Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) will displace the Army’s fleet of Vietnam-era Mike (Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-8) boats
Prototype is named in honor of an Army watercraft operator killed in action 12.27.70 in Vietnam.
2019 Sept 2019, Representatives from the U.S. Army and federal and local elected officials joined Vigor employees for a keel laying ceremony yesterday, celebrating the first milestone in the construction of the Army’s next generation landing craft, the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L).
2017 Sept Army maneuvers new watercraft program to awarded by Michael D. Clow
U.S. Army awarded Vigor Works, LLC located in Clackamas, Oregon, a 10-year, firm fixed price, Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)) engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase and subsequent production and deployment (P&D) phase. The total estimated value is $979.79 million. The MSV(L) program is specifically designed to deliver a new vessel that enables Army mariners to carry the modern, combat-configured equipment into diverse littoral settings–giving commanders greater maneuver options, especially in anti-access, area-denial environments.
“The range of operating environments our Soldiers face today–and will face in the future–continues to grow more diverse,” said Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Drushal, U.S. Army chief of Transportation. “Our mariners need modern, capable vessels that can carry today’s Soldiers and equipment. Our commanders need the flexibility to maneuver in many different environments–including maneuvering from the sea. This vessel will do both and provide a critical advantage in future operations.”
As the first new Army watercraft in decades, the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) will displace the Army’s fleet of Vietnam-era Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-8) boats with a modern capability, giving commanders significantly improved seaborne maneuver flexibility. The MSV(L) will provide intra-theater transportation of personnel and materiel, delivering cargo from advanced bases and deep-draft strategic sealift ships to harbors, inland waterways, remote and unimproved beaches and coastlines, and denied or degraded ports.
“Army transportation investments over the last decade rightly prioritized vehicle capabilities, especially in the area of protection,” said Col. Dan Furber, project manager, Transportation Systems. “While that was the right thing to do, it also deferred investment in the watercraft fleet and created a mismatch between the size and weight of ground systems and the watercraft designed to carry them. MSV(L) will restore operational relevance to the Army watercraft fleet at an important time.”
Most importantly, the program will restore the Army’s ability to carry the weight of modern combat platforms. With the expected ability to operate in five feet of water, the MSV(L) will be designed to carry a combat-configured main battle tank, two Strykers, or four Joint Light Tactical Vehicles into a wide range of littoral environments. With a planned range of 360 nautical miles and a speed of 15 knots fully laden, it will significantly improve the Army’s ability to maneuver land power when and where commanders need it.
The award comes concurrent with a “Milestone B” decision that moves the program into its engineering and manufacturing development phase. Over the next four years, the Army will work with Vigor Works, LLC as it produces a full-scale prototype for additional evaluation and to inform the program’s final requirements. A “Milestone C” decision and authorization for low rate initial production of the first four vessels are scheduled for the end of fiscal year 2021, followed by a full-rate production decision in fiscal year 2023. The Army seeks to buy 36 total vessels for use by Army mariners around the world.
From Vigor:
DESIGN INNOVATION
- Innovative tribow monohull form maximizes seakeeping, beached stability and provides speeds in excess of 20 knots fully laden
- Exceptional seakeeping characteristics enhance crew comfort and reduce strain on payload
- Raised center jet and 4 foot (1.2 meter) draft fully laden enable landings on the shallowest beaches
- Simplicity of design improves platform availability, maintainability, and life-cycle cost
MISSION EFFECTIVENESS
- The flexibility to maneuver in many different environments
- The ability to carry modern equipment into diverse littoral settings, up to and including a main battle tank
- Greater maneuver options in anti-access, area-denial environments
- Superior seakeeping and survivability
- No height constraints on payload
- Range of 360+ nautical miles
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS
Type
Landing CraftConfiguration
Tribow MonohullMaterial
AluminumLength (Overall)
117’0″ (35.6m)Beam (Molded)
28’2” (8.6m)Speed (Laden)
21 knotsSpeed (Unladen)
30+ knotsRange
360+ nautical milesMain Engines
(3) @2600 HPPropulsors
(3) WaterjetsOther
- Bi-fold bow ramp
- Kedge anchor system
- (2) CROWS II mount
Crew
8Deck Area
1,697 ft sqMax Capacity
82 tonAnticipated Payloads
- (1) main battle tank
- (2) armored vehicle
- Additional design payloads
Deck Features
Drive-through capability. Payload tie-down point grid.