Operational Testing of the Army's Amphibian Vehicle Known as the LACV-30

The LACV-30 (lighter, air cushion vehicle, 30-ton payload) is being considered as a replacement for existing Army amphibian vehicles. As such, its mission will involve various amphibious operations, including logistics-over-the-shore resupply. At present the Army has only two of the vehicles, one of which has been undergoing operational testing while the second has been undergoing developmental testing. The Army is considering acquiring 28 more LACV-30s at a total cost of more than $110 million.

Although the Army has an operational test and evaluation agency, that agency is conducting neither the operational test nor the operational evaluation of the LACV-30. The group handling the test is under the control of the Armor and Engineer Board, which is largely composed of persons on loan from the Transportation School, the combat developer of the LACV-30, and the Transportation Center, the eventual user of the vehicle. Reports on the tests will be submitted to the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) rather than to the Chief of Staff. Neither TRADOC nor the Transportation School constitutes an independent test or evaluation agency, as required by Department of Defense regulations. The current scope of the operational testing will not insure that the LACV-30 demonstrates certain required capabilities before a major procurement decision is made. Neither development testing nor civilian experience is a substitute for operational testing.