Rolls-Royce to supply engines for new LCAC 100 assault hovercraft

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The U.S Navy is awarding Rolls-Royce $40.9 million for procurement of 20 MT7 marine turbine engines for five Landing Craft, Air Cushion 100 hovercraft.

The purchase, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, is part of the Ship-to-Shore Connector program to replace existing Navy landing hovercraft with the LCAC 100 due to current craft nearing the end of their service life. Each LCAC 100 craft mounts four MT7 engines.

Work under the contract modification includes engine production and delivery to Textron Marine Systems for LCAC 100 with a completion date of January 2020 when the craft are expected to be fully operational. Navy fiscal 2017-18 shipbuilding and conversion funds were obligated in the full amount upon award.

The LCAC 100 Ship-to-Shore Connector is designed to be a improved version of current landing hovercraft used for delivering vehicles, troops and equipment onto hostile landing zones. The 100 is capable of ferrying and unloading up to 73 tons of equipment and has more powerful engines, allowing for faster cruising speeds.

Landing assault hovercraft are highly useful due to their high speed and ability to pull directly onto the beach, allowing rapid deployment of vehicles as soon as it reaches shore. It is also useful in a evacuation vehicle role for wounded or withdrawing troops. Various forms of the LCAC have been in use by the United States since 1987.

They are primarily for unloading cargo and personnel but typically carry several machine guns and automatic grenade launchers for self-defense and landing zone suppression purposes.