The U.S. Marine Corps conducted successful live-fire tests of its new Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) with a deadly 40mm cannon.
According to the FOX News report, during the Bushmaster Users Conference in Arizona was held live-fire testing of a new suite of amphibious vehicle weapons and sensors with new 40mm cannon.
The ACV, developed by Britain’s biggest defense company BAE Systems, is taken part in a live-fire demonstration and showed 40 mm chain-driven autocannon that was integrated on the upgraded turret. The deadly 40mm cannon brings an ability to do with defense against low-altitude air threats, primarily helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Also, rounds of new advanced cannon will provide air burst capability and the can penetrate armor with a thickness in excess of 150 millimeters.
“The vehicle is designed to have a turret superstructure that is reinforced in the base design. This is the culmination of turret-integration analysis,” John Swift, Director of Amphibious Warfare, told Warrior Maven in an interview.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps interest in up-gunning its new Amphibious Combat Vehicle with a stronger, longer-range 40mm cannon and during Bushmaster Users Conference.
Northrop weapons developers explain that the 40mm cannon can, due to the vehicle’s turret and fire control configuration, easily swap out the 30mm cannon barrel for a 40mm barrel without any technical difficulty or significant alterations.
“We are looking at a test demonstrator to analyze turret integration and observe how the turret superstructure is reinforced in the base design,” John Swift, Director of Amphibious Warfare, told Warrior Maven in an interview. During the live-fire event, the vehicle fired a Bushmaster 40mm Chain Gun at a range of enemy targets. “The targets were dismounted infantry.”
The ACV provides exceptional mobility in all terrains, and blast mitigation protection for all three crew and 13 embarked Marines, along with other improvements over currently fielded systems.
The new vehicle is an advanced 8×8 open ocean-capable vehicle that is equipped with a new 6-cylinder, 700HP engine, which provides a significant power increase over the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, which is currently in service and has been in operation for decades. The ACV is also adaptable to accommodate growth for future technologies or requirements.
The ACV is intended to serve Marines for at least the next 20-plus years. The U.S. Marine Corps early announced plans to receive 204 new ACVs to increase its capabilities. The budget request for 2020 fiscal includes funding for 56 Amphibious Combat Vehicles, at a total procurement cost of $318 million.
