New amphibious vehicle for Marines.

This will be the world most advanced amphibious assault vehicle. It will replace the aging AAV in Marine units. Besides the old AAV7A1 had not too good armor protection, resulting in quite high vulnerability especially in urban combat.

The EFV (expeditionary fighting vehicle) will have both better armor protection and new gun - 30mm turret (50 ready AP and 100 stowed AP rounds, 150 ready and 300stowed HE rounds) + 7.62 coaxial gun - 800 ready, 1600 stowed rounds (instead of .50 cal gun or 40mm granade launcher on old AAV).

It also has improved mine-blast protection and a nuclear, chemical and biological defense system.
But the coolest thing about it is the speed in water - up to 60km per hour (two water jets propulsion) so it will come to the shore pretty fast. The land speed is 70-80km/hour like Abrams. The engine has 850hp.
Vehicle is able to transport 3 man crew and 18 Marines.
The price will be 6.5-8milion$ per piece(including R&D) and the vehicle will be fully operational in 2008.



turret (please note it will use 30mm NOT 25mm ammo!)



EFV maximum speed in water 60km...






full specifications

more info

more pictures

I watched an episode of Mail Call recently where they go to 29 palms. CA. They spent quite a while showing the EFV in action, and all I can say is that thing is bad! It literally flys in the water, 30+ knots they said!! Its pretty cool how the tracks can be raised/or tucked in for water mode, and dropped down for land use all hydraulically.


The cool part is its so fast that the ship launching them can stay over the horzion and out of site of the enemey's eyes so they wont even know whats coming to them

Looks nice, I hope the US can use it to their advantage. But seeing as most current wars have not been on the coast, I don't see how it can be used at the present day...

The Marine Corps is an amphibous force, so its only natural for them to develop advanced weapons. As far as that goes, the current AAVs and this new EFV can also be used as APCs. The amphibous ablities are just a bonus. The Marines in Iraq are using thier AAVs in this manner. Sure beats an unarmored Humvee or 5 ton.

Originally posted by Nexus
Looks nice, I hope the US can use it to their advantage. But seeing as most current wars have not been on the coast, I don't see how it can be used at the present day...

you might never know if a major war will break out anytime soon, so better to be perpare than not!

maybe the US is planing a shore landing on taiwan if the chinese land troops there... just thinking what ever i am thinking right now hehe...

I wonder if it can be used as provizory river patrol boat, if necessary. The 60kmph is impressive speed so they can use it also in this role.

And yes WissNx the AAVs are used as APCs but the old one has quite weak armour and gun, it was not like Bradley.
This new one(EFV) will change it, it's much better suited for intense urban combat and RPGs attacks.

However I am slightly disappointed they don't plane to use unmanned turret. The manned turrets risk the lives (commander and gunner) and add unnecessary weight. I would like to see the APC with unmanned turret that can be exchanged and replaced with 105 mm gun, or 7.62 Gatling minigun (like Israelies did with M113) if necessary.


[edit on 16-5-2005 by longbow]

Longbow, remember alot of these vehicals, the Bradley, AAV and M113 utilize aluminum armor, no match for a harder projectile like copper. They use the aluminum because its light, keeping these vehicals light is important, and increases thier survivablitiy.

The EFV, I saw when I was stationed in Camp Pendleton, and is very impressive, but looks exactly like the current AAV. I think the armor is a carbon composite similar to Kevlar. Its lighter than the aluminum, so thats a great benifit.

Also, I think the riverboat capablitiy would be useful in Baghdad along the rivers, but other than there, there would currently be no use for such a feature in current theaters

[edit on 05/5/16 by WissNX01]