US Marines Successfully Conduct First Overseas Ship-to-Shore Operations with New Amphibious Combat Vehicles in Okinawa

 

On June 24, 2024, the US Marine Corps conducted its first overseas ship-to-shore operations with the new Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) at the White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa, Japan. This event also marked the debut of the ACVs for the Marines stationed in Okinawa. The Marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) reached White Beach, partly traveling on the newly deployed ACVs.

The 15th MEU embarked on the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and arrived at White Beach on June 18 for a port visit and essential sustainment training. During the operation, personnel boarded the ACVs, which emerged from the well deck of the Harpers Ferry. Boats from the 3rd Expeditionary Operations Training Group then transferred personnel to a pier, simulating safety egress procedures.

After the personnel transfer, the ACV Platoon navigated through the boat basin to come ashore at White Beach for maintenance.

Lt. Col. Nick Freeman, commanding officer of BLT 1/5, 15th MEU, noted that while the training was standard, it was significant as the first overseas ship-to-shore deployment of ACVs. He highlighted the ongoing training at various locations to refine the use of ACVs in their intended environments.

Prior to the ship-to-shore movement, the Marines showcased the ACVs on the Harpers Ferry to other Marine units and members of the Japan Self-Defense Force. Rear Adm. Chris Stone, commander of Task Force 76 and Expeditionary Strike Group 7, praised the ACVs as a "force multiplier" that enhances operational flexibility and response capabilities in maritime environments.

The ACVs' first operational deployment occurred in May during the Balikatan exercise in the Philippines, where they were used in live-fire exercises. The ACV platoon launched from the USS Harpers Ferry, organized into assault sections, and engaged shore-based targets using their Remote Weapons Systems with Mark 19 40 mm grenade machine guns.

The US Marine Corps is transitioning to the ACV to replace the older amphibious assault vehicles, following a tragic accident in 2020 that resulted in the deaths of eight Marines and a Navy corpsman. Developed by BAE Systems, the ACV has faced challenges, including rollovers during training exercises, which led to operational restrictions.

The Marine Corps has identified inadequate training on the ACV’s operational differences from its predecessor as a cause of these incidents. The ACV features wheels instead of tracks, a flatter hull, and a smaller size. Concerns have been raised about the ACV's wheeled design not providing a speed advantage over the older tracked vehicles in water. The Marine Corps aims to address this with a "Phase 2" ACV that may meet performance requirements.

Despite these challenges, the eight-wheeled ACV significantly enhances the Marine Corps' capability to transport troops to shore, navigating through surf during assaults and landings. This deployment marks a critical step in modernizing the Marine Corps' capabilities in the Pacific theater, a strategic focus as they prepare for potential large-scale conflicts where amphibious operations will be crucial.

Marines' Landing Ship Delayed and Over Budget: Navy Faces Costly Challenges

 The development of a crucial vessel for the Marine Corps, intended for potential conflicts in island regions such as the Pacific, is experiencing significant delays and cost overruns. Originally planned for delivery in 2023, the Navy's landing ship medium program will now award its design and construction contract in fiscal year 2025, two years later than expected, according to the Government Accountability Office’s Annual Weapons Systems Assessment.

Initiated in 2020 to procure 35 stern landing vessels, the project aims to create ships that blend commercial design elements to reduce detectability and enhance maneuverability for Marine littoral regiments. Currently, testing is being conducted using a modified commercial watercraft capable of direct beach landings.

Assistant Commandant Gen. Christopher Mahoney explained the ship's role: "It is a shore-to-shore logistics connector to transport heavy items that can't be flown in or brought by larger ships, allowing maneuvering and sustaining positions."

Key features of the landing ship medium include:

• Length: 200 to 400 feet
• Draft: 12 feet
• Crew: Approximately 70 sailors
• Capacity: 50 Marines and 648 short tons of equipment
• Deck cargo space: 8,000 square feet
• Speed: 14 knots with a cruising range of 3,500 nautical miles
• Beach landing capability: Roll-on/roll-off for 1:40 grade beaches
• Helicopter pad
• Armament: Two 30 mm guns and six .50-caliber guns
• Service life: 20 years

The first of three planned regiments became operational in 2023. However, the Navy is devising a bridging strategy as it continues to experiment with modified commercial vessels. These interim solutions require significant modifications, each costing around $115 million.

A Congressional Research Services report updated in April suggested that Congress could consider adapting the Army's existing fleet of logistics support vessels to meet some Marine requirements. The Army, with over 100 such vessels, has shifted its logistics focus to the Pacific, aligning with Marine needs.

The Navy plans to award the construction contract in March 2025, with the first ship expected by January 2029. Operational testing is slated for completion by July 2030, with initial capability projected for December 2034.

The program's costs have escalated significantly. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the initial 18-ship program to cost between $6.2 billion and $7.8 billion, or $340 million to $430 million per ship. This is nearly triple the original estimate of $2.6 billion, or $150 million per ship. Should the Navy procure the full fleet of 35 landing ships, the total cost could reach between $11.9 billion and $15 billion.

US Military’s V-22 Osprey Fleet to Resume Full Operations by Mid-2025

 

The U.S. military's fleet of over 400 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft is not expected to return to full flight operations until at least mid-2025, as stated by a Navy admiral during a House Oversight subcommittee meeting. Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, head of Naval Air Systems Command, which oversees Ospreys for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, mentioned that a review assessing manning, training, and equipment adequacy will continue for another six to nine months. He assured lawmakers that findings from this comprehensive review will guide actions to ensure safe flight operations.

The Osprey fleet began a gradual return to service with flight restrictions in early March, three months after being grounded due to a fatal Air Force CV-22 crash off Japan's coast. This crash, which killed all eight airmen on board, led to a suspension of operations in early December.

The V-22 Osprey's unique capability to operate both as an airplane and a helicopter makes it ideal for aircraft carrier landings and special operations in challenging environments. The Marine Corps operates the majority of these aircraft, with the Air Force and Navy having around 50 and 30, respectively. Some Marine Ospreys have already resumed activity; for instance, ten aircraft from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 were sent to Hawaii for a training exercise in Australia, and others are being used in Sweden for Exercise Baltic Operations.

Despite the partial resumption, the Navy's CMV-22 fleet remains grounded for carrier support missions. Current restrictions prevent Ospreys from flying more than 30 minutes from a potential emergency landing site. Meanwhile, crews at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico are preparing to restore their operational capabilities, and other squadrons are also nearing readiness.

An investigation into the Air Force's CV-22 crash on November 29 is almost complete, with family briefings expected soon. The crash was attributed to a material failure previously unseen in the Osprey fleet.

Since their introduction over two decades ago, Ospreys have experienced several fatal accidents, including four incidents since March 2022, resulting in 20 service members' deaths. These issues led to fleet-wide groundings in 2022 and 2023 due to premature wear in the input quill assembly, which connects the engine to the proprotor gearbox.

Vice Adm. Chebi and Gary Kurtz, the program executive officer for anti-submarine, assault, and special mission programs, informed lawmakers that testing for a redesigned clutch is imminent. They anticipate the new clutch will be fielded by mid-2025.