US Marines new powerhorse:The AAAV

Pressure-Forward SG · 2003-10-16T08:36:14+00:00

The two service arms perform different jobs, so what comparison has prompted you to reach this conclusion?

Pressure-Forward SG

AAAV ADVANCED AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE will provide high speed transport of embarked Marine infantry from ships located beyond the horizon to inland objectives
AAAV will provide armor protected land mobility and direct fire support during combat operations

Unit Cost
7 million

SIZE/WEIGHT

GVW - fully loaded (Combat equipped):34 tons
GVW - empty (less fuel,Ammo,crew,infantry) :29 tons

PERFORMANCE @ GVW
Maximum speed - Land :72 km/h
High speed water mode :37-46 km/h (20-25 knots)
Transition Mode :19.5 km/h (10.5 knots)
Operating range - Land :643 km
Operating range - Sea : 105km
Roll recovery :100 degrees
Reserve buoyancy :30%
Ground Clearance :16 inches
POWER TRAIN & SUSPENSION

Engine
MTU MT883 Diesel - water mode 2700 hp, land mode 850 hp
Water propulsion
Two 23" dia. water jets
Suspension
Retractable hydropneumatic
FIRE SUPPRESSION

Automatic fire extinguishing system
PERSONNEL

Crew 3 total
Payload Combat equipped marines - 18
Cargo capacity in lieu of marines -5,130 lbs

ARMAMENT
Primary
30mm Bushmaster II Mk 44

Ammunition
30 mm ready rounds - 200
30 mm stowed - 400

Secondary weapon
7.62 mm machine gun

Ammunition
7.62 mm ready rounds - 800
7.62 mm stowed - 1,600

Armored protection
14.5 mm AP at 300m
152/155 mm artillery fragments at 15m

The Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) will provide a tremendous increase in the flexibility, agility, and effectiveness of naval power-projection capabilities. The AAAVs will support the Marine Corps' warfighting concepts of Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare (EMW) by providing significant enhancements in speed, firepower, and survivability that will allow a faster buildup of combat power ashore and by providing greater force survival and effectiveness. The AAAV will be capable of transiting 25 nautical miles over water at speeds of up to 25 knots. Armed with a Mk 44 Mod-1 30mm automatic gun and a 7.62mm coaxial machinegun, the AAAV can achieve a top speed of 45 miles per hour and continue 250 miles over land, with agility and mobility rivaling that of the M1A1 tank. Transporting 17 combat-equipped Marines, or 5,000 pounds of cargo, the AAAV will allow Marines to maneuver ashore from over the horizon in a single seamless stroke, penetrate to objectives far inland, and return to the seabase when a mission is accomplished.

Video Here!

Pressure-Forward SG

See the power of 30mm Cannon test!

Against BMP at 3000m
Against Tank target at 1500m
Against Moving Sea target at 1000m

Video See the Awesome firepower of AAAV Here!

Pressure-Forward SG

See The AAAV moving at nearly-->50km/h on water! Laughing

Video Here!

tankee1981 SG

Looks really good, and i am surprised at the speed the vehicle move through water,really amazing. Just wondering why the front part of the hull needs to be detached and extended forward as shown in the above pictures? Won't this increase water resistance? Very Happy

tankee1981 SG

Pressure-forward, are you from 41SAR? Very Happy

|-|05| SG

increased water resistance=more buoyance.
Acts something like a ski i would think

eurofighter SG

I think that system is also present in our upgraded M113.

stormy SG

The AAAV engine is twice much more powerful than our M113 upgrade and even the bionix vehicle.

AAAV speed on water is magnificent 46km/hr!!because it use 2 waterjet pump!
m113 is only 6km/hr on water.that is slow and easy targets for enemy.

AAAV can carry more crews also
3 crews + 18 combat equipped soldiers.
our bionix only 3+7 soldiers.

AAAV use 30mm cannon and can upgrade to 40mm easily by changing the barrel
Bionix only 25mm.

stormy SG

AAAV is very expensive,it cost 7million each can buy 2 M1A2 Tanks already... Laughing

eurofighter SG

I was referring to the thingy at the front part of the hull. That system is also present in our upgraded M113. I think it's used for fording during amphibious ops.

wombat SG

Well....true, except M1A2 will sink like a rock. Mr. Green

These babies, although expensive, I believe do have their worth. No need combat engineers to do river crossing, costal hooks with them, instead of being exposed in rubber boats. More firepower too Twisted Evil

I believe most would prefer having a battalion of them, swim across, secure area, before the briging units or the slower M113 swim across. Btw, can our Terrax swim?

warspite SG

The terrex I believe can swim, but its nowhere near the performance of the AAAV. I think the Terrex’s speed would be somewhere around 10 knots/hr.

gary1910 SG

As the name stated The AAAV is for amphibious operation which
mean from the open sea to the beachhead which does not
mean river crossing i.e. no bridging operation is available .

Amphibious operation is usually conducted by looking for the best landing beachhead & if possible the weakest defence one after
which you will start naval artillery on the whole coast and with air strike to as many bunkers tanks as possible so to soften the
defence otherwise it will be suicidal for the landing forces, before
this is done , there will be no "Go" for the landing force.

Therefore, it does not matter how fast they swim in the open sea
becos they will face the same defence when they have landing.Even the AAAV will face the same anti tank missile unit which could take out the AAAV swimming at 50 km/h.

Therefore the most effective way is to take out all the defences at the beachhead by arty & air strike that the landing force will then land as fast as possible b4 the enemy's reinforcement cover the gap.

The question is the speed of landing and how fast is the enemy's
reinforcement . Of course the AAAV is fast but it is cost effective?

Becos it could b done by RPL, FCEP & our LSTs , all of them are
waiting for the word "go" just after the air strike & will be fast enough becos the enemy will have time lag to realise there is a gap and the reinforcement will also take time to reach there if there is any.

Therefore in conclusion, the AAAV is good to have but damn bloody expensive to be cost effective. Maybe a hovercraft type landing craft for AFV might be much more cost effective than the AAAV.

Edted for easy reading.

|-|05| SG

And i've just realised it's the prevent the whole thing from sinking under the waves......

stormy SG

Even the AMX-10P equipped with waterjet ,maximun water speed is only 7km/hr(4 knot) Sad Sad

stormy SG

That's fast!can swim at 18.52km/hr.

Even the fully Amphibious AAV7 used by US marines currently Maximum Water Speed is only 13.5 km / hr (use waterjets), 7.2 km / hr (use tracks).

stormy SG

But too bad the AAV7 which the US marine currenty use is too lightly arm.
The Us plan to buy 1013 AAAV to replace the AAV7,that will cost a lot of money.
Sad

SingaporeMacross SG

Marines a better job than the Army even though they have crapier equipment.