Marine Corps fuels high-stakes competition for its Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle with new deals

The Marine Corps awarded a second prototyping phase for its Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) program to General Dynamics Land Systems and Textron Systems last week. Both companies will build and deliver three pre-production ARV variations by 2028, including a command and control model with drone capabilities, a 30mm autocannon model, and a logistics model. This high-stakes competition aims to replace the decades-old Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) and is part of the Corps' Force Design restructuring. Textron Systems announced a $450 million agreement for its pre-production development, while General Dynamics Land Systems did not disclose its award amount for this phase. The ARV will be central to the new mobile reconnaissance battalions, which seek to integrate manned and unmanned systems for sensing, communicating, and fighting in complex environments.