The next amphibious vehicle for the US Marines will have an IVECO heart

When we think of an Iveco vehicle, what comes to mind is one of the large trucks that travel our roads, but the company has interests in other industries besides transport. Among them is the manufacture of defence vehicles. This division is called Iveco Defence Vehicles and has just signed an agreement with BAE Systems to use its amphibious platform for building the next amphibious armoured vehicles for the United States Marine Corps.

The new vehicle is named (ACV) 1.1 and has been built from scratch, with all its designs based on the development by Iveco. The vehicle is part of the first phase of the contract signed by both companies with the Marines for the development, engineering and manufacture of this amphibious combat model, so they will begin testing 16 units to assess the resistance and functionality of the armoured vehicle.

The (ACV) 1.1 is an 8×8 vehicle powered by a six-cylinder engine capable of generating 700 CV, a output considerably higher than that offered by the models the Marines currently use, so in this respect they should be satisfied. In terms of functionality, each of these 16 units can carry 13 fully equipped marines, plus a crew of three.

This amphibious system will feature several systems to protect its occupants, together with great power to move both on water and on land

As this is a vehicle that will enter combat, and will at a minimum have to face high-risk situations, it has a structure designed to prevent serious injury to occupants in the event of striking a mine or any other combat situation. It is also equipped with high-level safety and survivability elements, which have not been disclosed, but which make it a more effective solution than current models.

BAE Systems has 70 years of experience manufacturing security vehicles and has produced 100,000 vehicles for customers around the world, while Iveco Defence Vehicles has 30,000 units of special, armoured and multipurpose vehicles in service today. Two companies working to provide security to armed forces around the world, a sector that, like the civilian one, is also advancing, seeking greater efficiency with less spending.

Source | Iveco