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Assault Amphibious Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAV7 (Assault Amphibious Vehicle, Model 7), formerly known as LVT7 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Model 7)—is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems Platforms & Services (previously by United Defense, a former division of FMC Corporation).
The AAV7 was the primary amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps from the 1970s until the first half of the 2020s. It was used by U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Battalions to land the surface assault elements of the landing force and their equipment in a single lift from assault shipping during amphibious operations to inland objectives and to conduct mechanized operations and related combat support in subsequent mechanized operations ashore. It is also operated by other forces. Marines call them "amtracs", a shortening of their original designation, "amphibious tractor".
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. The AAV7 was eventually retired from U.S. Marine Corps service in May 2025.
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. Twelve prototypes of the new vehicle, designated LVTPX12, were delivered by FMC in summer 1967. It was also proposed in four variants, including the LVTCX2 command vehicle, LVTRX2 recovery vehicle, LVTEX3 engineering vehicle, and LVTHX5 fire-support vehicle. Of the four variants, only three were constructed: one LVTCX2 in 1969, and two LVTRX2s and two LVTEX3s in 1970.
The prototypes were powered by a Detroit Diesel 8V53T engine coupled to an FMC HS-400 transmission. The engine developed 400 gross horsepower at 2,800 rpm and could propel the vehicle at speeds of up to 40 mph on land, or up to 8.4 miles per hour in water using two water jets. All three variants had a crew of 3, while the LVTPX12 personnel carrier could carry a further 24 troops plus a troop commander. The LVTPX12, LVTCX2, and LVTEX3 were each armed with a weapon station containing a 20 mm M139 cannon and 7.62 mm M73E1 machine gun, although some of the prototypes were later re-armed with a weapon station consisting of a single .50 caliber M85 machine gun. The LVTEX3 was further equipped with three rocket-propelled line charges mounted within the rear of the vehicle and was also fitted with a dozer blade. The LVTRX2, meanwhile, was unarmed, replacing the weapon station with a cupola with vision blocks, and was equipped with a 30,000-lb winch and 6,000-lb crane. The LVTHX5 was proposed with a 105 mm howitzer in a turret but was never built.
Marine Corps testing occurred at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Yuma Proving Ground, Fort Greely, and in Panama, from 1967 through June 1970. A $10.4 million contract for low-rate initial production (LRIP) was awarded to FMC in May 1970 for 38 vehicles, which was followed in June by a $78.5 million contract for full-scale production of 942 vehicles.
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. The first production models of the LVTP7 were delivered in August 1971 and the first units became operational in March 1972. Production models were largely similar to their prototypes, with the most notable change being the .50 caliber M85 weapon station being standardized in favor of the 20 mm M139. A total of 942 or 971 LVTP7s, 84 or 85 LVTC7s, and 55 or 58 LVTR7s were constructed by FMC starting in 1971. Production of the LVT7 family of vehicles ended in April 1974..
Compared to the LVT5/6 family, the LVT7 family was far more maneuverable and faster in water in large part due to the use of water jets instead of tracks for propulsion. 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. It also used a conventional torsion bar suspension instead of the Torsilastic suspension found on previous LVT models dating back to WWII.
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Assault Amphibious Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAV7 (Assault Amphibious Vehicle, Model 7), formerly known as LVT7 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Model 7)—is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems Platforms & Services (previously by United Defense, a former division of FMC Corporation).
The AAV7 was the primary amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps from the 1970s until the first half of the 2020s. It was used by U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Battalions to land the surface assault elements of the landing force and their equipment in a single lift from assault shipping during amphibious operations to inland objectives and to conduct mechanized operations and related combat support in subsequent mechanized operations ashore. It is also operated by other forces. Marines call them "amtracs", a shortening of their original designation, "amphibious tractor".
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. The AAV7 was eventually retired from U.S. Marine Corps service in May 2025.
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. Twelve prototypes of the new vehicle, designated LVTPX12, were delivered by FMC in summer 1967. It was also proposed in four variants, including the LVTCX2 command vehicle, LVTRX2 recovery vehicle, LVTEX3 engineering vehicle, and LVTHX5 fire-support vehicle. Of the four variants, only three were constructed: one LVTCX2 in 1969, and two LVTRX2s and two LVTEX3s in 1970.
The prototypes were powered by a Detroit Diesel 8V53T engine coupled to an FMC HS-400 transmission. The engine developed 400 gross horsepower at 2,800 rpm and could propel the vehicle at speeds of up to 40 mph on land, or up to 8.4 miles per hour in water using two water jets. All three variants had a crew of 3, while the LVTPX12 personnel carrier could carry a further 24 troops plus a troop commander. The LVTPX12, LVTCX2, and LVTEX3 were each armed with a weapon station containing a 20 mm M139 cannon and 7.62 mm M73E1 machine gun, although some of the prototypes were later re-armed with a weapon station consisting of a single .50 caliber M85 machine gun. The LVTEX3 was further equipped with three rocket-propelled line charges mounted within the rear of the vehicle and was also fitted with a dozer blade. The LVTRX2, meanwhile, was unarmed, replacing the weapon station with a cupola with vision blocks, and was equipped with a 30,000-lb winch and 6,000-lb crane. The LVTHX5 was proposed with a 105 mm howitzer in a turret but was never built.
Marine Corps testing occurred at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Yuma Proving Ground, Fort Greely, and in Panama, from 1967 through June 1970. A $10.4 million contract for low-rate initial production (LRIP) was awarded to FMC in May 1970 for 38 vehicles, which was followed in June by a $78.5 million contract for full-scale production of 942 vehicles.
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. The first production models of the LVTP7 were delivered in August 1971 and the first units became operational in March 1972. Production models were largely similar to their prototypes, with the most notable change being the .50 caliber M85 weapon station being standardized in favor of the 20 mm M139. A total of 942 or 971 LVTP7s, 84 or 85 LVTC7s, and 55 or 58 LVTR7s were constructed by FMC starting in 1971. Production of the LVT7 family of vehicles ended in April 1974..
Compared to the LVT5/6 family, the LVT7 family was far more maneuverable and faster in water in large part due to the use of water jets instead of tracks for propulsion. 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. It also used a conventional torsion bar suspension instead of the Torsilastic suspension found on previous LVT models dating back to WWII.