Home Americas BAE Systems goes with Kongsberg turret for US Marine Corps ACV

BAE Systems goes with Kongsberg turret for US Marine Corps ACV

US Marine Corps ACV
Photo: Kongsberg

Scandinavian defense contractor Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace announced it has been selected by BAE Systems to design and manufacture the remote medium caliber turret (MCT) for the US Marine Corps’ amphibious combat vehicle (ACV) program.

The company said it would deliver up to 150 MCTs in a phased program as part of this contract. Test article delivery will start early 2021, followed by production phases.

Kongsberg’s MCT-30 is the first remotely operated 30mm turret to be qualified and fielded in the United States, according to the company. It is remotely controlled and operated from a protected position inside the vehicle compartment for optimized crew safety. MCT-30 leverages a link-less medium caliber cannon for increased lethality and reliability.

The US Army, in 2015, chose KONGSBERG’s MCT-30 to increase the lethality of the Stryker Brigade in Europe. The system has been fielded and operated with the army as part of the European Deterrence Initiative since 2018. It is the primary armament and fire control system for the infantry carrier vehicle – Dragoon (ICV-D) Strykers.

BAE Systems is delivering the fleet of new ACVs to the marine corps under a contract from 2018, with an estimated potential value of up to $1.2 billion. The company is scheduled to deliver the first vehicle to the service later this year.