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Updated December 7, 2021
Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV)
What Is the Advanced Reconnaissance
precision-guided munitions (PGMs) to defeat threats
Vehicle (ARV)?
beyond the engagement range of threat systems;
According to the Marine Corps, the Advanced
unmanned systems swarm capability to provide
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) aims to be a new armored
persistent, multifunction munitions;
vehicle family to replace the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
(Figure 1):
advanced, networked, multifunctional electronic warfare
(EW) capabilities;
Since the 1980s, the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
has supported Marine Air-Ground Task Force
a modern command-and-control suite and a full range of
missions on the battlefield. While the LAV remains
sensors;
operationally effective, the life cycle of this system
organic unmanned aerial and ground systems
is set to expire in the mid-2030s…. The Advanced
(UAS/UGS) that can be deployed from the ARV;
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) [the LAV’s
replacement] will be highly mobile, networked,
active and passive vehicle protection; and
transportable, protected, and lethal. The capability
robust cross-country/on-road mobility performance with
will provide, sensors, communication systems and
shore-to-shore water mobility with size and weight
lethality options to overmatch threats that have
similar to the LAV.
historically been addressed with more heavily
armored systems. The ARV will be an advanced
ARV in Marine Corps Force Structure
combat vehicle system, capable of fighting for
The ARV is to be the primary combat system in Light
information that balances competing capability
Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalions. The mission of
demands to sense, shoot, move, communicate and
the LAR Battalion is to:
remain transportable as part of the naval
Conduct mounted and dismounted reconnaissance,
expeditionary force.
surveillance, and security operations in support of
Figure 1. U.S. Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle
maneuver.
(LAV)
Conduct offensive and defensive actions, deception, 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 described variant is to
be 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. If prototype testing
proves successful, the Marines Corps could then initiate a
production effort potentially worth an estimated $1.8 billion
Source: https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/
to $6.8 billion over five years. Reportedly, Textron (Figure
1817404/marine-corps-plans-to-replace-lav-with-new-
2) and General Dynamics (Figure 3) submitted proposals
transformational-arv/, accessed May 5, 2021.
for prototype ARVs to the Marines for testing and
ARV Desired Operational Capabilities
evaluation in May 2021.
According to a Marine Corps May 2019 briefing, some of
the ARV’s desired operational capabilities include
an automatic medium-caliber cannon;
anti-armor capability to defeat close-in heavy armor
threats;
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV)
Figure 2. Notional Textron ARV
In the Marine’s February 2021 force design update to the
Secretary of Defense, the Commandant further noted:
The 12 Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR)
Companies identified in the initial Force Design
Report must be re-evaluated in light of the emerging
concept of multi-domain mobile reconnaissance.
This may affect the overall requirement for armored
land mobility in the form of the Advanced
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV). (See pages 5-6)
These two statements arguably raise questions regarding the
future of the ongoing ARV program.
FY2022 ARV Budget Request
Table 1. FY2022 ARV Budget Request
Source: Defense Daily, “GD Submits Prototype Proposal
Total
For Marine Corps ARV, SAIC Is Out,” May 6, 2021.
Total Request
Request
Figure 3. Notional General Dynamics ARV
Funding Category
($M)
(Qty)
RDT&E
$48.6
—
Source: United States Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2022
Budget Request, Navy Justification Book Volume 2 of 5 Research,
Development, Test & Evaluation, May 2021, p. 699.
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation: $M =
U.S. Dollars in Mil ions; Qty = FY2022 Procurement Quantities.
Table 2. FY2022 ARV Defense Authorizations and
Appropriations
Authorized
Appropriated
Funding Category
($M)
($M)
RDT&E
$39.2 (H.R. 4432)
Source: Defense Daily, “GD Submits Prototype Proposal
$48.6 (H.R.
4350/S.2972)
For Marine Corps ARV, SAIC Is Out,” May 6, 2021.
$38.1(S.3023)
Sources: H.Rept. 117-118 to accompany H.R. 4350, p. 414; S.Rept.
The ARV and the Marine Corps 2030
117-39 to accompany S. 2792, p. 442; H.Rept. 117-88 to accompany
Force Design Initiative
H.R. 4432, p. 414; Explanatory Statement to accompany Senate
In March 2020, the Marines undertook a major force design
Appropriations Committee-released Department of Defense
initiative planned to occur over the next 10 years. The
Appropriations Act, 2022, p. 176.
Marine Corps intends to redesign the force for naval
expeditionary warfare and to better align itself with the
Potential Questions for Congress
National Defense Strategy, in particular, its focus on
In view of the Commandant’s statements in 2020 and
strategically competing with China and Russia. In February
2021 regarding the need for the ARV, what is the
2021, the Marines updated the Secretary of Defense on the
Marine Corps’ current official position on the
progress on force design initiatives. The March 2020 force
operational requirement to procure the ARV?
design initiative plan raises questions that some have about
the role or even the desirability of the ARV in future force
If the requirement for the service’s LAR companies and
design. According to the Commandant of the Marine Corps,
the ARV “must be re-evaluated” as stated in the
General David Berger:
February 2021 update, what are the Marines’ plans to
While I have repeatedly stated that all-domain
reevaluate this requirement? If there is to be a
reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance will be
reevaluation, when will this be communicated to
a critical element of any future contingency, I
Congress?
remain unconvinced that additional wheeled,
manned armored ground reconnaissance units are
For additional information on the Marine Corps 2030 Force
the best and only answer – especially in the Indo-
Design Initiative, see CRS Insight IN11281, New U.S.
Pacific region. We need to see more evidence
Marine Corps Force Design Initiatives, by Andrew
during Phase III to support this conclusion before
Feickert.
engaging in an expansion of our existing capacity,
or committing billions of dollars in procurement
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
funds towards the acquisition of an Advanced
IF11831
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV). (See page 10)
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV)
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