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Amphibious assault vehicles are armored personnel carriers
that transport troops and cargo from off-shore ships to in-land positions. During
World War II, Allied forces used an amphibious landing craft called the LVT-1 at
Guadalcanal, the Leyte Landing, and the Battle of Okinawa. During the Cold War,
U.S. military planners ordered incremental upgrades and authorized exports to global
markets.
Military Upgrades and Market
Opportunities
In 1972, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) began replacing its aging
fleet of LVT-5s with the LVTP-7,
a new and improved amphibious combat vehicle (ACV) with a 400-hp diesel engine
and 12.7-mm machine gun. Exports to Brazil and Argentina strengthened
international sales, but South American marines did not keep pace with USMC
modernization programs during the 1980s and beyond.
Today, the nations of South America are increasing defense spending
while the U.S. is cutting
programs and reducing military expenditures. Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela
and Chile all want to replace their aging fleets of LVTP-7s with the AAV-7A1,
a versatile amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) that is well-suited for operations
ranging from drug interdiction to disaster relief.
Marine Landings and Supply Chain
Strength
Built by BAE
Systems, the AAV-7A1 promises to become a pillar of South American defense
and security forces for years to come. Vehicle
production could also be bolstered by the region's large and growing
manufacturing base. As BAE Systems' Program
Manager for the AAV-7 explained in a recent
interview, the defense contractor may partner with local companies to fill
orders.
As a global supplier of military-quality sealing solutions,
Elasto Proxy is also committed to partnering with
companies in South America. During a recent visit to Brazil, I was accompanied
by Clyde Sharpe, the President of International Sales for our Boisbriand,
Quebec business. Soon after arriving in São Paulo, we were reminded
of why this vast and vibrant country is now Canada's ninth largest trading
partner.
Custom Fabrication and Application Knowledge
All of the Brazilian businesses that we met with appreciated
how custom
fabrication strengthens supply chains. For potential partners in search of new
opportunities, experience with the defense industry
is also important. There's more to defense procurement than sourcing diesel
engines, armored plating, and weapons system, however. Military programs also
need reliable rubber and plastic components.
Twenty-five years ago, Elasto Proxy supplied sealing solutions
to Atlantic Defense Industries, a Canadian military contractor that required us
to develop strict quality control and inspection procedures. Since then, our
technical services team has met challenges
ranging from thermal
and acoustic insulation for military vehicles to specialty seals for engine
exhaust on amphibious equipment.
As South America increases exports and boosts defense
spending, Elasto Proxy is ready to share what we've learned about meeting the
needs of the military marketplace. Do you need high-quality, low-volume sealing
solutions for AAVs and other military vehicles, equipment, or systems? How can we help you?
I hope you'll comment on this CR4 blog entry, and connect with me on LinkedIn.
About the Author:
Doug Sharpe is the
President of Elasto Proxy, Inc. (Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada), supplier of
sealing solutions and custom-fabricated rubber and plastic parts to a variety
of industries, including defense and security.
Image source: commons.wikimedia.org
Note: Elasto Proxy also provides M83528 gaskets for EMI shielding
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