The United States Marine Corps is undergoing a pivotal transformation in its amphibious assault capabilities, marked by the replacement of its long-serving Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) tracked armored vehicle with the modern Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), an 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle. This shift is not only about updating old hardware; it represents a strategic recalibration to meet the demands of contemporary and future conflicts, particularly in littoral and Indo-Pacific environments.
I've finally hit upon what gives me so many misgivings and doubts about the ACV (after initially being a huge supporter).
The first is that its not a true amphibious assault vehicle (they rebranded it but that's its purpose...should have been AAV-8 or LVTP-8 if we were being historically correct). In task and purpose, especially if your TRUE focus is fighting in the littorals is to build up combat power as rapidly as possible and to be able to cross ALL beaches. In order to do that you have to have tracks. Spare me the talk about modern tech giving wheels the same mobility as tracks. With today's tech that just ain't true. This applies in the desert, mud, marshes and ACROSS BEACHES!
Next there is the fact that the ACV was built as a supplementary vehicle and due to the cost of the EFV it was thrust into the role of our primary combat vehicle. Its the same trash we saw the Army do with the Stryker. It wasn't best of breed when it was bought but it was cheap and available.
Lastly I'm really not digging its development curve. We aren't buying a 1 for 1 replacement for AAVs so why are we skimping on adding the necessary gear as we acquire them? Anti-missile/drone defense should have been baked into the cake but now I have to wonder if its swim capability will be undermined by making it capable on a modern battlefield.
Very few Marines today remember the LVTP-5 outside of the few remaining OLD SKOOL Vietnam era dudes, but I fear we're buying the modern day equivalent of that vehicle.
Whereas the LVTP-5 was awesome (or so I've been told) in going from ship to shore and back (you should see some of the seas those guys drove those things in....not for the faint of heart!) they're sucked ass on land. I think we're gonna see the opposite at a time when ship to shore will be the main focus (at least as HQMC is seeing things).
Get to the point and shut the fuck up? I have to wonder if new built but MODERNIZED AAVs wasn't the better way to go.
