6,800 Vehicles Delivered, Over 15,000 on Contract
Oshkosh Defense’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme is evolving into one of the major global defence acquisition efforts.
As of 16 March, Oshkosh has worked with the US Army and Marines to deliver over 6,800 JLTVs designed and built to ensure optimal protection and off-road mobility for the current and future operator, while driving efficiencies and cost-savings in the production process. George Mansfield, Oshkosh Vice President and General Manager of Joint Programs, stated on 14 February the US Army placed an order for 1,240 JLTVs and 10,504 associated kits. “This order included JLTVs for the US Marine Corps, Slovenia and Lithuania. This order is part of the US Army and Marine Corps’ greater plan to purchase over 49,000 and over 15,000 JLTVs respectively, over the next two decades. To date, we are on contract for over 15,000 JLTVs.”
The programme is currently in full-rate production and has completed all reliability qualification and performance testing as well as logistics supportability evaluations around the country. Another major DoD acquisition milestone was achieved last August, when the USMC declared initial operating capability for its JLTVs almost a full year ahead of schedule.
MON has also observed Oshkosh display increasing numbers of JLTV derivatives through the last several years. Adding context to these efforts, Mansfield initially noted that, without sacrificing mobility or transportability, the vehicle has quickly accommodated over 100 different mission package configurations. “Oshkosh Defense is weapons and systems agnostic, so we can accommodate hundreds of different configurations with radios, command, control, communications and computers, equipment, armour, etc., to meet the customer’s mission. The JLTV, for example, has integrated a number of different systems due to its very efficient powertrain and its powerful engine.”
”Delegates to the now-cancelled 2020 AUSA Global Force Symposium, for instance, would have seen the JLTV 4-door integrated with a Kongsberg lightweight 30mm remote weapon station (RWS) with a side-mount FIM-92 STINGER missile for short-range air defence. “This system atop a JLTV offers both the protection and the defence necessary for our troops to engage with near-peer adversaries. The JLTV also uses scalable armour solutions to meet requirements for added protection while maintaining load carrying capacity,” Mansfield explained.
He also emphasised foreign interest in JLTV continues is growing. In February, the company received Foreign Military Sales orders for Slovenia and Lithuania. “In the fall of last year, Montenegro’s Ministry of Defence announced it planned to equip its armed forces with 67 Oshkosh Defense JLTVs. General Director Ljuljanaj-Jovićević announced that the first 20 vehicles are scheduled to be delivered by December 2020. This is part of the largest sale of military equipment in history between the two NATO allies,” Mansfield added.
Marty Kauchak
