U.S. Marine Corps buys more ACV-30 combat vehicles

Key Points
  • BAE Systems received a $184.4 million contract modification to produce 30 ACV‑30 medium‑caliber cannon variants for the U.S. Marine Corps.
  • The award is part of a larger contract that could total $3.86 billion if all options are exercised, with work expected to finish by March 2028.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP has secured a $184.4 million contract modification from the U.S. Marine Corps for the production of 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) variants equipped with medium caliber cannons.

The award is part of a larger contract that could reach $3.86 billion if all options are exercised.

The Department of War contract modification (M67854-16-C-0006), announced this week, calls for the delivery of 30 ACV-30 mission role variants, including associated production, support, fielding, and spare parts. The ACV-30 is the Infantry Fighting Vehicle variant of the broader ACV family.

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

Work under the new award will be distributed across several U.S. locations: York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%). Production is expected to be completed by March 2028.

Funding for the modification will come from fiscal year 2026 procurement accounts for the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Virginia, is managing the contract.

BAE Systems described the ACV-30 as a platform designed to deliver increased lethality and survivability for Marine Corps operations.

“The ACV-30 mounts a stabilized, medium caliber weapon system to provide the lethality and protection the Marines need while leaving ample room for troop capacity and payload,” the company said.

The MCT-30 weapon system, which is stabilized and remotely operated, enhances the ACV’s firepower without compromising internal space or mobility. The turret is designed to support precision engagement while accommodating amphibious operations and battlefield adaptability.

The ACV-30 joins other mission role variants in the ACV family, including the base personnel variant (ACV-P), command and control (ACV-C), and recovery variant (ACV-R), each tailored for operational flexibility in contested environments.

This contract follows previous Marine Corps investments in the ACV program as the service transitions away from legacy Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs). The ACV is intended to serve as the Corps’ next-generation platform for transporting Marines from ship to shore and across varied terrain.

BAE Systems’ continued work on the ACV line reinforces its long-standing role as a key ground combat vehicle supplier to the Marine Corps, supporting both modernization goals and long-term readiness.

Readers who wish to follow our weekly coverage can subscribe to the Weekly Defense Roundup.

If you wish to report a grammatical or factual error in this article, please let us know by using the online form.

Executive Editor

Support The Defence Blog

Independent reporting takes resources. Join us on Patreon.

Become a patron

More Like This

Onyx Industries tests smart parachutes for supply drops

Getting a piece of critical equipment out of an aircraft is only half the battle. Getting it to land exactly where troops need it,...

Arizona firm patents smarter battlefield power system

Nishati Power Technologies announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued it Patent No. 12,671,257, covering hybrid power generation technology built specifically to...

Pittsburgh startup pitches EV kit to elite troops

Super Powers Mobility, known as SPM, said it recently demonstrated its Energized Vehicle Kit, or EVK, to special operations forces at two separate demos...

U.S. Army orders more M917A3 heavy trucks

Mack Defense announced that the U.S. Army placed an order for 115 additional Heavy Dump Trucks, known as HDTs, under the M917A3 program supporting...

U.S. Navy awards $418 million contract to dismantle its first nuclear carrier

The world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is finally getting torn apart, and this time the Navy is paying more than $118 million less than...