The amphibious tank that mimics a tracked vehicle's mobility

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: How do you build a vehicle that can swim through sea state 3, survive an IED blast, and still move like a tank on land? The Iveco SuperAV uses a unique H-Drive system to power individual wheels, allowing it to navigate soft soil while maintaining the protection of a heavy armored hull.

The Iveco SuperAV is an 8x8 wheeled amphibious vehicle designed to bridge the gap between high-speed land mobility and maritime versatility. A key technical differentiator is its H-Drive System, which utilizes a string of three shafts on each side to power individual wheels. This configuration simulates the continuous movement of a tracked vehicle, providing superior traction in soft soil or sand while allowing the vehicle to remain operational even if specific wheels are damaged or blown off.

Engineered for extreme environments, the SuperAV features a high-hardness monocoque steel hull and a V-shaped floor designed to deflect underbody blasts from mines and IEDs. To maximize crew safety, the floor is bolted onto the bottom of the seats rather than being connected to the hull, which helps absorb energy during an explosion. It also incorporates external fuel tanks, NBC protection, and automatic fire suppression systems. In water, it utilizes two counter-rotating propellers providing 284 kN of thrust each.

The vehicle's development involved a complex collaboration between Iveco and BAE Systems for the United States Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) program. After rigorous testing at Camp Pendleton in 2013, where it exceeded requirements for personnel exit drills and stowage capacity, it was selected as the ACV 1.1 winner. The first fleet of 18 vehicles was officially introduced into Marine Corps service on November 4, 2020, following a five-year development cycle.

Beyond its primary role as an armored personnel carrier, the SuperAV is highly modular. It can be configured as an anti-tank vehicle, mortar carrier, ambulance, or command post. While it typically carries up to 13 Marines in some configurations, installing a two-man manned turret reduces capacity to 8, whereas a remote weapons station limits it to 10.

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