An Update on Development of Landing Craft Air Cushion 100 Class

Well known to the high-speed naval community, Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is ubiquitous as the US Navy's amphibious ship to shore connector. Now, a new naval air cushion vehicle (ACV), LCAC 100, has arrived and is currently undergoing post-delivery test and trials in preparation for fleet operations. As the next generation LCAC, the design capitalizes on over 35 years of LCAC experience and technology development. Among its many impressive attributes, it introduces an integrated flight control system, high performance composite structures, and a simplified, but significantly more powerful propulsion and lift system. It employs electrically actuated effectors, advanced skirt materials, and technologies for vibration monitoring. This paper contributes to the historical record by describing many of the important development efforts over the past decade, including pre-award studies, contract design, detailed design, and post-delivery phases. It includes discussion on technological successes, remaining challenges facing the craft, and looks ahead to mission scenarios of the future.