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Work started Monday on the first of 73 planned hovercraft slated to replace the service’s aging Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) landing craft, Naval Sea Systems Command announced.

The first of nine initial Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) began fabrication in Textron’s facility in New Orleans, La. in what’s slated to be a $4.07 billion program.

The Navy currently operates a fleet of 81 LCACs first introduced into the service in 1986.

“The SSC will be a high-speed, fully amphibious landing craft capable of carrying a 74-ton payload traveling at speeds of more than 35 knots. An enclosed personnel transport module can be loaded aboard that can hold up to 145 combat-equipped Marines or 108 casualty personnel,” according to NAVSEA.
“The SSC will incorporate an improved skirt design, the advanced skirt, in place of the LCAC’s deep skirt, reducing drag and craft weight.”

The first SSC delivers in 2017 and will have an initial operating capability (IOC) in 2020.

The Navy and Marine Corps want the SSC to be able to deploy the Marine’s developing Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) concept at sea as a complimentary capability to the current Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV).

The CUSV is being proposed as an LCS mission module. (Textron Systems)

Textron Systems has developed an enhanced variant of its Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV), bringing improvements to the payload capacity and engine.

Speaking to IHS Jane's at AUVSI 2014 in Orlando, Florida, Textron Systems' Bill Leonard said that the company had taken the manufacturing of the base vessel in-house, with sister business unit Textron Marine and Land systems now having responsibility the vessel.

Leonard said that this has introduced a more reliable and powerful engine, among other improvements.

Textron is now set to evaluate the Talos synthetic aperture sonar in the third of fourth quarter of this year, Leonard said, adding that this will take place during a US Navy exercise.