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Updated May 27, 2022
Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV)
What Is the Advanced Reconnaissance
a modern command-and-control suite and a full range of
Vehicle (ARV)?
sensors;
According to the Marine Corps, the Advanced
organic unmanned aerial and ground systems
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) aims to be a new armored
(UAS/UGS) that can be deployed from the ARV;
vehicle family to replace the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
(Figure 1):
active and passive vehicle protection; and
Since the 1980s, the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
robust cross-country/on-road mobility performance with
has supported Marine Air-Ground Task Force
shore-to-shore water mobility.
missions on the battlefield. While the LAV remains
operationally effective, the life cycle of this system
ARV in Marine Corps Force Structure
is set to expire in the mid-2030s…. The Advanced
The ARV is to be the primary combat system in Light
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) will be highly
Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalions. The mission of
mobile, networked, transportable, protected, and
the LAR Battalion is to
lethal. The capability will provide, sensors,
Conduct mounted and dismounted reconnaissance,
communication systems and lethality options to
surveillance, and security operations in support of
overmatch threats that have historically been
maneuver.
addressed with more heavily armored systems.
Conduct offensive and defensive actions, deception, and
Figure 1. U.S. Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle
raids to create decisive conditions for the Marine
(LAV)
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
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
to $6.8 billion over five years. Textron (Figure 2) and
General Dynamics (Figure 3) submitted proposals for
Source: https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/
prototype ARVs to the Marines for testing and evaluation in
1817404/marine-corps-plans-to-replace-lav-with-new-
May 2021. According to Navy FY2023 budget documents,
transformational-arv/, accessed May 5, 2021.
in 2022 and 2023, the Marines will continue prototyping
ARV Desired Operational Capabilities
and testing Textron and General Dynamics ARV candidate
vehicles. The Marines will also examine if a modified
According to a Marine Corps May 2019 briefing, some of
Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), currently being
the ARV’s desired operational capabilities include:
fielded to Marine units, might be adapted for use as an
an automatic medium-caliber cannon;
ARV.
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;
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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)
In the Marine’s May 2022 force design update to the
Secretary of Defense, the Commandant directed the
Marines to
[r]eview and validate all assumptions regarding
programmed or potential future capabilities, such as
Source: Defense Daily, “GD Submits Prototype Proposal For Marine
the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV)-30 and
Corps ARV, SAIC Is Out,” May 6, 2021.
Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) (See
page 9).
Figure 3. Notional General Dynamics ARV
These three statements arguably raise questions regarding
the future of the ARV program, seemingly implying that the
ARV might not be the best solution for the Marines’
reconnaissance needs.
FY2023 ARV Budget Request
Table 1. FY2023 ARV Budget Request
Total
Total Request
Request
Funding Category
($M)
(Qty.)
RDT&E
$70.583
—
Source: United States Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023
Source: Defense Daily, “GD Submits Prototype Proposal
Budget Request, Navy Justification Book, Volume 2 of 5, Research,
For Marine Corps ARV, SAIC Is Out,” May 6, 2021.
Development, Test & Evaluation, April 2022, p. 699.
The ARV and the Marine Corps 2030
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation; $M =
Force Design Initiative
U.S. dollars in mil ions; Qty. = FY2023 procurement quantities.
In March 2020, the Marines undertook a major force design
Potential Questions for Congress
initiative planned to occur over the next 10 years. The
In view of the Commandant’s statements in 2020, 2021,
Marine Corps intends to redesign the force for naval
and 2023 regarding the need for the ARV, what is the
expeditionary warfare and to better align itself with the
Marine Corps’ current official position on the
National Defense Strategy. In February 2021, the Marines
operational requirement to procure the ARV?
updated the Secretary of Defense on the progress on force
design initiatives. The March 2020 force design initiative
If the requirement for the service’s LAR companies and
plan raises questions that some have about the role or even
the ARV “must be re-evaluated,” as stated in the
the desirability of the ARV in future force design.
February 2021 update, what are the Marines’ plans to
According to the Commandant of the Marine Corps,
re-evaluate this requirement? If there is to be a re-
General David Berger:
evaluation, when will the results be communicated to
Congress?
While I have repeatedly stated that all-domain
reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance will be
For additional information on the Marine Corps 2030
a critical element of any future contingency, I
Force Design Initiative, see CRS Insight IN11281, New
remain unconvinced that additional wheeled,
U.S. Marine Corps Force Design Initiatives, by Andrew
manned armored ground reconnaissance units are
Feickert.
the best and only answer – especially in the Indo-
For additional information on the Marine’s Amphibious
Pacific region. We need to see more evidence
Combat Vehicle (ACV), see CRS Report R42723, Marine
during Phase III to support this conclusion before
Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV): Background
engaging in an expansion of our existing capacity,
and Issues for Congress, by Andrew Feickert.
or committing billions of dollars in procurement
funds towards the acquisition of an Advanced
Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV). (See page 10)
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
IF11831
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Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV)
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11831 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED