The Navy's Landing Craft Air Cushion

Uncertainty Over How It Will Be Used With Amphibious Forces Gao ID: C-MASAD-82-9 February 26, 1982

The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is an advanced design, high-speed air cushion vehicle being developed by the Navy for use in amphibious operations. GAO conducted a review of the LCAC program to provide Congress with an assessment of the program as it approaches the start of production and to identify important issues which should be considered in progressing to full production.

LCAC is being developed to replace current landing craft which possess a number of operational performance limitations. Studies conducted and testing completed on full-scale advanced development air cushion vehicles support the LCAC potential to improve the Navy's surface assault capability. The LCAC is expected to possess a number of operational advantages, such as high overwater speed and the ability to cross the beach and discharge cargo on firm ground. The major disadvantages of the LCAC are the high cost, increased maintenance requirements, and the necessary modifications to ships that will transport it. To take full advantage of the LCAC potential, the Navy and Marine Corps have determined that a revised operational concept and changes to current amphibious operations tactics and doctrine are necessary. It is uncertain how the revised concept will affect the current LCAC mission, performance requirements, the number of craft ultimately required, the planned acquisition of a future Marine Corps assault mission, and the planning and conduct of future LCAC testing and evaluation. As a result of tests on these air cushion vehicles, the Navy has stated that the LCAC has the potential to be operationally effective; however, the test force could not comment on LCAC operational suitability, such as reliability, maintainability, and availability, until after testing and evaluation of representative craft. Prior to the testing and evaluation of representative craft, the Navy plans limited production of 12 LCAC's at a cost of $343 million.

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