After more than fifty years of dedicated service, the United States Marine Corps has officially retired the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV), a vehicle that served as both shield and workhorse for generations of Marines.
From the beaches of Grenada to the battlefields of Iraq, the AAV provided essential support to Marines, bridging the critical gap between ship and shore while delivering armored protection and mobility.
The retirement of the AAV was marked by a ceremony on September 26 at Camp Pendleton, California. Colonel Lynn Berendsen, commander of the Assault Amphibian School, delivered remarks that highlighted the deep connection between Marines and the AAV.
“The AAV gave Marines both mobility and armored protection, allowed them to close with the enemy and seize objectives at speed,” Berendsen said.
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“In the desert, just as in the Pacific beaches decades earlier, [the AAV] showed it was more than a connector — it was a fighting vehicle at the heart of the Marine Air Ground Task Force.”
The story of the AAV is one of adaptation and resilience.
Originally introduced in 1972, after United Defense (formerly a division of FMC Corporation and now part of BAE Systems) received a $78.5 million contract, the AAV became a central component of Marine amphibious operations.
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Its roots reach even further back, as it replaced the Landing Vehicle, Tracked (LVT), a machine that famously carried Marines through pivotal World War II battles like Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Inchon, and later through the jungles of Vietnam.
Over nearly five decades, the AAV underwent a series of upgrades, steadily improving its maneuverability, firepower, and armor in response to the changing realities of modern warfare.
It was a flexible platform, serving not only as a troop carrier but also as a logistics platform, armored fighting vehicle, and even a lifeboat in emergencies.
“The AAV-P7 has been many things, a ship to shore connector, an armored fighting vehicle, a troop carrier, a logistics platform and even sometimes a live boat,” Berendsen reflected. “Most importantly, it was in a place where Marines made their mark in combat in service and in sacrifice.”
However, as the threats faced by the Marine Corps evolved, so did the requirements for their amphibious vehicles. In 2018, Marine officials decided that the time had come to replace the aging workhorse with a more modern and capable vehicle.
The Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), an eight-wheeled, next-generation transport, is designed to better support the Marines’ mission in large-scale and expeditionary operations. The ACV has already been deployed in the field for several years, but the September 26 ceremony marked the official end of the AAV’s storied era.
The decision to phase out the AAV was not made lightly. The vehicle’s legacy was tarnished by a tragic accident in 2020, when eight Marines and a Navy sailor lost their lives after their AAV sank during a training exercise off the coast of California.
Investigations into the incident revealed troubling lapses in training, maintenance, and safety protocols. The command inquiry concluded that poor training and a vehicle in “horrible condition” contributed to the sinking, while a second investigation led to the removal of Maj. Gen. Robert Castellvi as Inspector General of the Marine Corps.
The Corps determined that failures in leadership and preparation played a significant role in the accident, prompting the need for renewed focus on safety and readiness.
While the ACV represents a step forward, its rollout has not been without challenges. From September 2021 to January 2022, the Marine Corps temporarily halted ACV waterborne operations because of issues with the tow rope.
In July 2022, a vehicle rollover led to another suspension, and further mishaps delayed training in rough waters. Nonetheless, progress has continued, and the ACV made its official overseas debut in a live-fire exercise in Oyster Bay, Philippines, in May 2024.
Looking ahead, the Marine Corps plans to field 400 personnel carrier variants of the ACV fleet, reflecting the importance of moving troops safely and efficiently in today’s security environment.
Despite the challenges, the transition to the ACV underscores the Corps’ commitment to modernizing its equipment while honoring the legacy of vehicles like the AAV.
As Colonel Berendsen stated, “Its legacy is not only in its capabilities but also in the countless Marines who operated it and relied on it to accomplish their missions.”
The retirement of the AAV serves as both a tribute to its history and a reminder of the enduring spirit of the Marines who depended on it.
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