Modernized hovercraft boosts amphibious strength in contested waters
In New Orleans, the U.S. Navy quietly reached a new milestone in its modernization drive: the formal delivery of Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 114, the latest in the new Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) class. The handover by Textron Systems followed successful acceptance trials, where Navy inspectors validated the craft’s performance and declared it ready for service.
For sailors and Marines who have relied on the legacy LCAC fleet for more than three decades, the arrival of LCAC 114 is more than a fleet update. It signals the Navy’s determination to preserve its amphibious edge in contested littoral zones, from the Indo-Pacific to the Mediterranean.
A new generation of ship to shore connector
The SSC program is designed as a one-for-one replacement of the original LCACs, which are nearing the end of their service lives. LCAC 114 carries forward the size and footprint of its predecessors—about 92 feet long and 48 feet wide—while offering a leap in reliability and survivability.
At its heart are four Rolls-Royce MT7 gas turbines, adapted from the V-22 Osprey aircraft, bringing higher efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and stronger power output compared to the TF40B engines that once powered the older hovercraft.
A modern fly-by-wire system reduces crew workload, while advanced navigation and communication suites improve both safety and maneuverability. With a payload capacity of up to 75 tons, LCAC 114 can carry everything from M1A2 Abrams tanks and artillery to disaster relief supplies.
Roles from combat to humanitarian aid
The Navy’s official mission set for the SSC reflects this flexibility. In combat, the craft is expected to deliver armored vehicles, weapons systems, and troops directly from amphibious assault ships like the Wasp and America classes onto hostile or austere coastlines. Its ability to hover across more than 70 percent of the world’s beaches gives Marines speed and shock effect in amphibious assaults.
Outside combat, the SSC is equally valuable. Humanitarian aid after natural disasters, rapid evacuation of civilians, or the delivery of heavy construction equipment to cut-off communities all fall within its scope. With speeds above 35 knots and the agility of a hovercraft, LCAC 114 can reach areas where traditional sealift falters.
Strategic weight in the Indo-Pacific
The delivery also carries clear strategic undertones. In the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Marine Corps is reshaping its posture around Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, where small, mobile units set up temporary forward bases across island chains. The SSC is the logistical lifeline of that vision, able to bring in heavy reinforcements, missile batteries, or supplies even under threat of adversary sea control.
By enabling Marines to establish and sustain footholds on contested islands, the SSC adds a deterrent layer in critical chokepoints.
Industry and contracts
Textron’s New Orleans shipyard is the industrial hub for this program. In July 2024, the company secured a $312.4 million modification to produce materials for up to nine craft. A $394.3 million award followed in November 2024, covering nine more units. Most recently, on June 30, 2025, the Navy added $353.9 million for three additional craft, extending steady production through 2031.
The Navy ultimately aims for 73 SSCs in total. With LCAC 114, eleven units have now been delivered. Each craft not only strengthens operational readiness but also sustains U.S. shipbuilding skills vital for future amphibious capabilities.
Beyond a routine delivery
Angela Bonner, acting program manager for Amphibious Assault and Connectors at PEO Ships, underlined the significance of the on-time handover: many legacy LCACs are approaching retirement, and without the SSC, the Navy risked a capability gap at a time of rising global security challenges.
LCAC 114, then, is more than a new hull on the roster. It is a convergence of technology, industry, and strategy—ensuring that U.S. forces can still impose access and project power from sea to shore well into the 2030s.
