Just 22 days after a full pause on waterborne Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) operations was lifted by the Marine Corps, limited restrictions on their operations have been reinstated following another training mishap at Camp Pendleton Thursday evening.
An ACV occupied by three marines assigned to the Assault Amphibian School rolled over in the surf zone after the crew reported a mechanical malfunction during a training operation, according to a Marine Corps press release.
This training mishap happened less than three months after two Marine Corps ACV's fell victim to high surf conditions that hit San Diego County's coastline in late July.
During the July incident, one ACV "tipped onto its side in the surf zone and another ACV became disabled" during a training exercise, 2nd Lt. Noah Richardson shared with NBC 7 in a prepared release.
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No Marines were injured in any of the three incidents.
The two July incidents prompted Lt. Gen David Furness, the deputy commandant of the Marine Corps overseeing policy and operations, to direct a pause of all waterborne ACV operations.
"A pause on ACV waterborne operations will give us time to conduct an investigation, learn from this event, and ensure our assault amphibian community remains ready to support our nation," Furness said in July.
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The July incidents also prompted another U.S. Marine Corps investigation, which would include an inquiry into the use of these style vehicles during high surf periods, said Media Officer 2nd Lt. Noah Richardson.
The July pause only included waterborne training, allowing training with ACV's to continue on land.
"The ACV has a requirement to operate in conditions up to a Sea State 3," said Captain Ryan Bruce, a U.S. Marine Corps Media Officer based at the Pentagon. "Additionally, it is capable of transiting both seaward and shoreward through a surf zone characterized by 6 ft. plunging surf."
The interim guidance included an operating limit for ACVs to "significant breaker height of 4 feet," referencing the height of waves it would be allowed to operate in.
The Marine Corps shared, however, that following the issuance of new interim guidance to "enhance operational safety," Marine Corps ACVs were authorized to return to open ocean waterborne operations, effective Sep. 22.
"The interim maximum surf conditions are conservative and derive from existing safe operating surf conditions for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps landing craft, and allows the service to better understand surf conditions through ongoing vehicle testing," a Marine Corps statement read.
This guidance has been adjusted following Thursday's training mishap, as the Marine Corps is again "ceasing water operations involving surf zone transit to allow for additional testing and evaluation."
“We’re taking a deliberate and methodical approach to fielding this platform,” Furness wrote Friday of the revised guidance, adding, “This adjustment to current guidance ensures our Marines have the ability to safely train and maintain proficiency with the platform while we work to conduct additional testing.”
No timeline has been set for when the suspension of ACV surf zone transit would be lifted.
