NEW YORK (Sputnik) — A new Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) produced for the US Navy was revealed at a trade show in the state of Virginia, defense contractor Lockheed Martin said in statement on Tuesday.
"The armored, eight-wheel-drive vehicle is designed to transport up to 13 Marines, transition seamlessly between land and water, and provide high levels of blast protection," Lockheed Martin stated.
Tests conducted on the vehicle have shown that in the event the ACV traveled over an Improvised Explosive Devices and lost a wheel, it would still be able to drive and escape the blast zone.
"It’s going to be more lethal, it’s going to be faster and our troops inside are going to be better protected," US Marine Corps Capabilities Development Directorate Director William Mullen said.
The US Marine Corps established the ACV program to replace its aging fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicles, which have been in service since the 1970s.
