Development The U.S. Marine Corps became interested in replacing the
LVTP-5 due to its limited range, slow water speed and the difficulty of maintaining the aging platform. In 1964, the Marine Corps solicited proposals to replace meet its requirement. The request was met by proposals from Chrysler and FMC, with the latter being awarded the contract in February 1966. Four of the five models were type-classified: The LVTPX12 became the LVTP7, the LVTCX2 became the LVTC7, the LVTRX2 became the LVTR7, and the LVTEX3 became the LVTE7, although the latter never entered production. It also featured a rear-opening ramp, unlike the front ramp on the LVT5, and was constructed from 5083 aluminum armor, offering comparable protection to the M113. However, it was understood that a completely new vehicle would not be ready until the late 1990s or early 2000s. The LVT7A1 SLEP program included: • A new Cummins VT-400 liquid-cooled turbocharged V8 diesel engine, developing 400 hp at 2,800 rpm • The improved FMC HS-400-3A1 transmission The Mk 154 contains three rocket-propelled line charges which are installed in the troop compartment of the AAVP7A1. The line charges contain 1,750 pounds of C-4 explosive and are capable of clearing a 100-meter long, 16-meter wide lane through a minefield. Twelve vehicles are accompanied by 12 standard variants acting as support.
CATFAE In the late 1980s, the Catapult-Launched Fuel-Air Explosive (CATFAE) surf zone mine clearance system was also developed. The plow could be controlled by a panel in the driver's compartment, with which it could be raised, lowered, and jettisoned. • The system retained the improved electrical drive and smoke grenade launchers first installed during the SLEP upgrade • The P900 appliqué armor kit (AAK), ordered in 1987
C2 Upgrade The AAVC7 C2 Upgrade focused on improving the command and control (C2) capabilities of the AAVC7A1. Communications upgrades included HF, VHF, and UHF Line-of-Sight (LOS) and UHF Satellite Communications (SATCOM). Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was planned for FY2011, with 58 units procured, followed by an additional 10 in FY2012. Full Operational Capability (FOC) was scheduled for FY2013.
Thermal Sight System Demand for modern sighting systems for the AAV7 became a pressing issue as the AAVs faced combat in theaters like Iraq. Starting in 2006, contracts were awarded to L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics and Raytheon Network Centric Systems for the AAV Thermal Sight Systems (TSS), the M36E3-T1 thermal gunner's sight. AAV7s equipped with thermal sights began to be fielded in February 2008, with the program completed in December. Ideally, such an upgrade would provide, at minimum, the same level of protection as EAAK, but with more coverage and reduced weight. In October 2013, a request for proposal for Assault Amphibious Vehicle Survivability Upgrade (AAV SU) was made, with a focus on force protection and platform survivability. The initial specifications called for improved armor protection on the vehicle's belly and sponsons, blast-mitigating seats, and spall liners. Additional upgrades may have included protection for the fuel tanks as well as general automotive and suspension upgrades to keep the vehicle's performance up to specification. Marine Corps and SAIC officials unveiled the AAV SU prototype in January 2016 The AAV SU program was intended to upgrade 392 vehicles to keep them operational through 2035 as the ACV gradually entered service. In August 2017, the Marine Corps awarded SAIC a low-rate initial production for 21 vehicle upgrades. However, in August 2018 the Marine Corps terminated the AAV upgrade program, citing other budgetary priorities.
Other Upgrades In FY2014, AAVs began to be fitted with Emergency Egress Lighting Systems (EELS) to aid troops in exiting the vehicle during emergencies. In 2021, the
United States Marine Corps started to install the M153
Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) on their AAVP7A1s. The M153 CROWS is a stabilized mount that contains a sensor suite and fire control software. It allows on-the-move target acquisition and first-burst target engagement. Capable of target engagement under day and night conditions, the CROWS sensor suite includes a daytime video camera, thermal camera and laser rangefinder. It can be fitted with the Mk-19 grenade launcher, M2 12.7 mm caliber Machine Gun, or M240B Medium Machine Gun. File:AAV Survivability Upgrade (SU).jpg|AAV Survivability Upgrade (SU) File:The Future of Amphibious Warfare - AAV SUP.webm|A USMC officer in 2016 explaining the features of the since-cancelled AAV Survivability Upgrade File:AAVP-7A1 equipped with CROWS.jpg|AAVP7A1 with a
CROWS Service history , April 2004 Twenty U.S.-built LVTP7s were used by
Argentina during the
1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands with most returning to the Argentine mainland before the war ended. From 1982 to 1984, LVTP7s were deployed with U.S. Marines as part of the
multi-national peacekeeping force in Beirut, Lebanon. As Marines became increasingly involved in hostilities, several vehicles sustained minor damage from shrapnel and small arms fire. On October 25, 1983 U.S. Marine LVTP7s conducted a highly successful amphibious landing on the island of Grenada as part of
Operation Urgent Fury. It was heavily used in the 1991
Gulf War and
Operation Restore Hope. After the
2003 invasion of Iraq, AAV7A1s were criticized for providing poor protection for the crew and passengers compared with other vehicles, such as the
M2 Bradley. Eight were disabled or destroyed during the
Battle of Nasiriyah, where they faced RPG, mortar, tank and artillery fire. At least one vehicle was hit by fire from friendly
A-10 Warthog aircraft. On 3 August 2005, 14 U.S. Marines and their Iraqi interpreter were killed when their AAV struck a roadside bomb in the city of Haditha in the
Euphrates river valley in western Iraq. During the
2010 Rio de Janeiro security crisis, the
Brazilian Naval Fusiliers used AAV7A1s in support of their operations to occupy the Complexo da Penha and
Complexo do Alemão favelas, where the vehicles were used to clear barricades left by the
Red Command. Eight U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy sailor died on 30 July 2020, when their AAV sank in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Clemente Island, California, during a training exercise, ahead of an upcoming deployment. As a result of the incident, on 15 December 2021 the U.S. Marine Corps announced that it has banned its fleet of amphibious armored personnel carriers from maritime operations except in emergencies. In May 2025, the U.S. Marine Corps retired the AAV7 from active service. As such, the Landing Vehicle, Assault (LVA) program was initiated provide high-speed amphibious firepower for the Marine Corps. In particular, there was a desire for over-the-horizon launches to increase the standoff distance to the shore of an Amphibious Task Force delivering an assault. This elevated mobility would be achieved through new powertrains and higher-strength, low-weight materials. The requirements issued were for water speeds between 25 and 40 mph, land speeds of 40 to 55 mph, a range of 75 mi on water and 250 mi on land, maximum dimensions of 33 ft by 11 ft by 11 ft, a cargo capacity of 8,000 lbs, a troop capacity of 18 to 22 (or 25-30 Emphasis was placed on a tracked, flat-bottomed planing hull design , for which a full-scale hydrodynamic vehicle (FSHV) was constructed in late 1978 or early 1979. Additional trim flaps and retractable chin flaps were incorporated into the design to facilitate the transition from low to high speeds. However, in 2011,
United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates cancelled the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.
Amphibious Combat Vehicle In June 2018, the Marine Corps announced they had selected the
BAE Systems/
Iveco wheeled
SuperAV for the
Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) program to supplement and ultimately replace the AAV. ==Variants==