Textron Systems has secured a $353.9 million U.S. Navy contract amendment to construct three more LCAC 100-class hovercraft, with project completion set for 2031. This order supplements a broader deal from August 2023 for up to 73 vessels, intended to replace the Navy’s aging LCAC fleet in service since the 1980s.
The 28-meter LCAC 100 is armed with naval and machine guns as well as grenade launchers, and is powered by four Rolls-Royce MT7 gas turbines adapted from the Bell V-22 Osprey, producing a total of 28,000 horsepower. It has a top speed of 35 knots (65 km/h) and an operational range of about 200 nautical miles (370 km).
