Textron Systems landing Ship to Shore Connector SSC Craft 100 completes acceptance trials.

Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) business, announced on December 17, 2019, the successful completion by its first next-generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Craft 100 of the U.S. Navy’s Acceptance Trials after completing a series of in-port and underway demonstrations on December 6, 2019.

The SSC is the next generation of the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), providing a modernized means to reach the world's shorelines for the next 30 years. (Picture source Textron Systems)

“Our customers depend on our products to take them ashore and sustain the landing forces until the job is done,” said Henry Finneral, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Textron Systems. “We are proud to support the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy in producing this next generation of landing vehicles, designed to cover a broad spectrum of missions with rapid transport of material and personnel into combat zones or assisting with critical humanitarian aid missions.”

During the trials, Craft 100 underwent integrated testing to demonstrate the capability of the fly-by-wire steering, electrical and propulsion systems to successfully meet its basic requirements as a test asset for Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

As the replacement for the existing fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicles, follow-on SSCs will primarily transport weapon systems, equipment, cargo, and personnel of the assault elements through tough environmental conditions from the amphibious ships to the beach. The craft can travel at a sustained 35 knots, transport U.S. Marines and shares less than one percent of legacy LCAC original parts, representing a true upgrade for the LCAC forces at ACU 4, ACU 5, and NBU 7. The SSC also has an increased service life of 30 years.

The SSC is constructed at Textron Systems Marine & Land Systems operating unit in New Orleans and is built with similar configurations, dimensions, and clearances to existing LCAC, ensuring the compatibility of this next-generation air cushion vehicle with existing well deck equipped amphibious ships, as well as Expeditionary Transfer Dock and Expeditionary Sea Bases.

Textron Systems expects to deliver SSC Craft 100 in January 2020. There are currently several SSCs in various states of production.