Compass Points - Cannibalize ACV?

R 092318Z JUL 25

FM CG I MEF G FOUR//MRB//

TO RUJIAAA/CMC PPO WASHINGTON DC

. . . UNCLAS

SUBJ/ I MEF REQUEST FOR EARLY DIVESTITURE OF FORTY-TWO AMPHIBIOUS COMBAT VEHICLES

. . . 1. PURPOSE. TO REQUEST PP&O'S APPROVAL FOR EARLY DIVESTITURE OF FORTY-TWO (42) AMPHIBIOUS COMBAT VEHICLE - PERSONNEL VARIANTS (ACV-P, TAMCN E01577K) FROM 3D ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN BATTALION (3D AABN, UIC M21820).

THIS EARLY DIVESTITURE ALIGNS TO I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE'S (MEF)FY29 AUTHORIZED ACQUISITION OBJECTIVE (AAO) OF 108 ACV-PS.

. . . 2. BACKGROUND.

2.A. ACV FAMILY OF VEHICLES FIELDING TO I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (MEF) BEGAN IN FY20. TO DATE, I MEF HAS BEEN FIELDED 150

. . . EARLY DIVESTATURE WILL DECREMENT I MEF AAO FROM 150 TO 108

. . . 2.B. COMPONENT RELIABILITY TRENDS, MANPOWER SHORTFALLS, LIMITED MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, INCREASED SUSTAINMENT COSTS, AND SUPPLY CHAIN GAPS HAVE INCREASED I MEF ACV MAINTENANCE COSTS PROJECTIONS BEYOND RESOURCED FUNDING. THIS HAS LED TO INCREASED MEAN-TIME BETWEEN FAILURE RATIOS, EXTENDED NON-MISSION CAPABLE DOWN-TIMES, AND CREATED A SUSTAINMENT BACKLOG FOR REPAIRS.

3. IMPACT: I MEF IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AN ACCEPTABLE ACV R-READINESS POSTURE, CURRENTLY CAPTURED AT 25% R-READINESS. EARLY DIVESTITURE OF 42 ACV-PS ALLOWS I MEF TO MATCH ITS ORGANIC RESOURCES AND PRIORITIZE MAINTENANCE ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF GLOBAL FORCE MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

. . . 5. REQUEST.

5.A. REQUEST TO APPROVE EARLY DIVESTITURE OF 42 ACV-PS (E01577K) FROM I MEF.

5.B. REQUEST CANNIBALIZATION AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS CURRENT R-READINESS POSTURE IN ORDER TO MEET I MEF GFM REQUIREMENTS.

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There have been serious problems with the ACV from the beginning.

In his article for Task and Purpose author Jared Keller reported, "Top Marine officer reveals fresh issues with the Corps’ brand new amphibious combat vehicle"

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The Marines may be full speed ahead on adopting its first new amphibious vehicle since the Vietnam War, but the Corps’ newest ride is still facing significant operational and mechanical issues, the service’s top officer recently revealed.

. . . The disclosure of fresh mechanical issues, though far from dire, represents the latest tech challenge to befall the ACV in recent years. A fiscal year 2020 report from the Defense Department’s top weapons tester detailed that, apart from survivability issues detailed in a classified annex, the vehicle’s design made for an uncomfortable ride for kitted-out infantry Marines, and that it was difficult to rapidly exit in the event of an emergency.

The rapid egress problem appeared particularly troubling at the time because it came in the aftermath of the deady 2020 sinking of an AAV during an exercise off San Clemente Island in California that killed nine crew members. The deadliest training accident in the history of the Corps’ AAV fleet, a subsequent command investigation led to the dismissal of two Marine commanders due to a “loss of trust and confidence.”

-- Task and Purpose

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Perhaps the combat development process could be used to look for off-the-shelf alternatives, something more of a water going jeep instead of a truck. Perhaps the Marine Corps could experiment with an up-armored version of something like the Gibbs Quadski, which exists today and can do 45 MPH on water and on land.

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Powered by the BMW Motorrad K1300 engine, the Quadski is capable of attaining speeds of 45 mph on both land and water. The performance and comfort of the ride are the result of a lightweight composite hull, wide track and low center of gravity, which gives the Quadski stability on land and water. The most advanced piece of Gibbs engineering is the suspension. It gives a superb ride and handling on land and retracts when on the water. The complete transition takes under five seconds, at the push of a button.

Incorporating Gibbs High Speed Amphibian technology, the Quadski hull provides a stable planing surface and lateral stability for responsive handling on water. The proprietary Gibbs jet drive is lighter and more compact than traditional marine industry water jets and provides high levels of thrust and maneuverability on water, propelling the Quadski to planing speed in seconds.

-- Gibbs Quadski spec sheet

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It is not only a problem of cannibalizing the I MEF ACVs.

It goes much deeper.

For worldwide crisis response, the Maine Corps needs the right focus, the right operational concept, and the right units, equipment and capabilities. For too long the Marine Corps has purposefully turned its focus away from global crisis response, and focused instead on establishing a string of sensor and missile units off the coast of China. After nearly six years of effort the result is zero operational missile units off the coast of China, plus a Marine Corps stripped of too much armor, artillery, aviation, infantry, snipers, engineering, and more. Furthermore, too many amphibious ships and prepositioning ships are also missing. And now I MEF wants to cannibalize its ACVs.

The Marine Corps must reset and turn its focus once again to global crisis response, before the next 9-1-1 call.

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Task and Purpose - 03/31/2023

Top Marine officer reveals fresh issues with the Corps’ brand new amphibious combat vehicle

By Jared Keller

https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/marine-corps-amphibious-combat-vehicle-problems-berger/

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Gibbs Quadski

Spec Sheet

https://quadski.com/media/uploads/2014_06/Quadski_Spec_Sheet_052014.pdf

Richard M Cavagnol

The problem is more serious than the cannablization of ACV - it is the cannablization of the Marine Corps by Berger and Smith.

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2 replies

Jerry McAbee

And this is in addition to the previous divestment of 2 of the 6 AAV companies in the active force.

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Compass Points - Cannibalize ACV?

More problems with ACV?