The Department of Defense has recently awarded Textron Systems a significant contract valued at $394.2 million to construct nine additional Landing Craft Air Cushion 100-class (LCAC 100) vessels for the United States Navy. This new contract expands upon a primary order made in August 2023, as well as a subsequent follow-up order in July 2024, which focused on materials and non-recurring activities aimed at developing up to five additional LCAC 100s for the naval service.
The construction work for this new fleet of nine hovercraft will be carried out at Textron’s facilities in New Orleans, Louisiana, along with other locations around the country. Textron expects to complete the construction of these vessels by September 2030, marking a critical advancement in the Navy’s amphibious capabilities.
The LCAC 100-class system, also known as the Ship-to-Shore Connector, is designed to modernize and enhance the U.S. military’s amphibious assault and over-the-horizon transport operations. This innovative platform is set to replace older hovercraft models, providing improved capabilities for rotating supplies, transporting heavy equipment, and delivering ground vehicles between amphibious ships and shorelines.
The versatility of the LCAC 100 is notable, as it can be equipped with various armaments, including mounted naval guns, machine guns, and grenade launchers, enhancing its operational effectiveness. The vessels are powered by four Rolls-Royce MT7 gas turbines, a modified version of the engines used in the Bell V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, which contributes to a maximum speed of 35 knots (approximately 65 kilometers or 40 miles per hour).
Textron’s recent achievements in delivering advanced maritime technology include the handover of the tenth LCAC 100 to the U.S. Navy in September. In a strategic move earlier in the summer, the company secured a $39.3 million contract aimed at providing training solutions for both the existing and future crews of the LCAC 100 fleet. This followed the initial delivery of the first two hovercraft to the Navy in September 2020 at the Surface Warfare Center – Panama City Division in Florida, signaling an ongoing commitment to enhancing the operational readiness and capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious forces.
