The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems and Textron Systems other transaction agreements for the second rapid prototyping phase of the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle program, moving the program into pre-production development as the service works to field a next-generation replacement for its aging light armored fleet.
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The new awards require the companies to design and deliver multiple ARV variants, including command and control configurations for unmanned aerial systems integration, a 30 mm autocannon platform, and a logistics vehicle, the Marine Corps said Thursday.
What Does the Next Phase of ARV Prototyping Involve?
Under the second rapid prototyping phase, GDLS and Textron will build pre-production vehicles to support further testing and evaluation of the Marine Corps’ requirements for mobility, lethality and networked operations.
The effort builds on earlier prototyping work, including recent swim tests conducted at Camp Pendleton that assessed amphibious performance and informed design refinements ahead of this next stage.
The Marine Corps expects the companies to produce multiple prototypes over a multi-year period, with vehicle deliveries anticipated in fiscal year 2028 and a production decision planned for FY 2031.
How Does the ARV Fit Into Marine Corps Modernization Plans?
The ARV is intended to replace the decades-old Light Armored Vehicle and serve as a core platform for mobile reconnaissance under the service’s Force Design initiative.
Unlike legacy systems, the ARV is being developed as a multi-domain platform capable of integrating sensors, communications systems and lethal capabilities to support manned-unmanned teaming operations.
Col. Chris Stephenson, program manager for Light Armored Vehicles, said future Marine units will need systems that could outpace adversaries in the information domain to shape the battlespace and enable precision fires in contested environments.
What Capabilities Are Being Evaluated Across ARV Variants?
The ARV family is designed to be lighter and more deployable than the Amphibious Combat Vehicle-30. The ARV-30 variant, which was the subject of the swim tests at Camp Pendleton, is expected to provide enhanced firepower compared to LAV-25, featuring a 30mm medium-caliber cannon, anti-armor capabilities, and modern command and control systems.
Textron’s Cottonmouth prototype and GDLS’ ARV-30 design both incorporate modular architectures to support future technology integration, including autonomy and advanced sensor packages.
According to Textron, its ARV-C4UAS configuration is being designed to function as a central node on the battlefield, integrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems with unmanned platforms to support distributed operations. Its 30mm variant provides dedicated direct-fire support and anti-armor lethality, while its LOG variant is engineered for frontline resupply and logistical sustainment.
How Is the Marine Corps Accelerating Acquisition?
The ARV program is the first major Marine Corps effort to leverage new acquisition reform authorities that emphasize speed and flexibility. Program officials are using stand-alone OTAs alongside traditional acquisition protections to maintain competition while accelerating development timelines, said Maryann Lawson, the ARV program's product lead.
