$484 Million for Vehicles & Associated Kits

Oshkosh Defense has received an order from the US Army for 1,574 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and associated installed and packaged kits. The contract is valued at $484 million.

To date, Oshkosh has produced more than 2,000 JLTVs and has delivered more than 1,600 vehicles to the US Army and US Marine Corps. In addition to the recently completed operational testing, the JLTV also completed Reliability Qualification Testing earlier this year, accumulating over 100,000 miles and exceeding reliability requirements. A decision on full-rate production is expected in FY19, according to the company.

“This latest order follows the completion of the Multiservice Operational Test and Evaluation (MOT&E) conducted by the US Army and Marine Corps and further demonstrates that the JLTV programme continues to be a top modernisation priority for our armed services,” commented Oshkosh Defense’s Vice President and General Manager of Joint Programmes, George Mansfield. “The JLTV is ready to support our troops, and we look forward to getting more soldiers and Marines into this extremely mobile, protected, and proven next-generation light tactical vehicle.”

US budgetary documentation released in early 2018 revealed that inclusive of FY 2019 budget announcements the US Air Force has now requested a total of 230 JLTVs. Also in early 2018, the Marines 2018 Planning Objective for JLTV was disclosed to be 9,091, although funding (as of April 2018) allows for only 7,622 JLTVs through FY 2023, with deliveries concluding the first quarter of FY 2025. US Army requirements currently remain at 49,099.The programme has also been successful with the UK, which will purchase 2,747 JLTVs for an estimated cost of $1.04 billion via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence contacted the US Defense Department regarding a potential acquisition of about 200 Oshkosh L-ATV light tactical vehicles, on which the JLTV is based. Under the proposed acquisition, the value of which has not been mentioned, deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2021.

Talking about survivability, Mr. Mansfield indicated that certain details are confidential and cannot be disclosed, however the JLTV can be purchased with the option of the B-Kit, which includes additional armour protection. The JLTV can also be protected from rocket-propelled grenades thanks to a net mounted around the vehicle. Without the B-kit, the vehicle weighs 14,000t, going up to 18,000t with the B-kit and 24,000t with the full crew on board.

The JLTV family now consists of three base vehicle platforms, Utility (JLTV-UTL), Close Combat Weapons Carrier (JLTV-CCWC) and General Purpose (JLTV-GP). The Utility base vehicle platform is a two-door configuration, the General Purpose and Close Combat Weapons Carrier base vehicle platforms are a four-door configuration. Standard US military M-designators are applied base vehicle platforms when outfitted to a specific Mission Package Configuration. These currently are:

• M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier – General Purpose (JLTV-GP) base vehicle platform in Heavy Guns Carrier Mission Package Configuration
• M1279 Utility – Utility (JLTV-UTL) base vehicle platform in Utility Mission Package Configuration
• M1280 General Purpose – General Purpose (JLTV-GP) base vehicle platform in General Purpose Mission Package Configuration
• M1281 Close Combat Weapons Carrier – Close Combat Weapons Carrier (JLTV-CCWC) base vehicle platform in Close Combat Weapons Carrier Mission Package Configuration

There is also a companion trailer (JLTV-T), this towable by all JLTV variants.