Spain's Indra Selected as Primary Integrator for Amphibious Combat Vehicle Variant Currently Deployed by U.S. Marine Corps

Summary

Spanish defense company Indra has been appointed as the lead systems integrator for Spain's acquisition of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), the same platform currently operated by the U.S. Marine Corps. To fulfill this role, Indra entered into an agreement with Italian firm IDV, which holds the design authority and intellectual property rights for the vehicle, known in Italy as the Superav, and will supply 34 core platforms for Spanish configuration. In Spain, the vehicle has been officially designated the Marine Infantry Amphibious Combat Vehicle (VACIM), and Indra will be responsible for delivering multiple variants including troop transport, command and control, recovery, and ambulance versions. The Superav platform has a well-established international pedigree, having been jointly offered to the U.S. Marines by IDV and BAE Systems in 2011, with contracts signed in 2018 and first deliveries completed in late 2020, replacing the aging Vietnam-era Amphibious Assault Vehicle. IDV, which was previously of interest to Indra as a potential acquisition target, was ultimately purchased by Italian defense giant Leonardo for approximately $1.9 billion.