Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has received a $118-million contract to deliver remote weapon turrets for the US Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30 (ACV-30).
The award finalizes a previous contract for the full-rate production of 101 Protector 20 medium-caliber cannon remote turret systems, also known as RT20, for the fleet.
The deal also covers production, fielding, and support costs, as well as testing equipment and spare parts, and could reach $271.5 million if all options are exercised.
Work will be split between Pennsylvania and Norway, with an expected completion date of September 2027.
Kongsberg will coordinate with the US Marine Corps Systems Command in Virginia throughout the project.
Supporting Amphibious Systems Upgrade
The remote turret procurement is part of a wider US Department of Defense program to modernize the military’s amphibious vehicle fleet and phase out legacy systems dating back to the 1970s.
The program includes multiple ACV variants, including command, personnel, and recovery vehicles. The ACV-30, designed to carry a 30-millimeter weapon system, entered full-rate production in April 2025.
Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, commented on the recent Protector RT20 contract, stating that the Norwegian company is proud to enhance the US Marine Corps’ capabilities with increased firepower and operational capacity.
“The ACV-30 offers superior performance compared to current comparable systems, and we see the market potential for our medium caliber turrets as positive, both in the US and internationally,” he said.
The Protector RT20 Turret
Kongsberg’s Protector RT20 is built to deliver precision firepower while maintaining personnel safety. It incorporates the company’s latest fire control and sensor technology.
The turret supports automatic cannons with a linkless ammunition handling system, programmable airburst rounds, a coaxial 7.62-millimeter gun, optional auxiliary weapons, and under-armor reload capability.
It supports single- or dual-user operation and includes features such as hunter-killer targeting, target sharing, anti-tank missiles, and active protection systems, with an effective engagement range of 3,000 meters (9,843 feet).
