DESCRIPTION
Army Watercraft Systems (AWS) expand commanders’ movement and maneuver options in support of unified land operations. The Army’s current fleet of 132 AWS enables commanders to operate through fixed, degraded and austere ports, conducting expeditionary sustainment and movement and maneuver of forces for missions across the spectrum of military operations. With the exception of the newest Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)) platform, the legacy vessels vary widely in age and do not have a single manufacturer.
BENEFIT TO THE SOLDIER
Army watercraft provide responsive, cross-domain capability to move combat configured forces, equipment and sustainment supplies close to the point of need throughout a theater of operations creating multiple, complex operational dilemmas for adversaries throughout all phases of military operations.
SPECIFICATIONS
Landing Craft: Provide inter- and intra-theater transportation of personnel and materiel, delivering cargo from advanced bases and deep-draft strategic sealift ships to harbors, inland waterways, remote and unimproved beaches and coastlines, and denied or degraded ports
- Logistic Support Vessel
- Landing Craft Utility (LCU-2000)
- Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-8) to be replaced by MSV(L)
Ship-to-Shore Enablers: Enable the discharge of strategic sealift ships when suitable ports are unavailable while at anchor or onto degraded ports or bare beaches; causeway systems enable joint and Army forces to load transload and offload equipment, personnel and sustainment cargo during sea-based operations, operations in degraded or austere ports, and bare-beach, joint logistics over-the-shore operations
- Modular Warping Tug
- Roll-on/Roll-off Discharge Facility
- Floating Causeway
- Causeway Ferry
Towing and Terminal Operations: Provide heavy lifting, ocean and port/harbor towing, and salvage operations in open, denied or degraded ports; used for general port management and husbandry duties (storing fuel, repositioning barges, firefighting, docking and undocking large ships); can clear and operate ports (fixed, degraded and austere) while providing coordinated, simultaneous support to multiple sustainment operations sites widely distributed throughout the area of operations
- Large Tug (LT-800)
- Small Tug (ST-900)
- Barge Derrick (BD 115-ton)
PROGRAM STATUS
MSV(L) Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD):
4QFY17: Milestone B/Contract Award
3QFY18: Preliminary Design Review
LCU-2000 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP):
2QFY17: Induction of Phase I – Vessel 1
4QFY17: Induction of Phase I – Vessel 2
1QFY18: Induction of Phase I – Vessel 3
Modular Causeway System (MCS) SLEP:
1QFY18: Preliminary Design Review
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES
MSV(L):
2QFY19: Critical Design Review
1QFY21: Prototype Delivery
LCU-2000 SLEP:
2QFY18: Delivery of Phase I – Vessel 1
3QFY18: Delivery of Phase I – Vessel 2
4QFY18:
- Delivery of Phase I – Vessel 3
- Technical Data Package Delivery
MCS SLEP:
3QFY18: Critical Design Review
1QFY19: Technical Data Package Delivery