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Sea-Air-Space
2015 - Textron Ship-to-Shore Connector |
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Textron
Expands Production on US Navy SSC Program with Latest Contract Option
Award |
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During
Sea-Air-Space 2015, Textron Systems Marine & Land Systems announced
it has been awarded a $84,087,095 contract option from the U.S. Navy
Naval Sea Systems Command for two next-generation Landing Craft, Air
Cushion (LCAC) vehicles and associated technical manuals as part of
the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) program. Marine & Land Systems
will assemble crafts 102 and 103 at its New Orleans Shipyard. Deliveries
are expected in the fourth quarter of 2019. |
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Textron
Systems Marine & Land Systems
Ship-to-Shore Connector |
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SSC
craft will serve as the evolutionary replacement for the Navy’s
existing fleet of LCACs, which are nearing the end of their service
life. Their mission is to land surface assault elements in support of
operational maneuver from the sea, at over-the-horizon distances, while
operating from the Navy’s amphibious ships and mobile landing
platforms. Like earlier LCACs, these craft also will be used for humanitarian
and disaster relief missions.
The new air cushion
vehicles, offering increased reliability and availability, are designed
for a 30-year service life. They will use more corrosion-resistant
aluminum in the hull than current LCAC, as well as composites in the
propeller shroud assembly and shafting to increase craft availability
and lower life-cycle maintenance costs. These craft also will incorporate
an advanced skirt, a pilot/co-pilot arrangement, a cargo deck to accommodate
a 74 short ton payload (up to M1A1 Tank), and more powerful, fuel
efficient Rolls-Royce engines. The SSC craft will travel 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. |
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Textron
Systems Marine & Land Systems Ship-to-Shore Connector
showcased at Sea-Air-Space 2015 |
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“The
multi-million dollar technology investments we’ve made for the
SSC program at our 600,000 square-foot shipyard are set to deliver important
dividends to our Navy customer in terms of manufacturing efficiencies,
productivity and quality,” explains Tom Walmsley, senior
vice president and general manager, Marine & Land Systems. “The
new craft our team is fabricating and assembling will offer improved
performance over legacy LCAC along with enhancements that will increase
availability and reduce ownership costs for the Navy.”
Textron
Systems, in July 2012, earned a $213 million contract for the detailed
design and construction of the SSC Test and Training craft (LCAC 100),
which is scheduled to be delivered in 2017. The initial SSC contract
includes total options for up to eight production craft to be delivered
by 2020. A contract option for LCAC 101 was awarded in August 2014.
The SSC program requirement is for a total of 73 craft (one Test and
Training and 72 operational craft). |
