An annual joint exercise involving the Marine Corps and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force proved an opportunity for the U.S. service to prepare its newest amphibious vehicle for a planned deployment later this year, commanders said Wednesday at Camp Pendleton.
The exercise marks the first waterborne operations of the Marine Corps' new Amphibious Combat Vehicle in a named exercise — one of many milestones to come this year as the Corps plans to send the vehicles on deployment, for the first time, later this year with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Having ACVs deploy took on new urgency in December when the Marine Corps announced its Vietnam War-era Amphibious Assault Vehicles would no longer conduct operations in the water. That was in response to the deadly sinking of one of the vehicles in July 2020 off the coast of San Diego. Nine service members — eight Marines and one sailor — were killed.
