Marines Clear ACVs to Return to Open Water with Restrictions - USNI News

The Marines cleared the Amphibious Combat Vehicle to return to sea for training after a two-month pause following an incident that disabled two ACVs in California, the service announced on Thursday afternoon.

The service took the ACVs out of the water days after heavy surf tipped over two of the vehicles, disabling them, off the coast of Camp Pendleton, Calif., in July. The Marines conducted an internal review of the safety margins of the ACVs following the incident and set the current surf limit at four feet.

“The interim maximum surf conditions identified include a significant breaker height of four feet, which allows the ACV to operate safely while maintaining a high-state of readiness for the ACV community,” according to the Thursday statement from the service.

The surf conditions in July that disabled the two ACVs surged from 8 to 10 feet, according to the National Weather Service.