
The Navy on Nov. 8 awarded Textron Systems [TXT] a $394 million modification to build nine more Ship to Shore Connectors (SSC) hovercraft. The SSCs are 100-class Landing Craft Air Cushion vessels that aim to replace the older legacy LCACs by using the same dimensions but host improvements in engines, higher payloads, simplified maintenance and fly-by-wire controls. They are deployed from well deck-equipped amphibious ships, the Expeditionary Sea base ships and Expeditionary Transfer Dock ships. The Navy plans to ultimately…