Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has been awarded a not-to-exceed $329 million firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract action for the procurement of the remotely operated, uncrewed turret RT20 (Remote Turret 20 in Kongsberg’s catalogue, also known previously as MCT-30).

This award establishes a framework agreement which will see successive contract awards up to the 239 million ceiling amount, for the delivery of 175 turrets which are to be fitted to the BAE Systems Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm Cannon (ACV-30) variant for the US Marine Corps.

The first production-representative ACV-30 was delivered to the USMC early this year and following initial trials the program is now moving towards full-rate production. ACV-30 is the third variant in the ACV family of vehicles designed, developed, and built since BAE Systems was selected as the prime contractor for the program in 2018.

The first variants were the APC (ACV-P) and the command post (ACV-C) vehicles. A fourth variant, the Recovery one, is in development with fielding planned from FY2027. Within the framework, the first contract to be awarded has been a USD 51 million deal for subcomponents specific to the 30mm remote turret, manufactured by KONGSBERG in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The RT20 is a light, compact, fully stabilized turret with no hull intrusion.

Remotely operated, it ensures good firepower while having virtually no impact on internal space within the vehicle. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, through its US branch, is the most prominent provider of Remote Weapon Stations and remote turrets to the US Army and US Marine Corps, with manufacture in the Kongsberg plant in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and involvement of a wide supply base in the US. Kongsberg notably delivers the Commonly Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) for the US Army as well as turrets for the USMC’s Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS).

The RT20 is armed with a XM813 30x173 mm Bushmaster Automatic Cannon with a linkless ammunition feeding system drawing from 2 reserves of 75 ready to use rounds each. It has a 7.62 mm coaxial machinegun.

In the FY 2025 budget request, the USMC plans to order a first lot of 80 ACV-30, down from an earlier plan for 104 due to funding pressures. Another 106 vehicles were expected to be ordered in FY2026, comprising of more ACV-30 and the ACV-R, to bring the program to conclusion.

The reduction to the size of the order for 2025 might lead to the end of the project moving beyond 2026. In total, 175 ACV-30 and 34 ACV-R are expected. As for the other variants, a total of 390 ACV-P were ordered between FY2018 and FY2024, while 33 ACV-C are being acquired with orders for 31 vehicles across FY2022 and FY2023 plus the refurbishment of 2 earlier Production Representative Test Vehicles (PRTVs).

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