https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated January 6, 2023
Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV)
What Is the Advanced Reconnaissance
Vehicle (ARV)?
According to the Marine Corps, the Advanced
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) is planned to be a new
armored vehicle family to replace the Light Armored
Vehicle (LAV):
Since the 1980s, the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
has supported Marine Air-Ground Task Force
missions on the battlefield. While the LAV remains
operationally effective, the life cycle of this system
is set to expire in the mid-2030s…. The Advanced
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) will be highly
mobile, networked, transportable, protected, and
lethal. The capability will provide, sensors,
communication systems and lethality options to
overmatch threats that have historically been
addressed with more heavily armored systems.
ARV Desired Operational Capabilities
A Marine Corps May 2019 briefing describes some of the
ARV’s desired operational capabilities:
an automatic medium-caliber cannon;
anti-armor capability to defeat close-in heavy armor
threats;
precision-guided munitions (PGMs) to defeat threats
beyond the engagement range of threat systems;
unmanned systems swarm capability to provide
persistent, multifunction munitions;
advanced, networked, multifunctional electronic warfare
(EW) capabilities;
a modern command-and-control suite and a full range of
sensors;
organic unmanned aerial and ground systems
(UAS/UGS) that can be deployed from the ARV;
active and passive vehicle protection; and
robust cross-country/on-road mobility performance with
shore-to-shore water mobility.
ARV in Marine Corps Force Structure
The ARV was originally intended to be the primary combat
system in Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR)
Battalions. The mission of the LAR Battalion is to conduct
mounted and dismounted reconnaissance, surveillance, and
security operations. LAR Battalions are also expected to
conduct offensive and defensive missions and conduct
deception operations and raids to create decisive conditions
for the Marine Division and the supported unit commander.
Program Status
The Marines plan for a number of ARV variants—referred
to as a “family of vehicles.” The first variant is the
Command, Control, Communications and
Computers/Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C4/UAS) version.
Reportedly, on July 16, 2021, the Marines selected Textron
Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems to build
ARV prototypes with prototype delivery expected in the
first quarter of FY2023 with evaluation of the prototypes
concluding in the third quarter FY2023. Textron reportedly
delivered its ARV prototypes, known as the
“Cottonmouth,” to the Marine Corps’ Nevada Automotive
Test Center on December 1, 2022. General Dynamics
reportedly delivered its ARV prototypes to the Marines on
December 23, 2022. The delivery of these two prototypes
marked the beginning of the formal government evaluation
process.
Figure 1. Textron Cottonmouth ARV Prototype
Source: Defense Daily, “GD Submits Prototype Proposal For Marine
Corps ARV, SAIC Is Out,” May 6, 2021.
Figure 2. General Dynamics ARV Prototype
Source: Seapower, “General Dynamics Land Systems Delivers
Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle Prototype to U.S. Marine Corps,”
January 5, 2023.
