Aerospace and naval propulsion supplier Rolls-Royce has been awarded a contract by the Naval Sea Systems Command to procurement 20 new MT7 engines for the U.S. Navy.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Rolls-Royce Corp., (Indianapolis, Indiana) is awarded a $41,9 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 20 production Marine Turbine (MT7) engines for the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100 Class craft in support of the Ship to Shore Connector program.

In a DoD’s statement noted that each LCAC 100 craft consists of four MT7 engines.  Work to be performed includes production of the MT7 engines and delivery to Textron Marine Systems for the assembly of the LCAC 100 Class craft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be complete by December 2020.

The LCAC-100 is a new class of landing hovercraft being developed by Textron Marine and Land Systems for the U.S. Navy. The craft are intended as an evolutionary replacement for the aging LCACs (landing craft, air cushion) in U.S. service.

The LCAC 100 will further enhance the US amphibious force’s ship-to-shore capacity with a rated load capacity per craft of 74 short tonnes. LCAC-1s have a 60-short tonne-rated payload.

Originally designated the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), the landing craft will support the rapid movement of Marine expeditionary forces from naval vessels to shore and will be able to tactically deliver personnel and heavy equipment.

The mission of these craft is to land surface assault elements in support of Operational Maneuver from the Sea (OMFTS), at over-the-horizon distances, while operating from amphibious ships and mobile landing platforms. LCACs and SSCs are primarily used to haul vehicles, heavy equipment, and supplies through varied environmental conditions from amphibious ships to over the beach.