One of the two models competing for the right to become the next generation amphibious armored personnel carrier of the U.S. Marines is a huge beast taller than an M1 Abrams main battle tank and almost as fast.

The test vehicle called "SuperAV" produced by BAE Systems and Italy's IVECO Defence for the Marines' Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) program weighs nearly 34 tons and can swim using its eight wheels.

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It stands 2.74 meters tall compared to the M1 Abrams it will accompany into battle with a height of 2.44 meters. SuperAV can also tear across land at 112 km/h after being launched from amphibious assault ships such as those of the America-class. The ACV's role is to partner the Abrams in amphibious assaults on enemy beaches and during the breakout from these footholds.

This vehicle produced as part of the program's ACV 1.1 iteration combines superior protection with amphibious and land capabilities. The ACV 1.1 might join the Marine Corps' Assault Amphibious Vehicle fleet in the future.

The Marines use the AAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicle to move from ship to shore. The AAV-7A1 has been in service for 45 years.

ACV 1.1 will provide Marines with far better protection against IEDs and landmines, as well as protection from aerial threats. The design for this assault vehicle includes integrated armor for MRAP-level protection.

In 2015, the Marines awarded contracts to BAE Systems worth $104 million and to SAIC worth $122 million for the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development phase of the ACV 1.1 program. SAIC is working on their ACV version called the Terrex 1.

BAE Systems will produce 16 prototypes the Marine Corps will test. The Marine Corps will decide whether to proceed with the SuperAV or the Terrex 1 in 2018.

A winner should be selected in 2018 to build 204 vehicles, with the first entering service in 2020 and all delivered by 2023.

TagsU.S Marines, Amphibious Combat Vehicle, M1 Abrms, BAE Systems, IVECO Defence, saic, Terrex 1