Marine Corps ACV in the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms/Marine Corps)
The Marine Corps released a dramatic photo this week of a new amphibious combat vehicle heading toward the San Diego-based USS Boxer in the Pacific Ocean.
The aerial photo released Sept. 29 shows an ACV from Battalion Landing Team 3/5 of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton churning through the ocean on its way to the well deck of the amphibious assault ship.
The new vehicles, which have eight wheels instead of tracks, can travel up to 10 mph in the ocean and then speed 65 mph on land, allowing Marine units to assault beaches and then quickly move inland.
BAE Systems is building the new combat vehicles to replace the 40-year-old assault amphibious vehicles that were used as recently as the Iraq War.
“The no-compromise 8×8 platform is a unique mix of true open-ocean amphibious capability, land mobility, survivability, payload, and growth potential to accommodate the evolving operational needs of the United States Marine Corps,” according to BAE.
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