What is this new vehicle that is getting praise fromMarine officials? It’s the new project manufactured to be a land to water vehicle. The Marine Corps have developed a prototype of its Ultra Heavy-lift Amphibious Connector. (UHAC) Though the one that appeared the week of Rim of Pacific exercises in Hawaii, which is a large-scale multinational maritime exercise. The prototype approached from the Navy’s amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore. It then traveled to the beaches where the Marine Corps Training area was located on Oahu.

The UHAC prototype is only about half the size of the proposed production model. During the showcase of the vehicle, the prototype carried an assault vehicle from the Rushmore to the beach. The Marine Corps anticipate the full-size UHAC will be able to transport ample amounts more. The envisioned cargo and task for this vehicle are soldiers, tanks, and trucks to travel from ship to shore and back.

The UHAC works using a unique design, which the Marines call the tracks “captured-air foam blocks,” which spread like flippers to thrust the all-terrain vehicle through the water. After reaching land the foam blocks adjust to be comparable to the tracks of a tank according to a report from Stars and Stripes.

The UHAC prototype which is to substitute the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) will be able to get over sea walls as tall as 10, 12, and even up to 16 feet, according to the corps. The prototype is not armored or equipped for combat, but the corps stated production models will have armor plating and .50-caliber machine guns for protection. Although the prototype could only travel at 5 mph on the water, a full-size UHAC should do 25 mph, Gen. Kevin Killea, commander of the Corps’ Warfighting Lab, told Stars and Stripes.

The Marine Corps has been developing satisfyingly as there has been a one-fifth scale model, then a quarter scale model and the most recent one being a half-scale model, said Frank Leban, said program officer at the Office of Naval Research in a statement. “Every vehicle has incorporated more features and technology to help us get to the full scale.” Officials were pleased with last week’s demonstration of the developing prototype.