Image source: topwar.ru
In the Pentagon for many years talking about the need to update the fleet of armored vehicles-amphibious, the armament of the U.S. Marines. Particularly acute this question arose after the incident in July 2020 incident when as a result of flooding from the coast of California "old horses" KMP machine AAV7 – killed almost all of the Department 11 of 13 people.
The main causes of this incident was named the negligence of command and technical malfunction of part of the Park amphibians (which, incidentally, also was accused individual commanders).
Against this background, the marine Corps had pinned great hopes on the new creation of the defense – wheeled amphibious ACV, which was developed to replace the caterpillar predecessor AAV. New technology has massively supplied to the troops, however, until now, has begun its rapid deployment – she does not participate in the full exercise, and involved only the polygons on the bases of registry.
Go to normal use ACV does not allow troubles, continue to haunt the U.S. Marines. According to the Pentagon, July 19 strong surf overturned two new machines, whereby they sank off the coast of California. After the inspection, the incident has set new performance standards for restricting the use of ACV with the force of the surf in 4 feet [mean wave height at the shoulder].
However, this performance threshold may not be final. ILC October 14, issued an order that prohibits the use of new amphibians in the sea, allowing them to operate only on land or in a specially equipped area is protected from the waves harbours with ramps on the sandy shore. This order was caused by a new incident. According to the command, in the same day, off the coast of California overturned a regular ACV, there were no injuries and casualties.
At the same time, according to USNI News, "the power of the surf in the area South of the base camp Pendleton [where the incident occurred] was only 2 to 3 feet [waist]". It is possible that after a new incident limit the use of new amphibians in the sea will decrease by one foot.