Textron Systems team wins US Navy SSC contract
Textron Marine & Land Systems (TM&LS) has announced in a 9 July 2012 statement that its team has been selected by the US Navy for the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) programme. The SSC will replace the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), providing a modernised means for the US Navy and Marine Corps to land at more than 80 percent of the world's shorelines for the next 30 years.
The fixed-priced, incentive-fee contract, worth approximately $213 million is for the detailed design and construction of an initial SSC Test and Training Craft with work to be completed by February 2017. According to the company, the contract includes options for up to eight production craft to be delivered by 2020 worth a total potential value of $570 million.
With its amphibious lift requirement, SSC will provide the surface assault portion of the US Joint Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare tactical plan with the capability to project and sustain military operations from the sea, independent of tides, water depth, underwater obstacles, or beach gradient.
The Textron team includes Alcoa Defense and command, control and navigation systems industry leader L-3 Communications, and was formed ‘to deliver to the US Navy the lowest risk SSC — a highly capable, high performing vessel delivered within budget, at weight and on schedule, and maintained for its entire service life. Our experienced team is eager to get to work building air cushion vehicles once again in our shipyard and supporting the US Navy in every way we can,’ a TM&LS spokesperson said.
More from Naval Warfare
-
RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity
The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
-
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
-
HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
-
How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
-
UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.