MCB Quantico, VA -- The steady growl of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle’s engine fills the cockpit as a young Marine grips the control tightly with his right hand. His eyes scan the glowing digital displays—speed, engine status, terrain data—while the armored windows frame an endless stretch of sunlit sand. Behind him, the troop compartment is quiet, its seats ready for up to 13 Marines. The ACV’s massive tires churn through loose sand, the suspension absorbing every bump as it powers toward the surf. The jarring transition into the waves sends a thrill through him as water splashes against the windshield before the wipers clear it. The ACV floats and propels forward, vibrating with effort, the horizon ahead a boundless test of Marine and machine.
“Straighten out, get perpendicular to the surf,” the instructor’s voice cuts in, jolting the Marine back to reality. Sitting in a classroom aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, he lifts the virtual reality headset, momentarily disoriented but impressed by the realism of the ACV Driver Training System (DTS).
Four years into Force Design's modernization plan, the Marine Corps is redefining its role in joint force operations and expeditionary warfare, emphasizing contested global littorals. Central to this transformation is the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), a next-generation connector bridging sea-based operations and inland objectives. As the National Defense Strategy pivots from protracted land wars to great power competition in littoral regions, training Marines to harness this force-multiplying capability is paramount.
Spearheading this effort is Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault (PM AAA), who led the charge and rapidly developed and fielded the Amphibious Combat Vehicle DTS by executing an innovative acquisition strategy utilizing Other Transaction Authority agreements, empowering teams, and incorporating real-time Marine feedback to enhance training and operational readiness.
According to Maj. Alex Puraty, Suite of Training Systems (STS) Team Lead at PM AAA, this capability provides both operators and maintainers the ability to train extensively on the ACV, enhancing safety and saving taxpayer dollars.
"Right now, this system gives entry-level Marines who haven't driven the ACV extensively a chance to practice transitioning through the surf zone—one of the most dangerous driving actions—with no risk to themselves, others, or the vehicle," Puraty explained. "It's basically an ACV cab in a box that allows them to experience various environmental conditions and expand their knowledge of what the vehicle can do in land driving and surf zone scenarios. They can train solo and gain hundreds of hours of experience without the logistical challenges or limited availability of actual ACVs for training."
With the future fight visibly on the horizon, ensuring Marines are trained to navigate the complexities of the global littorals is critical. For this reason, acquisition speed is a key force multiplier as our Marines prepare to bring the fight tonight.
To accelerate the development and deployment of the ACV DTS, PM AAA leveraged innovative acquisition strategies like Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements and a middle-tier acquisition approach. By utilizing OTA agreements, they bypassed traditional bureaucratic hurdles, enabling faster procurement and development cycles. The middle-tier acquisition strategy further streamlined regulatory and statutory requirements, reducing oversight and expediting the process significantly.
Empowering the team was crucial to this rapid progress. PM AAA leadership granted the STS team autonomy to make decisions, fostering an environment of innovation and rapid problem-solving. The collaborative nature of the OTA process allowed for direct engagement between the team and industry partners, creating a cooperative environment that facilitated real-time adjustments and accelerated development—leading to an unprecedented virtually realistic environment previously unseen across the joint forces.
"This is the only simulator with a realistic surf zone, driven by a physics engine that mimics actual subsurface and wave interactions, creating a unique experience every time based on driver input,” Puraty noted.
Incorporating iterative design and real-time feedback from Marines was another key factor in the simulator's success. The STS team emphasized the importance of Marine operator input, leading to rapid refinements and a simulator that closely matches operational needs. User Evaluations were conducted to test and evaluate prototypes, translating qualitative feedback into quantitative metrics for improvement. This hands-on approach ensured the final product effectively enhances training and operational readiness.
The ACV DTS has quickly advanced from concept to completing fielding in 18 months, with prototypes competitively developed under a rapid prototyping acquisition strategy. User evaluations at Camp Pendleton, involving fleet and schoolhouse Marines, provided valuable feedback that guided iterative improvements to the system throughout the process. This innovative approach allowed developers to replicate realistic surf-zone physics and refine training effectiveness in record time.
Currently, the DTS has finished production and is completely fielded to Assault Amphibian units where it is being used for entry level and fleet training needs. By integrating Marine feedback, iterative design, and empowered decision-making, the ACV DTS program is set to enhance operator proficiency and readiness, ensuring Marines are prepared for the challenges of the future battlefield.