A fully networked amphibious combat vehicle outfitted with advanced sensors and weapons took center stage at this year’s Northrop Grumman Bushmaster User Conference (BUC), where defense contractor Kongsberg showcased its latest progress in integrated battlefield solutions.
As noted by the company, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), equipped with the PROTECTOR Medium Calibre Turret (MCT) featuring the MK44 cannon and Echo Shield radar, drew strong interest from attendees.
Kongsberg says that the vehicle’s digital integration was driven by its Integrated Combat Solution (ICS), which links all mission systems into a single, coherent operational framework.
In a statement, the company said the system “was demonstrated with great success,” highlighting that ICS serves as the platform’s digital backbone, allowing real-time sensor fusion, targeting, and situational awareness. The demonstration emphasized a growing trend toward fully connected ground combat vehicles capable of performing across multiple threat domains.
A key component of this year’s presentation was Kongsberg’s expanding work on counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS). According to the company, its operational Typhon system, currently in use in Ukraine, has provided valuable battlefield data that informed the ACV integration effort.
“Counter-UAS is a high focus within KONGSBERG, and with the already operational Typhon system in Ukraine and several other ongoing projects we have gained experience,” the company said.
Northrop Grumman and Kongsberg collaborated closely in the development and testing leading up to the event. The companies emphasized the months of integration work and the rigorous test program that preceded the live demonstration, calling it a “result of intensive preparation, long days of development, thorough testing, and close collaboration.”
While no new contract announcements were made during the event, Kongsberg officials expressed confidence that the ACV’s integration with the MCT and ICS technologies would position the platform favorably in future U.S. Marine Corps modernization initiatives.