US Navy awards mod contract to Textron to build new LCAC 101 ship to shore connector (SSC)

The SSC mission is to land surface assault elements in support of operational maneuver from the sea, at over-the-horizon distances, while operating from amphibious ships and mobile landing platforms.

The SSC program will significantly enhance the Navy and Marine Corps team’s capability to execute a broad spectrum of missions well into the 21st century, from humanitarian assistance and disaster response to multidimensional amphibious assault. Deliveries will begin in fiscal 2017 with initial operational capability projected for fiscal 2020.

The SSC will be a high-speed, fully amphibious landing craft with a 30-year service life capable of carrying a 74-ton payload that can travel at speeds of more than 35 knots, day or night. Ship-to-Shore Connector supports rapid movement of Marine Expeditionary Forces from the sea base to shore and can tactically deliver personnel and heavy equipment to trafficable terrain well beyond the beach with the built-in reliability to operate in the harshest littoral environments.

Ship-to-Shore Connector will also bring improved technology and increased performance to handle current and future missions, plus better fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance through existing shore-based infrastructure. The Navy-led contract design, released to industry in a full and open competition, allowed for mid-tier builders without air-cushioned vehicle experience to compete for the detail design and construction contract. This approach uses the government’s expertise in air-cushioned vehicles and provides industry with the flexibility to make component selections and complete design details for optimal producibility and lowest possible acquisition costs.