Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle
Encyclopedia
The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) (formerly known as the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle) is an amphibious assault vehicle that was being developed for the U.S. Marine Corps
. It is launched at sea, from an amphibious assault ship
beyond the horizon
, able to transport a full Marine rifle squad to shore. It would maneuver cross country
with an agility and mobility equal to or greater than the M1 Abrams
.
The EFV was designed to replace the aging AAV-7A1 Assault Amphibious Vehicle
(AAV), which entered service in 1972, and was the Marine Corps' number one priority ground weapon system acquisition. It has three times the speed in water and about twice the armor of the AAV, as well as superior fire power
. The vehicle was planned to be deployed in 2015; however, on 6 January 2011, Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates
announced that he recommends the EFV program be canceled. The program, which is projected to cost $15 billion, has already cost $3 billion.
The Marines have asked for the EFV to be canceled in favor of the Assault Amphibian Vehicle Service Life Extension Program, the Marine Personnel Carrier
and the Amphibious Combat Vehicle
.
s and shore defenses. It included the MV-22 Osprey
, the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), and the EFV.
Development for the AAAV began on the late 1970s with prototypes in the early 1980s at the command at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
. The AAAV's predecessor, the LVTP7, had its life expectancy extended in 1983–84 by use of a service life extension program, which modified and upgraded many of the key systems, creating the LVTP7A1 and re-designated it the AAVP7A1. At the time these vehicles were released, the USMC had anticipated and communicated delivery of the AAAV by 1993. As a result of delays, the AAVP7A1
has received another service life extension-type upgrade in the mid 1990s while the USMC still awaits final development and delivery of the AAAV, 14 years behind original projected time frames.
In 1988, defense officials authorized the concept exploration and definition phase. In 1995, the program entered into the definition and risk reduction phase, where it won two DOD awards for successful cost and technology management. In June 1996, a contract was awarded to General Dynamics
Land Systems to begin full-scale engineering development of their design. Based on the aforementioned early success of the program, the Marine Corps awarded a cost-plus contract to General Dynamics in July 2001 for the systems development and demonstration phase of the program, expected to be completed by October 2003. The AAAV was renamed to EFV in September 2003. The Government Accountability Office
would later state that the development phase of three years was insufficient, causing delays and prototype failures, particularly in reliability. After the 2006 Operational Assessment was plagued by reliability issues and maintenance burdens, the Corps began a redesign of the EFV, requiring a new contract for an additional in February 2007. That June, a reset of the development phase delayed completion an additional four years. Instead of initiating production as planned, the Corps asked for seven new prototypes, to address the current deficiencies, which have caused an average of one failure for every four and a half hours of operation.
On 7 April 2009, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the EFV program will "continue as-is", pending an amphibious review in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review
. The vehicle has recently been called "exquisite", which Gates has usually reserved for programs he intends to cancel. He later questioned the EFV as the proper ship-to-shore platform on 3 May 2010, the day before the initial prototype was rolled out at a ceremony at Marine Corps Base Quantico
.
The USMC has reduced the number to be purchased from 1,013 to 573 AAAVs by 2015 due to escalation in unit cost estimated at $22.3 million dollars in 2007. The EFV might be a baseline vehicle for the Army's
BCT Ground Combat Vehicle Program
, however it is more likely that the Army will start a new program.
Low rate initial production
(LRIP) was projected to begin in January 2012. Projected total program development cost of the type until first quarter of 2010 has been estimated at 15.9 billion dollars.
has sketched out a future for amphibious warfare
in which either the Marines will land unopposed or it will take a major effort using all the long range weapons of the United States armed forces to clear out ship killing missiles so that amphibious ships can safely approach the hostile beach and neither scenario sees much use for the EFV. New families of guided anti-ship weapons have extended target ranges of well past 75 miles and the precision to target nonstate actors, making the EFV's capabilities less of a game-changer than originally hoped for. This has been the case for several decades.
In a joint report the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the National Taxpayers Union
called the EFV program wasteful spending and asked for its cancellation. The co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
have also supported the cancellation of the EFV. During a Pentagon briefing, on 6 January 2011, revealing budget efficiencies and reinvestment possibilities, SECDEF
Gates announced his intention to cancel the EFV program. In a statement released after Gates' press conference, CMC
Amos
said that he supports the cancellation of the EFV:
Loren B. Thompson, of the Lexington Institute
, said that Amos had been ordered to give this statement, which did not reflect his actual feelings on the issue.
In an interview on 5 January 2011 with Bloomberg Businessweek, Duncan D. Hunter
, a member of the House Armed Services Committee
, anticipated the cancellation announcement by Gates. However, Hunter has predicted that his committee will reject the cancellation.
According to Lieutenant General George J. Flynn of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, the USMC will use funding from the cancelled EFV for other tactical ground vehicles over the next five years.
General Dynamics is offering a cut down version of the EFV without the hydroplaning or weapons.
The EFV program was cut from a 2012 proposed budget by the White House.
Ray Mabus
has said that new defensive systems will allow Navy ships to close to within 12 miles off hostile shores so a 25 knot amphibious tracked vehicle is no longer needed.
Deputy commandant George Flynn has said that the analysis of alternatives to replace the EFV will be accelerated to complete in six to nine months.
Land Systems, is an amphibious armored tracked vehicle with an aluminum hull. The engine is a custom MTU Friedrichshafen
diesel (MT883) with two modes of operation; a high power mode for planing over the sea, and a low power mode for land travel. It has a crew of three and can transport 17 Marines and their equipment. The EFV is the first heavy tactical vehicle with a space frame
structure.
The hull has a hydraulically
actuated bow flap to aid planing
with a maximum waterborne speed of 46 km/h (28.6 mph; 23.5 kn). Shrouded Honeywell
waterjet
propulsor
s are integrated into each side of the hull, which create over 2,800 horsepower. It is also outfitted with hydraulically actuated chine
s to cover the tracks while in seafaring mode. The rear loading ramp is not able to open while the vehicle is afloat, typical of other swimming military ground vehicles.
The vehicle uses an Ethernet
network connected by the Tactical Switch Router, based on the COTS
DuraMAR Mobile IP
router for its internal and external communications.
The standard version has a Mk44 Bushmaster II 30 mm cannon, which fires up to 250 rounds per minute with single
, burst, and fully automatic
capabilities up to 2000 metres (2,187.2 yd) in all weather conditions. A general purpose M240 7.62 mm machine gun with 600 rounds of ready-to-use ammunition is mounted coaxially with the main gun.
, mine-blast protection, and a nuclear, biological and chemical defense system. The aluminum hull has caused some concern due to protection issues. However, aluminum hulls have been used for decades in military ground vehicles and watercraft.
In June 2007 members of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces sent a letter to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
urging that the EFV be redesigned to give troops better protection against roadside bombs. The Marines have suggested that underbelly armor appliqué could be applied after the EFVs come ashore and before they encounter IEDs. The limited protection the EFV offers is an improvement on that offered by the AAV so the replacement is an advantage, given the current doctrine of using landing craft for land patrols.
However, tests in January and February 2010 at Aberdeen Test Center
demonstrated that the EFV offers blast protection equal to a category-2 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
vehicle, including two simulated improvised explosive device
s under its belly and tracks. Tests also show that it has superior protection from direct and indirect fire. The flat hull, which has endured persistent criticism for not being the more blast-resistant V-shape
, is necessary for the EFV to plane
across the surface of the water and reach its high speed, while dealing with sea state
s of Category 4.
On 13 October 2010 the Navy awarded M Cubed Technologies a contract to develop new armor for the EFV to offer better protection and lighter weight.
s, the EFV's 25 nmi (28.8 mi; 46.3 km) range for amphibious landing may no longer provide the anticipated protection predicted for an over the horizon launch. The U.S. Navy has been reconsidering the over the horizon approach, and is considering 10–18 miles appropriate for amphibious launches. This shift in doctrine has made the EFV's high water speeds less necessary. The EFV's need for high water speed has resulted in an engine that is 1,200 hp more powerful than the M1 Abrams
, even though the EFV weighs far less.
from seabases
by initiating amphibious operations
from 20–25 miles over-the-horizon and transporting 17 combat-equipped Marines to inland objectives. The fully armored, tracked combat vehicle will provide lethal firepower to disembarked or mechanized infantry
with its own fully stabilized MK46 weapon station with the 30 mm cannon and 7.62mm machine-gun.
and regimental level. The EFVC1 will provide the supported commander and selected staff with the ability to communicate, via on-board communications, with senior, adjacent, and subordinate maneuver units. The EFVC1 is armed with only a 7.62mm machine gun.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. It is launched at sea, from an amphibious assault ship
Amphibious assault ship
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
beyond the horizon
Horizon
The horizon is the apparent line that separates earth from sky, the line that divides all visible directions into two categories: those that intersect the Earth's surface, and those that do not. At many locations, the true horizon is obscured by trees, buildings, mountains, etc., and the resulting...
, able to transport a full Marine rifle squad to shore. It would maneuver cross country
Off-roading
Off-roading is a term for driving a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks, made of materials such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain.-Off-road vehicle:...
with an agility and mobility equal to or greater than the M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
.
The EFV was designed to replace the aging AAV-7A1 Assault Amphibious Vehicle
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
(AAV), which entered service in 1972, and was the Marine Corps' number one priority ground weapon system acquisition. It has three times the speed in water and about twice the armor of the AAV, as well as superior fire power
Fire power
Firepower is the military capability to direct force at an enemy. It is not to be confused with the concept of rate of fire, which describes cycling of the firing mechanism in a weapon system. It involves the whole range of potential weapons...
. The vehicle was planned to be deployed in 2015; however, on 6 January 2011, Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
announced that he recommends the EFV program be canceled. The program, which is projected to cost $15 billion, has already cost $3 billion.
The Marines have asked for the EFV to be canceled in favor of the Assault Amphibian Vehicle Service Life Extension Program, the Marine Personnel Carrier
Marine Personnel Carrier
The Marine Personnel Carrier is a wheeled armored personnel carrier under development for acquisition by the United States Marine Corps.-Role:...
and the Amphibious Combat Vehicle
Amphibious Combat Vehicle
The Amphibious Combat Vehicle is a program initiated by Marine Corps Systems Command to procure a amphibious assault vehicle for the United States Marine Corps to replace the Amphibious Assault Vehicle...
.
History
In the 1980s the Marine corps developed an "over the horizon" strategy for ocean based assaults. The intention was to protect naval ships from enemy mineNaval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s and shore defenses. It included the MV-22 Osprey
V-22 Osprey
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, military, tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff and landing , and short takeoff and landing capability...
, the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), and the EFV.
Development for the AAAV began on the late 1970s with prototypes in the early 1980s at the command at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
. The AAAV's predecessor, the LVTP7, had its life expectancy extended in 1983–84 by use of a service life extension program, which modified and upgraded many of the key systems, creating the LVTP7A1 and re-designated it the AAVP7A1. At the time these vehicles were released, the USMC had anticipated and communicated delivery of the AAAV by 1993. As a result of delays, the AAVP7A1
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
has received another service life extension-type upgrade in the mid 1990s while the USMC still awaits final development and delivery of the AAAV, 14 years behind original projected time frames.
In 1988, defense officials authorized the concept exploration and definition phase. In 1995, the program entered into the definition and risk reduction phase, where it won two DOD awards for successful cost and technology management. In June 1996, a contract was awarded to General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
Land Systems to begin full-scale engineering development of their design. Based on the aforementioned early success of the program, the Marine Corps awarded a cost-plus contract to General Dynamics in July 2001 for the systems development and demonstration phase of the program, expected to be completed by October 2003. The AAAV was renamed to EFV in September 2003. The Government Accountability Office
Government Accountability Office
The Government Accountability Office is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress. It is located in the legislative branch of the United States government.-History:...
would later state that the development phase of three years was insufficient, causing delays and prototype failures, particularly in reliability. After the 2006 Operational Assessment was plagued by reliability issues and maintenance burdens, the Corps began a redesign of the EFV, requiring a new contract for an additional in February 2007. That June, a reset of the development phase delayed completion an additional four years. Instead of initiating production as planned, the Corps asked for seven new prototypes, to address the current deficiencies, which have caused an average of one failure for every four and a half hours of operation.
On 7 April 2009, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the EFV program will "continue as-is", pending an amphibious review in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review
Quadrennial Defense Review
The Quadrennial Defense Review is a study by the United States Department of Defense that analyzes strategic objectives and potential military threats. The Quadrennial Defense Review Report is the main public document describing the United States's military doctrine.As stipulated in the 1997...
. The vehicle has recently been called "exquisite", which Gates has usually reserved for programs he intends to cancel. He later questioned the EFV as the proper ship-to-shore platform on 3 May 2010, the day before the initial prototype was rolled out at a ceremony at Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
.
The USMC has reduced the number to be purchased from 1,013 to 573 AAAVs by 2015 due to escalation in unit cost estimated at $22.3 million dollars in 2007. The EFV might be a baseline vehicle for the Army's
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
BCT Ground Combat Vehicle Program
BCT Ground Combat Vehicle Program
The Ground Combat Vehicle is the U.S. Army's replacement program for armored fighting vehicles in Heavy and Stryker brigade combat teams. The GCV is organized under the Follow On Incremental Capabilities Package of the BCT Modernization program. The first variant of the vehicle is to be prototyped...
, however it is more likely that the Army will start a new program.
Low rate initial production
Low rate initial production
Low rate initial production is a term commonly used in military weapon projects/programs to designate the phase of initial, small-quantity production of a weapons systems...
(LRIP) was projected to begin in January 2012. Projected total program development cost of the type until first quarter of 2010 has been estimated at 15.9 billion dollars.
Controversy
Robert O. WorkRobert O. Work
Robert Orton Work is the current United States Under Secretary of the Navy.-Biography:Work attended the University of Illinois and earned a B.S. in Biology. Work would later earn an M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California; an M.S...
has sketched out a future for amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
in which either the Marines will land unopposed or it will take a major effort using all the long range weapons of the United States armed forces to clear out ship killing missiles so that amphibious ships can safely approach the hostile beach and neither scenario sees much use for the EFV. New families of guided anti-ship weapons have extended target ranges of well past 75 miles and the precision to target nonstate actors, making the EFV's capabilities less of a game-changer than originally hoped for. This has been the case for several decades.
In a joint report the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union is a taxpayers advocacy organization and taxpayers union in the United States, founded in 1969 by James Dale Davidson. NTU advertises that it is the largest and oldest grassroots taxpayer organization in the nation, with 362,000 members nationwide. It is closely...
called the EFV program wasteful spending and asked for its cancellation. The co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a Presidential Commission created in 2010 by President Barack Obama to identify "…policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run."...
have also supported the cancellation of the EFV. During a Pentagon briefing, on 6 January 2011, revealing budget efficiencies and reinvestment possibilities, SECDEF
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Gates announced his intention to cancel the EFV program. In a statement released after Gates' press conference, CMC
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
Amos
James F. Amos
James F. Amos is a four-star general in the United States Marine Corps and the 35th and current Commandant of the Marine Corps. A naval aviator by trade, Amos commanded the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2004. He served as the 31st Assistant Commandant of the...
said that he supports the cancellation of the EFV:
Loren B. Thompson, of the Lexington Institute
Lexington Institute
The Lexington Institute is a non-profit public-policy think tank headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that focuses on national security, education reform, postal service management, space policy, and U.S...
, said that Amos had been ordered to give this statement, which did not reflect his actual feelings on the issue.
In an interview on 5 January 2011 with Bloomberg Businessweek, Duncan D. Hunter
Duncan D. Hunter
Duncan Duane Hunter is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is the son of his predecessor Duncan Hunter...
, a member of the House Armed Services Committee
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
, anticipated the cancellation announcement by Gates. However, Hunter has predicted that his committee will reject the cancellation.
According to Lieutenant General George J. Flynn of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, the USMC will use funding from the cancelled EFV for other tactical ground vehicles over the next five years.
General Dynamics is offering a cut down version of the EFV without the hydroplaning or weapons.
The EFV program was cut from a 2012 proposed budget by the White House.
Ray Mabus
Ray Mabus
Raymond Edwin "Ray" Mabus, Jr. is the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy. Mabus served as the 60th Governor of the U.S...
has said that new defensive systems will allow Navy ships to close to within 12 miles off hostile shores so a 25 knot amphibious tracked vehicle is no longer needed.
Deputy commandant George Flynn has said that the analysis of alternatives to replace the EFV will be accelerated to complete in six to nine months.
Design
The EFV, designed by General DynamicsGeneral Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
Land Systems, is an amphibious armored tracked vehicle with an aluminum hull. The engine is a custom MTU Friedrichshafen
MTU Friedrichshafen
MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH is a manufacturer of commercial internal combustion engines founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach in 1909...
diesel (MT883) with two modes of operation; a high power mode for planing over the sea, and a low power mode for land travel. It has a crew of three and can transport 17 Marines and their equipment. The EFV is the first heavy tactical vehicle with a space frame
Space frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
structure.
The hull has a hydraulically
Hydraulics
Hydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...
actuated bow flap to aid planing
Planing (sailing)
Planing is the mode of operation for a waterborne craft in which its weight is predominantly supported by hydrodynamic lift, rather than hydrostatic lift .-History:...
with a maximum waterborne speed of 46 km/h (28.6 mph; 23.5 kn). Shrouded Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
waterjet
Pump-jet
A pump-jet, hydrojet, or water jet, is a marine system that creates a jet of water for propulsion. The mechanical arrangement may be a ducted propeller with nozzle, or a centrifugal pump and nozzle...
propulsor
Propulsor
A propulsor is a mechanical device that gives propulsion. The word is commonly used in the marine vernacular, and implies a mechanical assembly that is more complicated than a propeller. The Kort nozzle and Pump-jet are examples....
s are integrated into each side of the hull, which create over 2,800 horsepower. It is also outfitted with hydraulically actuated chine
Chine (boating)
A chine in boating refers to a sharp angle in the hull, as compared to the rounded bottoms of most traditional boat hulls. The term hard chine indicates an angle with little rounding, where a soft chine would be more rounded, but still involve the meeting of distinct planes. Chine log...
s to cover the tracks while in seafaring mode. The rear loading ramp is not able to open while the vehicle is afloat, typical of other swimming military ground vehicles.
The vehicle uses an Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
network connected by the Tactical Switch Router, based on the COTS
Commercial off-the-shelf
In the United States, Commercially available Off-The-Shelf is a Federal Acquisition Regulation term defining a nondevelopmental item of supply that is both commercial and sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under government contract...
DuraMAR Mobile IP
Mobile IP
Mobile IP is an Internet Engineering Task Force standard communications protocol that is designed to allow mobile device users to move from one network to another while maintaining a permanent IP address. Mobile IP for IPv4 is described in IETF RFC 5944, and extensions are defined in IETF RFC 4721...
router for its internal and external communications.
Armament
The electronically powered two-man MK46 turret on the personnel variant accommodates the commander on the right and gunner on the left, a fire control system, and the main and coaxial weapons.The standard version has a Mk44 Bushmaster II 30 mm cannon, which fires up to 250 rounds per minute with single
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
, burst, and fully automatic
Automatic firearm
An automatic firearm is a firearm that loads another round mechanically after the first round has been fired.The term can be used to refer to semi-automatic firearms, which fire one shot per single pull of the trigger , or fully automatic firearms, which will continue to load and fire ammunition...
capabilities up to 2000 metres (2,187.2 yd) in all weather conditions. A general purpose M240 7.62 mm machine gun with 600 rounds of ready-to-use ammunition is mounted coaxially with the main gun.
Countermeasures
The EFV is fitted with composite armorComposite armour
Composite armour is a type of vehicle armour consisting of layers of different material such as metals, plastics, ceramics or air. Most composite armour are lighter than their all-metal equivalent, but instead occupy a larger volume for the same resistance to penetration...
, mine-blast protection, and a nuclear, biological and chemical defense system. The aluminum hull has caused some concern due to protection issues. However, aluminum hulls have been used for decades in military ground vehicles and watercraft.
In June 2007 members of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces sent a letter to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
urging that the EFV be redesigned to give troops better protection against roadside bombs. The Marines have suggested that underbelly armor appliqué could be applied after the EFVs come ashore and before they encounter IEDs. The limited protection the EFV offers is an improvement on that offered by the AAV so the replacement is an advantage, given the current doctrine of using landing craft for land patrols.
However, tests in January and February 2010 at Aberdeen Test Center
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
demonstrated that the EFV offers blast protection equal to a category-2 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
MRAP
MRAP stands for Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples , and is an anti-racist French NGO, created in 1949...
vehicle, including two simulated improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s under its belly and tracks. Tests also show that it has superior protection from direct and indirect fire. The flat hull, which has endured persistent criticism for not being the more blast-resistant V-shape
Glossary of shapes with metaphorical names
Many shapes have metaphorical names, i.e., their names are metaphors: these shapes are named after a most common object that has it. For example, "U-shape" is a shape that resembles the letter U, a bell-shaped curve has the shape of the vertical cross-section of a bell, etc.These terms may...
, is necessary for the EFV to plane
Planing (sailing)
Planing is the mode of operation for a waterborne craft in which its weight is predominantly supported by hydrodynamic lift, rather than hydrostatic lift .-History:...
across the surface of the water and reach its high speed, while dealing with sea state
Sea state
In oceanography, a sea state is the general condition of the free surface on a large body of water—with respect to wind waves and swell—at a certain location and moment. A sea state is characterized by statistics, including the wave height, period, and power spectrum. The sea state varies with...
s of Category 4.
On 13 October 2010 the Navy awarded M Cubed Technologies a contract to develop new armor for the EFV to offer better protection and lighter weight.
Mobility
Given the increasing ranges of shore launched anti-ship missileAnti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
s, the EFV's 25 nmi (28.8 mi; 46.3 km) range for amphibious landing may no longer provide the anticipated protection predicted for an over the horizon launch. The U.S. Navy has been reconsidering the over the horizon approach, and is considering 10–18 miles appropriate for amphibious launches. This shift in doctrine has made the EFV's high water speeds less necessary. The EFV's need for high water speed has resulted in an engine that is 1,200 hp more powerful than the M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
, even though the EFV weighs far less.
Personnel variant
The EFVP1 with a 3-man crew will conduct the signature mission of the United States Marine Corps, expeditionary maneuver warfareExpeditionary maneuver warfare
Expeditionary maneuver warfare is the current concept that guides how the United States Marine Corps organizes, deploys and employs its forces...
from seabases
Seabasing
Seabasing is a naval capability that provides commanders with the ability to conduct selected functions and tasks at sea without reliance on infrastructure ashore. It describes the concepts and methods for sustaining large military forces during operations at large distances from traditional...
by initiating amphibious operations
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
from 20–25 miles over-the-horizon and transporting 17 combat-equipped Marines to inland objectives. The fully armored, tracked combat vehicle will provide lethal firepower to disembarked or mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
with its own fully stabilized MK46 weapon station with the 30 mm cannon and 7.62mm machine-gun.
Command variant
The EFVC1 provides the same survival and mobility capabilities found in the EFVP1. The EFVC1 will be employed as a tactical command post for maneuver unit commanders at the battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
and regimental level. The EFVC1 will provide the supported commander and selected staff with the ability to communicate, via on-board communications, with senior, adjacent, and subordinate maneuver units. The EFVC1 is armed with only a 7.62mm machine gun.
See also
- Marine Personnel CarrierMarine Personnel CarrierThe Marine Personnel Carrier is a wheeled armored personnel carrier under development for acquisition by the United States Marine Corps.-Role:...
- GCV Infantry Fighting VehicleGCV Infantry Fighting VehicleThe Ground Combat Vehicle Infantry Fighting Vehicle is an infantry fighting vehicle being developed for the U.S. Army. The program originated as the lead vehicle of the U.S. Army's Ground Combat Vehicle program coordinated by TACOM and spawned a parallel program coordinated by DARPA...
- Joint Light Tactical VehicleJoint Light Tactical VehicleThe Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is a U.S. Army, USSOCOM, and U.S. Marine Corps program to replace the current Humvee with a family of more survivable vehicles and greater payload...
- StrykerStrykerThe IAV Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled, 4-wheel-drive , armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III and produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in use by the United States Army. The vehicle is named for two American servicemen who posthumously received the Medal of Honor:...
- ZBD2000ZBD2000The ZBD2000 is an amphibious armoured fighting vehicle with 3 different versions; the 105mm rifled gun light tank, IFV 30mm cannon with HJ-73C ATGM, and armoured logistic vehicle. ZBD2000 was the many of amphibious armoured vehicles developed for the PLA Marine Corps. The vehicle was an alternative...
External links
- Official USMC website for the EFV program
- MTU diesel engines for military vehicles
- EFV profile on GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
- on Armour.ws