CMC's plan for ship-to-shore connectors soothes critics: Marine Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford's new planning guidance places renewed emphasis on the need for a high-speed amphibious troop transport that can swim ashore without the assistance of a Navy connector.
Language in the document, published Jan. 23, is placating some of the service's harshest procurement critics who say that the Marine Corps will lose its amphibious assault capability without a self-deployable, high-speed vehicle that can hydroplane ashore from over the horizon.
"My belief is that the [Amphibious Combat Vehicle] 1.1… is recognized as not being the self-deploying, high speed amphibious combat vehicle capable of ship to shore amphibious assault that the Corps needs," said retired Col. James G. Magee of the planning guidance's tenor.
He and retired Maj. Richard G. DuVall, two armored vehicle experts who served as career infantry officers, were outspoken critics of the service's amphibious procurement strategy under retired Commandant Gen. Jim Amos. But they see Dunford as prepared to pursue with more vigor the procurement of a vehicle better suited to the amphibious assault mission — even as he pushes ahead with ACV 1.1 and a partnership with the Navy to overhaul current ship-to-shore connectors while researching new options to ferry the ACV.
