EFV Brings Improved Range, Lethality to Marines

By HUNTER C. KEETER
Associate Editor

WOODBRIDGE, Va.--What's in a name? The U.S. Marine Corps is betting a new moniker for its advanced amphibious assault vehicle program, now the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), will bring the right kind of attention (read: continued funding support) from Congress and the Department of Defense to the latest of the Corps' long line of amphibian tractors. Like its predecessors, the Alligators and tracked landing vehicles of yesteryear, EFV is one of the pillars of the Marines' modern tactical mobility plan, which these days includes the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and the improved Navy landing craft, air cushion (LCAC). As the EFV program braces for operational evaluation in fiscal year 2004, followed by a decision to enter production in FY 2005, both the Marine Corps and EFV manufacturer General Dynamics hope they have the right strategy in place to bring this 'gator ashore.

According to cost estimates by the Navy Department's budget office, the EFV has operated under a total budget of $288 million for research and development, with procurement of one vehicle. In FY 2004 a planned $345 million budget would continue the research and development effort. Spending of $2.6 billion is planned for the period between FY 2005 and FY 2009, including funds to purchase 186 vehicles. The Marine Corps plans to buy more than 1,000 EFVs by FY 2018. Initial operational capability is scheduled for FY 2008.

Marine Corps Col. Clayton F. Nans, EFV program manager, noted during a ceremony here at the program's Worth Avenue Technology Center that the combat vehicle's new name better reflects the service's emphasis on "expeditionary maneuver warfare," as contrasted with the basic amphibious warfare doctrine of the World War II era. Expeditionary maneuver warfare is all about moving Marine fighting units at high speed from ships at sea, far inland to target locations.

When the World War II-era "amphibian tractor" was renamed "amphibious assault vehicle," the intent was to improve recognition of the vehicle's fighting characteristics, especially for those who hold the Marine Corps' purse strings. "Congress was concerned about the Marines spending money on amphibious farm equipment," Nans said.

The current amphibious assault vehicle, the AAV7A1 developed by United Defense Corporation, carried Marines 600 miles into Iraq and through combat with nine Iraqi divisions. But the Marine Corps views these vehicles as limited by dated doctrine and 1960s technology. The Marines want the EFV to build on the historic performance of its predecessors and provide improved range and striking power, as well as better survivability for the 17 troops and crew of three it carries.

The early amphibian tractors, used for more than 50 years, had water speeds of between two knots and about eight knots.The EFV provides "true capability to maneuver at sea," said Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Emil R. Bedard, deputy commandant for plans, policies, and operations. In the future, the Marine Corps will challenge "the enemy's ability to guess where we are coming from and how deep we can maneuver," he said.

Bedard later explained to Sea Power that one of the advantages of the EFV will be the stress it should put on enemy force planners. "It really has become a requirement for the enemy to be able to defend everywhere, and he cannot do that," he said.

The EFV industry team is now closing in on the end of the system development and demonstration phase of the program, which includes building nine vehicle prototypes, including both the personnel carrier version and a specially equipped command and control version. Greater challenges lie ahead as the program moves toward approval for production in a little more than a year.

"The real challenge will begin next year as the EFV enters operational evaluation, leading up to a production decision in fiscal year 2005," said Charles M. Hall, president of the company. "When General Dynamics starts to deliver EFVs from the Prince William County, Va., production facility, more than 95 percent of the manufacturing processes will already have been evaluated." *