguard project that has informed the transition of open, modular autonomy to enable combat mass using low-cost uncrewed aircraft. These vehicles will be equipped with autonomy systems and will assist human-piloted aircraft perform critical missions.
Since March 2021, the Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation team executed 16 live test events focused on evaluating the Skyborg Autonomy Control System on the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie, UTAP-22 Mako and General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger uncrewed air vehicles.
«The data generated during these tests, along with feedback provided from our user community, show that in order to rapidly develop and mature tactical autonomy on an appropriate timeline, investment in, and utilization of, a mature, tactically relevant platform is required», Niemiec said.
The X-62 uses a «safety sandbox» that allows integration and flight of modeled air vehicles, control laws and autonomy capabilities. Unlike the uncrewed aerial vehicles such as the Valkyrie, Mako and Avenger, the X-62 has room for a crew of two, including a pilot who can supervise the autonomy control system’s performance, similar to the way the automotive industry tested autonomous driving features.
«Ground and flight testing on X-62 is one of several steps we are taking to build out critical information networks and physical storage infrastructure necessary to enable rapid autonomy development», Niemiec said. «The goal by fall 2022 is to have it flying alongside an uncrewed platform, with both using tactically-relevant sensors while flying autonomy behaviors. We’re also building out a robust simulation environment to capture operator feedback and integrate their inputs into our autonomy development process».
Two systems have been modified in the X-62. One is the VISTA simulation system, which allows the aircraft to mimic the flight characteristics of a different airplane. The other is the system for the autonomous control of the simulation, which enables different autonomous behaviors to fly the airplane.
«When you stitch those two capabilities together, you get a tactically relevant aircraft that enables rapid test of autonomy capabilities while also proving out the interface requirements necessary for different vehicle platforms», Niemiec said.
He said Skyborg and other advanced autonomy development efforts like DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Air Combat Evolution can leverage the X-62 as a surrogate for testing high-risk autonomous maneuvers, in parallel with uncrewed aircraft development efforts that are evaluating new high-risk vehicle model designs.
«Because we have a safety pilot, we can always turn it off, and improve our throughput for testing autonomy capability by 10 times», Niemiec said.
VISTA’s safety trip system also could automatically disengage the VISTA simulation system when the boundaries of its safety sandbox are violated, allowing larger and riskier steps to be taken with no impact on flight safety, he said.
Doctor M. Christopher Cotting, USAF Test Pilot School director of research, said VISTA is maintained and operated under a partnership with the Calspan Corporation and Lockheed Martin Skunkworks. The USAF Test Pilot School acts as VISTA’s prime integrator, manager and test organization.
«The USAF Test Pilot School has been the home of NF-16D VISTA since 2001», Cotting said. «It has been used to expose students to a wide range of aircraft dynamics, allowing students to experience first-hand both ‘good’ and ‘dangerous’ aircraft after they have been discussed and analyzed in the classroom».
VISTA has also been a risk mitigation platform for future USAF technologies.
«After a long track record of supporting the USAF Test Pilot School and the Air Force, the research systems on the aircraft were becoming dated and unsupportable», Cotting said.
As part of the transformation into the X-62 VISTA, Lockheed Martin Skunkworks designed the system for Autonomous Control of the Simulation, a new system for VISTA. This highly flexible computer architecture enables VISTA to test a wide range of autonomous systems.
Another integral part of the transformation was the new VISTA simulation system Calspan Corporation designed and installed. Lockheed Martin Skunkworks contributed the model following algorithm, an enhanced modeling framework capability to the simulation system. The improvements allow VISTA to support a wider range of aircraft simulation and multiple research control laws.
Cotting said the model following algorithm supports a modeling framework that can be openly distributed to researchers.
«Once researchers have integrated their simulation models, the new VISTA simulation system can take those models and easily implement them into the X-62», he said.
«Normally a new control system for an aircraft can take years to implement on an aircraft», Cotting said. «With VISTA, a new control system can be installed and flown in just a few months. Once installed, changes can be made overnight to modify the control system based on information learned during that day’s flight test».
The X-62 VISTA is built to be a technology demonstrator and risk reduction platform. For example, the control laws used to fly the Joint Strike Fighter were first flown on VISTA before the strike fighter’s first flight, reducing significant technical and safety risk.
«VISTA’s simulation framework is flexible enough to allow aircraft designers a chance to fly their aircraft before it ever leaves the ground», Cotting said. «While modern simulation laboratories are getting much better at simulating aircraft, they still cannot replicate some of the unknowns of operating an aircraft in a relevant flight environment. VISTA and its simulation system allow digital aircraft designs to be ‘flight tested’ before the aircraft is ever built».
Niemiec said AFRL is working with multiple industry partners to integrate advanced, tactical performance vehicle designs along with cutting edge autonomy capabilities onto the X-62.
«VISTA will allow us to parallelize the development and test of cutting edge artificial intelligence techniques with new uncrewed vehicle designs», he said. «This approach, combined with focused testing on new vehicle systems as they are produced, will rapidly mature autonomy for uncrewed platforms and allow us to deliver tactically relevant capability to our warfighter».
Lockheed Martin delivered to the U.S. Navy a 60+ kW-class High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS), the first tactical laser weapon system to be integrated into existing ships and provide directed energy capability to the fleet. Integrated and scalable by design, the multi-mission HELIOS system will provide tactically relevant laser weapon system warfighting capability as a key element of a layered defense architecture.
HELIOS, a transformational new laser weapon system, provides directed energy capability to the U.S. Navy fleet (Image courtesy Lockheed Martin)
«Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy share a common vision and enthusiasm for developing and providing disruptive laser weapon systems», said Rick Cordaro, vice president, Lockheed Martin Advanced Product Solutions. «HELIOS enhances the overall combat system effectiveness of the ship to deter future threats and provide additional protection for Sailors, and we understand we must provide scalable solutions customized to the U.S. Navy’s priorities. HELIOS represents a solid foundation for incremental delivery of robust and powerful laser weapon system capabilities».
HELIOS is a transformational new weapon system providing an additional layer of protection for the fleet with its deep magazine, low-cost per kill, speed of light delivery and precision response.
The Navy recently awarded a $135.8 million contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for eight MQ-9A Extended Range (ER) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that are scheduled for delivery to the Marine Corps in late 2023.
The MQ-9 Reaper provides Marines with a long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability in support of expeditionary advanced based operations, littoral operations in contested environments, and maritime domain awareness (U.S. Marine Corps photo)
MQ-9A ER will provide a large scale, long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Marine Expeditionary Force. It is designed to extend the aircraft’s endurance to more than 30 hours and equipped with triple redundant avionics architecture.
As part of the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 efforts, the Marines plan to transition Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 3 located at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii to MQ-9A operations. VMU-3 will utilize the MQ-9A ERs to support training for the Marine Littoral Regiment.
The Multi-Mission Tactical UAS program office (PMA-266), who manages the Marines MQ-9 program, used the Air Force’s Agile Reaper Enterprise Solution (ARES) to award the contract. ARES is a five-year fixed Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract.
«Our team has ensured the development and fielding of a new combat capability, critical for the Marine Corps Force Design (FD) 2030 vision, at an exceptional speed», said Captain Dennis Monagle, PMA-266 program manager.
Since the program’s inception in 2018, PMA-266 has leveraged Air Force investments and contracting solutions to procure MQ-9, ultimately accelerating the fielding time. By tailoring and streamlining the typical acquisition strategy, the MQ-9 program commenced post-Milestone C, eliminating three to five years of traditional acquisition efforts.
«We closely aligned with the USAF MQ-9 System Program Office (SPO), National Guard Bureau, Marine Corps stakeholders, as well as our vendor teams in order to develop and integrate as quickly as possible», Monagle said.
The first two MQ-9 aircraft were delivered in 2019 to Marine Unmanned Air Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 1 and since then have flown over 15,000 operational flight hours. The program continues to develop new, unique payloads and capabilities to meet future requirements for FD 2030. These payloads include the Detect and Avoid System (DAAS), a Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) satellite system, an airborne network extension payload (Sky Tower), and an electronic warfare payload.
The MQ-9A and associated payloads will provide the Marines with organic network extension and Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR-T) in support of expeditionary advanced based operations, littoral operations in contested environments, and maritime domain awareness.
The keel for the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129), a Flight III Arleigh-Burke class destroyer was ceremonially laid at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division, August 16.
Ingalls welder Troy Maddox traces the sponsors’ initials on a keel plate that will be permanently placed in USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129) on August 16, 2022 at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division, Pascagoula, Mississippi. Looking on are, from left, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Mississippi, Ship Sponsors Mary Denton Lewis and Madeleine Denton Doak; Commander Chris Carroll, PMS 400 representative; and Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls Shipbuilding president
The ship is named for former Senator Jeremiah Denton, Jr., a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism as a prisoner of war. Following his Navy career, he was elected to the U.S. Senate representing his home state of Alabama in 1980.
The contemporary keel laying ceremony represents the joining together of a ship’s modular components at the land level. The keel is authenticated with the ship sponsors’ initials etched into a ceremonial keel plate as part of the ceremony. Co-sponsors of DDG-129 are the daughters of the namesake, Madeline Denton Doak and Mary Denton Lewis.
«We are honored to build a ship named for the late Senator Denton and to have his family present to celebrate this important milestone on the path to delivering another Flight III destroyer to the Fleet», said Captain Seth Miller, DDG-51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129) is the Navy’s next great warship, which will provide power projection with the latest advanced combat capability».
The DDG-51 Flight III upgrade is centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. Flight III is the latest Flight upgrade in the more than 30-year history of the class, building on the proud legacy of Flight I, II and IIA ships before it.
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding is also in production on the future USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), the future USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128) and the future USS George M. Neal (DDG-131).
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, boats and craft.
CHARACTERISTICS
Length Overall
510 feet/160 m
Beam – Waterline
66 feet/20 m
Draft
30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load
9,700 tons
Power Plant
4 General Electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; 2 shafts; 2 CRP (Contra-Rotating) propellers; 100,000 shaft horsepower/75,000 kW
AN/SPY-6 AESA 3D radar (Raytheon Company) and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V)12 Navigation; SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search; 3 SPG-62 Illuminator; SQQ-89(V)6 sonar incorporating SQS-53C hull mounted and SQR-19 towed array sonars used with Mark-116 Mod 7 ASW fire control system
Electronics/Countermeasures
SLQ-32(V)3; Mark-53 Mod 0 Decoy System; Mark-234 Decoy System; SLQ-25A Torpedo Decoy; SLQ-39 Surface Decoy; URN-25 TACAN; UPX-29 IFF System; Kollmorgen Mark-46 Mod 1 Electro-Optical Director
Aircraft
2 embarked SH-60 helicopters ASW operations; RAST (Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse)
Armament
2 Mark-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) with 96 Standard, Vertical Launch ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) & Tomahawk ASM (Air-to-Surface Missile)/LAM (Loitering Attack Missile); 5-in (127-mm)/62 Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46, Mark-50 ASW torpedoes or Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo
The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems a $88 million contract to build multiple ACV-30 Production Representative Test Vehicles (PRTVs). Once delivered, the PRTVs will undergo a period of testing prior to a full-rate production decision.
The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems a contract to build multiple ACV-30 Production Ready Test Vehicles (PRTVs)
The ACV-30 mounts a stabilized, medium caliber Remote Turret System manufactured by KONGSBERG. The 30-mm RT-20 is a remotely controlled and operated weapons system that enhances crew protection. The remote turret eliminates the space requirement of legacy lethality systems. It provides more space to transport troops or mission essential equipment, and reduces weight for better mobility.
«We are committed to equipping the Marine Corps with the best technology available to provide them with a decisive edge», said John Swift, vice president of amphibious programs at BAE Systems. «We have carefully chosen proven industry partners who are equally committed to ensuring Marines have the capabilities to dominate on the battlefield».
The ACV represents the optimum balance of sea/land mobility and survivability, with future growth potential. The ACV was born out of a combination of BAE Systems’ amphibious vehicles legacy and Iveco Defence Vehicles’ long history of producing more than 30,000 multi-purpose armored vehicles.
«The unmanned KONGSBERG RT-20 medium caliber turret is designed to meet the current and future needs of the Marine Corps as they move forward in implementing the future operating vision known as Force Design 2030», said Scott Burk, president of KONGSBERG Protech Systems USA. «The fielding of this vehicle system provides the Marines with a low risk, and operationally proven solution».
The ACV-30 is one of four variants in the ACV Family of Vehicles. BAE Systems is under contract for a Personnel variant (ACV-P), a Command variant (ACV-C), and a Recovery variant (ACV-R).
In addition, BAE Systems has received task instructions from the U.S. Marine Corps to complete a study of incorporating a Command, Control, Communication and Computers/Unmanned Aerial Systems mission payload into an Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) variant.
ACV production and support is taking place at BAE Systems locations in: Stafford, Virginia; San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Aiken, South Carolina; and, York, Pennsylvania.
