The Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) is the evolutionary replacement for the existing fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicles, which are nearing the end of their service life. SSCs are used primarily to transport weapon systems, equipment, cargo, and personnel of the assault elements through varied environmental conditions from amphibious ships to over the beach.

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NEW ORLEANS (May 2018) Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100, conducts exercises in the local waterways of Louisiana. The craft is the evolutionary replacement for the existing fleet of Landing Craft Air Cushion vehicles. (U.s. Navy photo courtesy of Textron Systems)

200820-N-NO101-175

NEW ORLEANS (May 2018) Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100, conducts exercises in the local waterways of Louisiana. The craft is the evolutionary replacement for the existing fleet of Landing Craft Air Cushion vehicles. (U.s. Navy photo courtesy of Textron Systems)

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Photo By: U.S. Navy photo

VIRIN: 200820-N-NO101-175

SSC has similar configurations, dimensions, and clearances to LCAC, which ensures the compatibility of SSC with existing well deck equipped amphibious ships. SSC will be able to embark aboard and operate with LPD 17, LSD 41, LSD 49, LHA 1, and LHD 1 classes, as well as Expeditionary Transfer Dock.

The SSC program is the first major naval acquisition program in more than 15 years to be designed "in-house" by the Navy rather than by private industry. The Navy design team progressed through an evolutionary design process, beginning with a set-based design process, where craft level requirements were functionally decomposed into discrete system level functional requirements document (FRDs). The FRDs formed the functional basis for selecting trade spaces, and to start Preliminary Design. Preliminary Design was followed by a contract design period which developed the Allocated Baseline and formed the basis for the SSC contract solicitation.

The Detail, Design and Construction contract was awarded to Textron Systems, a Textron, Inc. company, located in Slidell, ‎Louisiana, whose major subcontractors are L-3 Communications of Camden, New Jersey; GE Dowty of Great Britain; Rolls-Royce Naval Marine of Indianapolis, Indiana; Innovative Power Solutions of Eatontown, New Jersey; Meritor, Inc. of Troy, Michigan and Umoe Mandal of Norway. Other subcontractors include Marvin Land Systems of Inglewood, California; Donaldson Company, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Exlar Corporation of Chanhassen, Massachusetts; Advanced Composite Products & Technology of Huntington Beach, California; Supreme Integrated Technology of Harahan, Louisiana and Technology Dynamics, Inc. of Bergenfield, New Jersey.

The SSC Program of Record is for a total of 73 craft (one Test and Training and 72 operational craft). Deliveries began in fiscal year 2020 with initial operational capability projected for fiscal year 2022.