The US Marine Corps is planning on picking up 500 to 800 new amphibious trucks in the next fiscal year, and will soon be accepting bids on new designs.
General Dynamics had a tracked Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle ready to go for this purpose in 2011, but apparently the USMC shut them down over "big cost increases and technical issues."
Reuters reports that Marine Corps intends to buy around 200 wheeled vehicles priced at $3 million to $6 million each under the first phase of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) program, and more shortly after for other missions.
The USMC also hopes to upgrade some of the amphibious attack rigs currently in use, some of which have already been serving for forty years, through 2035. Somehow that seems like it might be a bigger challenge than building new machines altogether.
If you decide to throw your ideas in the mix, you'll probably be competing against Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and BAE Systems. But if you're a would-be Tony Stark with a great idea for a war machine, this might be your time to shine.
Get some new amphibious attack trucks drawn up and share them in the comments!
Hat tip to Roland Hayes!