U.S. Navy receives New LCAC 114 Air Cushion Landing Craft to strengthen Marines amphibious operations.

According to information published by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) on August 29, 2025, the U.S. Navy officially took delivery of Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion) 114 from Textron Systems on August 28, 2025. The delivery followed successful acceptance trials conducted by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey, which validated the craft’s performance and confirmed its readiness for operational service. This milestone represents the latest achievement in the Navy’s program to replace its legacy fleet of Landing Craft Air Cushion with modernized connectors designed to sustain expeditionary operations in contested littoral zones.
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The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of Landing Craft Air Cushion 114, the newest Ship to Shore Connector built by Textron Systems, after completing successful acceptance trials. (Picture source: U.S. Navy NAVSEA)

LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion) 114 belongs to the new generation of SSC (Ship to Shore Connector ) platforms, engineered to provide significantly improved reliability and survivability while preserving the size and footprint of its predecessor. Measuring around 92 feet in length and 48 feet wide, the craft is fully compatible with the well decks of existing amphibious assault ships such as the Wasp and America class. It is powered by four Rolls-Royce MT7 gas turbine engines, derived from the AE1107C used on the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, offering increased fuel efficiency, lower lifecycle maintenance, and enhanced power output compared to the older TF40B engines of legacy LCACs. The craft is equipped with modernized command, control, communications, computers, and navigation systems, including a fly-by-wire control architecture that reduces crew workload while improving maneuverability and safety.

With a payload capacity of 60 to 75 tons, the SSC can carry a wide spectrum of combat equipment and military vehicles including an M1A2 Abrams main battle tank, multiple Light Armored Vehicles, artillery units, or heavy logistics loads. Its ability to transition seamlessly from water to land enables over-the-beach operations on more than 70 percent of the world’s coastlines, where traditional deep-water ports are absent or unusable. The craft’s aluminum hull and advanced skirt design ensure that it can operate at speeds above 35 knots while carrying heavy payloads, giving the Navy and Marine Corps unmatched tactical agility for both combat and humanitarian missions.

In terms of roles and missions, the SSC is designed as a multi-purpose connector for high-risk environments. Its primary mission is to transport weapon systems, vehicles, cargo, and personnel from amphibious ships positioned offshore directly to points of need on land. This role makes it an indispensable tool for amphibious assaults, where speed and shock effect are vital to securing a beachhead. Beyond combat operations, the SSC is equally critical for non-combatant missions. Its high payload and ability to access austere coastlines make it ideal for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, where it can rapidly deliver aid, vehicles, and heavy equipment to areas cut off by damaged infrastructure. The craft also supports crisis response operations, enabling quick evacuation of civilians or repositioning of forces in unstable regions.

For the Indo-Pacific theater, LCAC 114 and its sister craft reinforce U.S. expeditionary concepts such as Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. These envision dispersed, highly mobile Marine and Navy units establishing temporary bases across island chains to extend surveillance, fires, and logistics networks. The SSC is central to this concept since it allows heavy reinforcements and supplies to reach small islands and contested shores where adversaries may attempt to deny access. Its ability to deliver armored vehicles or missile systems to forward bases adds a direct deterrent dimension, complicating the calculations of any adversary seeking to dominate maritime chokepoints.

Angela Bonner, acting program manager for Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs at PEO Ships, noted that the on-time delivery of LCAC 114 demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s determination to maintain amphibious readiness. Many of the older LCACs are nearing the end of their service life after more than three decades of deployment. Without the SSC, amphibious connectors risked falling into a critical gap at a time when global security challenges demand greater flexibility and faster response options.

The U.S. Navy’s commitment to the SSC program is backed by substantial industrial contracts with Textron Systems. In July 2024, the company received a $312.4 million modification to procure materials and production resources for up to nine craft. In November 2024, the Department of Defense added a 394.3$ million award under contract N00024-23-C-2452 for nine more units, extending production through 2030. On June 30, 2025, the Navy further expanded the order with a $353.9 million contract modification for three additional craft, with primary construction taking place at Textron’s New Orleans shipyard. Deliveries of these units are scheduled to continue until July 2031.

Ultimately, the U.S. Navy plans to acquire 73 Ship to Shore Connectors to fully replace its legacy fleet. Eleven have already been delivered, with production now in steady rhythm. Each new craft not only adds immediate capability but also secures the U.S. industrial base, ensuring that critical amphibious construction skills are retained for decades to come.

The arrival of LCAC 114 therefore represents more than a routine delivery. It symbolizes the convergence of technological modernization, industrial commitment, and strategic necessity. With its advanced propulsion, payload capacity, and over-the-horizon reach, the SSC ensures that U.S. naval and Marine forces retain the ability to impose access and project power ashore in contested environments. As global security competition intensifies, especially in the Indo-Pacific, the Ship to Shore Connector fleet will remain one of the most decisive enablers of American amphibious dominance well into the 2030s and beyond.