Oshkosh L-ATV
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The Oshkosh L-ATV (Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle) is a light utility/combat multi-role vehicle that won the
US military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six Military branch, service branches: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States N ...
's Army-led
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a United States military (specifically U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps) and United States Special Operations Command program to partially replace the Humvee fleet with a family of more survivable vehicle ...
(JLTV) program. In the very early stages of the program it was suggested that JLTV would replace the AM General
High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the ori ...
(HMMWV) on a one-for-one basis. It is now suggested that the JLTV will part-replace the HMMWV, not replace it on a like-for-like basis. The L-ATV was designed to deliver a level of protection comparable to that of heavier and less maneuverable
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes. Th ...
(MRAP) class designs, these having more protection from blast than up-armored HMMWVs which they were delivered to replace on deployed operations. On 25 August 2015, the L-ATV was selected as the winner of the JLTV program.Oshkosh Wins JLTV Award
nbsp;– Armytimes.com, 25 August 2015
The first JLTV delivery order was placed in March 2016 with the U.S. Army ordering 657 examples. Overall requirements have fluctuated, but as of January 2022 were stated by Micheal Sprang, JLTV Project Director to be: Army – 49,099 (this figure has remained relatively constant); Marine Corps – 12,500 (approx.); Air Force – 2000 (dependent on funding); Navy (approx. 400). The Army received its first seven JLTVs for test at the end of September 2016, Colonel Shane Fullmer, JLTV project manager stated at an AUSA 2016 media briefing. In addition to the United States, three other nations currently operate the JLTV and four more have JLTV on order.


History


Background

The idea for the
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a United States military (specifically U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps) and United States Special Operations Command program to partially replace the Humvee fleet with a family of more survivable vehicle ...
(JLTV) first emerged in 2006 from threats experienced during the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The primary tactical wheeled vehicle used by the
U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
at the start of the war was the
Humvee The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the ori ...
. However, most were unarmored and the type (including armored examples) incurred heavy losses when
improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...
s (IEDs) began being employed by insurgents. The initial response was to add armor, or more armor to armored models, and primarily on the sides. This improved side protection against direct fire and associated threats, but since the chassis was not designed to handle any further additional weight, there was little room for underbody protection. The added armor weight greatly reduced remaining useful payload capacity (within max gross weight), negatively impacted off-road mobility, compromized vehicle reliability, and greatly increased their maintenance needs (frequency, labor and parts costs). To combat increasing numbers of IED attacks, the U.S. spent around $50 billion rapidly procuring some 29,000
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes. Th ...
(MRAP) vehicles, including the Oshkosh
M-ATV The Oshkosh M-ATV is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected ( MRAP) vehicle developed by the Oshkosh Corporation for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program. Intended to replace M1114 HMMWVs (Humvee), it is designed to provide the same levels of ...
for use in Iraq and
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. While MRAPs offered superior protection from IEDs, especially underbody blasts, they were significantly larger and heavier and had relatively poor off-road mobility. The military incorporated MRAPs in response to operational needs, but never intended them to become a permanent part of their tactical wheeled vehicle fleets. At the conclusion of operations, many thousands were either scrapped, adapted for other roles, or offered for sale/transfer to allies. Ultimately U.S. armed forces would retain over 11,100 MRAPS, just over 6,350 of these Oshkosh M-ATVs. The bulk of retained MRAPS are mothballed in prepositioned stocks around the world. Since up-armoring Humvees and buying MRAPs addressed specific issues but created gaps in vehicle capabilities, the JLTV program was started to incorporate lessons learned and balance payload, mobility, and protection into a new vehicle. Its purpose was to restore the mobility commanders had with the original Humvee, while having the side and underbody protection of a basic MRAP. It would be around two-thirds the weight of an MRAP, possible to be carried under a
CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Piasecki Helicopter, Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems#Background, Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is a ...
and
CH-53E Super Stallion The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy-lift helicopter operated by the United States military. As the Sikorsky S-80, it was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor, ...
and by amphibious vessels, things impossible for an MRAP. It would also be 70 percent faster off-road, adding to survivability by enabling it to egress a combat situation faster. Compared to the Humvee, the JLTV was to have the mobility of early unarmored versions with greater protection than up-armored versions, along with greater reliability, payload capacity, and ease of repair. The JLTV is the first vehicle purpose-built for network connectivity into the
Warfighter Information Network-Tactical PM WIN-T (Project Manager Warfighter Information Network-Tactical) is a component of Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical in the United States Army. PM WIN-T has been absorbed into PM Tactical Networks as Produc ...
.


Unveiling and testing

Oshkosh Defense Oshkosh Corporation, formerly Oshkosh Truck, is an American industrial company that designs and builds specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. The corporation also owns Pierce Manufact ...
first displayed the L-ATV at
Association of the United States Army The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is a private, non-profit organization that serves as the professional association of the United States Army. Founded in 1950, it has 121 chapters worldwide. Membership is open to everyone, not ju ...
(AUSA) in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
on 10 October to 12 October 2011. This, the first 'public appearance' for the design, was not an open appearance and came in the form of closed combined briefings/viewings to invited attendees only. Oshkosh briefed
Jane's Jane's Information Group, now styled Janes, is a global open-source intelligence company specialising in military, national security, aerospace and transport topics, whose name derives from British author Fred T. Jane. History Jane's Informatio ...
Independent Defense Review that the L-ATV has developmental origins that trace back to 2007 and Oshkosh/
Northrop-Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...
's failed JLTV proposal, with some sub-systems having a lineage that trace back to 2005. At the time, L-ATV was the lightest tactical vehicle designed by Oshkosh, being some 50% lighter than anything previously produced by the company. At AUSA 2011, Oshkosh suggested that following then recent program developments, L-ATV would be offered to meet the recently revitalized JLTV's EMD (Engineering & Manufacturing Development) phase. On 26 January 2012, the RFP for JLTV's EMD Phase was released. On 23 August 2012, the Army and Marine Corps selected the Oshkosh Defense L-ATV, as well as the
Lockheed Martin JLTV The Lockheed Martin JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) is a prototype armor-capable vehicle that was one of six original competitors for a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle that will replace the Humvee. The JLTV goal was to provide a family of vehicle ...
entry and
AM General AM General is an American heavy vehicle and contract automotive manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer H1, Hummer and the military Humvee that are assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana. For a relatively brie ...
BRV-O, as the winners of the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the JLTV competition. They were awarded a contract to build 22
prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
vehicles in 27 months to be judged by the services. On 6 February 2013, Oshkosh unveiled the Utility Variant of its JLTV offer, fulfilling JLTV's requirement for a two-seat cargo vehicle. The vehicle's performance was demonstrated at the 2013 NATC Technology Rodeo at the Nevada Automotive Test Center (NATC). The Utility Variant is designed to provide mobility for loads such as containers, pallets, and
break bulk cargo In shipping, break-bulk, breakbulk, or break bulk cargo, also called general cargo, refers to goods that are stowed on board ship in individually counted units. Traditionally, the large numbers of items are recorded on distinct bills of lading ...
. It can also be outfitted as a shelter carrier to carry standard shelters for communications systems, on-board electronics, and other functions. Payload capacity is in excess of 5,100 pounds. Both Oshkosh L-ATV variants leverage a common crew protection system, automotive systems, and the patented Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent
independent suspension Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in w ...
system. In June 2013, L-ATV prototypes participated in an event hosted by the U.S. JLTV Joint Program Office in
Quantico, VA Quantico ( or ; formerly Potomac) is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, DC, bordered by the Potomac River to the east a ...
. The vehicles successfully completed the severe off-road track (SORT) without failure. The SORT demonstrated the L-ATV's ability to maneuver steep inclines, turn sharply, and operate in rugged terrain. On 8 August 2013, Oshkosh delivered its first L-ATV JLTV prototype to the Army for government testing following a successful vehicle inspection by the
Defense Contract Management Agency The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an agency of the United States federal government reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. It is responsible for administering contracts for the United States D ...
(DCMA). The four-door variant (which has two base platforms – Close Combat Weapons Carrier (CCWC) and the General Purpose (GP)) and two-door Utility Variant were provided for evaluations. On 27 August 2013, the Army and
Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
announced that full-scale testing of JLTV prototypes would begin the following week, with all three vendors having had 66 vehicles delivered. Each company delivered 22 vehicles and six trailers to
Aberdeen Proving Ground Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) (sometimes erroneously called Aberdeen Proving ''Grounds'') is a U.S. Army facility located adjacent to Aberdeen, Harford County, Maryland, United States. More than 7,500 civilians and 5,000 military personnel work at ...
,
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, and
Yuma Proving Ground Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) is a United States Army series of environmentally specific test centers with its Yuma Test Center being one of the largest military installations in the world. It is subordinate to the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation ...
,
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. Previous testing had already put the vehicles through more than 400 ballistic and blast tests on armor testing samples, underbody blast testing, and more than 1,000 miles in shakedown testing. Soldiers from the
Army Test and Evaluation Command U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, or ATEC, is a direct reporting unit of the United States Army responsible for developmental testing, independent operational testing, independent evaluations, assessments, and experiments of Army equipment.
and personnel from the Defense Department's Office of Test and Evaluation would begin to put the vehicles through realistic and rigorous field testing during 14 months of government performance testing. Testing was scheduled for completion by FY 2015, with a production contract to be awarded to a single vendor for almost 55,000 vehicles (49,099 Army; 5,500 Marines). The average unit manufacturing cost in A-kit (fitted for but not with armor) configuration was not to exceed $250,000. The Army set an
Initial Operating Capability Initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) is the state achieved when a capability is available in its minimum usefully deployable form. The term is often used in government or military procurement. The United States D ...
(IOC) of May 2018 and planned to complete its fielding by FY2040. The Marines had an IOC of December 2017, and planned to complete its fielding by FY2022. On 3 September 2013, full-pace, full-scope JLTV testing began at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Yuma, and
Redstone Arsenal Redstone Arsenal (RSA) is a United States Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Arsenal is a garrison f ...
,
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. One vendor was to be selected by July 2015, and produce 2,000 vehicles for three years of additional testing to fine-tune the assembly line and full-up the system. In July 2014, the L-ATV completed Net-Ready testing as part of the JLTV program, involving transferring data from onboard systems to external networks. On 17 July 2014, Oshkosh announced the L-ATV had completed 200,000 miles and all requirements for Reliability, Availability, Maintainability (RAM) testing. On 19 November 2014, Oshkosh announced the L-ATV had completed Limited User Testing (LUT) with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps for the JLTV EMD contract. The LUT focused on JLTV system capabilities, functions, operations, and interfaces in a range of simulated tactical environments covering operator and crew-level preventive maintenance for the entire system, ensuring they could operate proficiently and safely. The Army held theirs the previous September and October, where three tests were held as 96-hour cycles to simulate operational missions, one of which incorporated a live fire demonstration. The Marines completed two test cycles in October and November with one live fire demonstration. The Army released the final JLTV RFP on 12 December 2014. On 10 February 2015 Oshkosh Defense issued a press release announcing the company had submitted its proposal (the L-ATV) in response to the JLTV
Low Rate Initial Production Low rate initial production (LRIP) is a term commonly used in military weapon projects/programs to designate the phase of initial, small-quantity production. The prospective first buyer and operator (i.e., a country's defense authorities and the re ...
( LRIP) and Full Rate Production (FRP) RFP. On 31 March 2015, Oshkosh announced it would show its JLTV offering, the L-ATV, at the AUSA 2015 Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama. The company also announced it would show its Virtual Task Trainer (VTT) for the L-ATV at the conference. The VTT is an interactive training module that provides interactive 3D training for soldiers in a safe and lifelike virtual environment. Speaking of the VTT, Mike Ivy, vice president of global integrated product support for Oshkosh Defense said: "The addition of Oshkosh's virtual training to our multi-faceted curriculum reduces the cost of operator training by improving training effectiveness and efficiency." He added: "We deployed the VTT to train operators during early JLTV testing with great results. Soldiers were really engaged, and our training was not only better, but it took less time than it would have without the VTT. This represents a significant cost savings opportunity for the government."


Selection, production and fielding

On 25 August 2015, the Army selected the Oshkosh L-ATV as the winner of the JLTV program. The company was awarded a $6.75 billion low rate initial base contract with two years of Low rate Initial Production (LRIP), originally three, and eight option years to procure the first 16,901 vehicles for both the Army and Marines. The Army initially refused to detail why the L-ATV was chosen over its competitors, likely owing to anticipations of protests from the losing bidders. On 8 September it was disclosed that Lockheed Martin would protest the award to Oshkosh; on the same day it was also disclosed that AM General had decided not to file a protest. Any work that would be performed under the contract stopped during the review period. On December 15 the
Government Accountability Office The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a legislative branch government agency that provides auditing, evaluative, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the supreme audit institution of the federal govern ...
(GAO) dismissed Lockheed Martin's protest because the company on December 11 decided to file a “Notice of Post-Award Bid Protest” with the
U.S. Court of Federal Claims The United States Court of Federal Claims (in case citations, Fed. Cl. or C.F.C.) is a United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the U.S. government. It was established by statute in 1982 as the United States Claims Court, ...
; according to a source with knowledge of the procedures, it is uncommon for a company to file with the court close to a GAO protest decision. Immediately after the GAO dismissed the protest, the Army instructed Oshkosh to resume work on the JLTV order. Lockheed filed their preliminary injunction on 17 December, claiming that new Army-supplied information related to the contract emerged toward the end of the GAO's protest process that was not considered before their ruling and no deadline extension was granted. On 17 February 2016, Lockheed withdrew their protest of the JLTV contract award decision in the Court of Federal Claims, potentially as a result of the release of JLTV testing data showing that the L-ATV lasted nearly six times longer between significant breakdown than Lockheed's vehicle. The first JLTV order was announced on 23 March 2016 with the U.S. Army ordering 657 JLTVs. The $243 million order included vehicles for the Army and Marines. For clarity, as part of the original JLTV LRIP/FRP Base Award in August 2015, an initial 201 JLTVs for the test and evaluation phase were ordered. The 657-vehicle order is an exercised option from the program's eight option years. In June 2017 the first US soldiers to receive JLTVs was revealed. According to the Army its first unit to receive JLTVs would be an infantry brigade combat team in the
10th Mountain Division The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...
at Fort Drum and according to the Marines, a yet-to-be-identified infantry battalion within
II Marine Expeditionary Force The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a ...
at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, would receive its JLTVs in July 2019. Also in June 2017 the Marines revealed they wished to adjust their acquisition objective for JLTV by 65% to up to 9,091 vehicles. At AUSA 2017 JLTV's were displayed in three new configurations. Oshkosh displayed a General Purpose variant fitted with a
Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
Compact
Laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...
Weapon System (CLWS), a
Kongsberg Kongsberg () is a historical mining town and municipality in Buskerud, Viken county, Norway. The city is located on the river Numedalslågen at the entrance to the valley of Numedal. Kongsberg has been a centre of silver mining, arms production ...
Protector LW 30 Remote Weapon System (RWS) with a M230LF cannon, and a communications suite that includes a
Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him ...
VRC-111 and Thales VRC-121 VIPER. The company also displayed a Utility variant equipped with the Boeing Maneuver Short Range Air Defense ( SHORAD) Launcher including a M3P .50 cal machine gun, M299 launcher with four Longbow
Hellfire missiles The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) first developed for anti-armor use, later developed for precision drone strikes against other target types, especially high-value targets. It was originally developed under the name '' Heli ...
, sensor suite, and a communications suite including a
Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him ...
VRC-111.
Rafael Rafael may refer to: * Rafael (given name) or Raphael, a name of Hebrew origin * Rafael, California * Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israeli manufacturer of weapons and military technology * Hurricane Rafael, a 2012 hurricane Fiction * ''R ...
displayed a General Purpose vehicle fitted with the company's Samson RWS Dual Stabilized
Remote Weapon System A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium-caliber weapons which can ...
s (RWS) with M230 LF, and the Trophy Light
Active Protection System An active protection system is a system designed to actively prevent certain anti-tank weapons from destroying a vehicle. Countermeasures that either conceal the vehicle from, or disrupt the guidance of an incoming guided missile threat are design ...
(APS). In early 2018 the Marines 2018 Planning Objective for JLTV was disclosed to be 9,091, although funding (as of April 2018) allowed for only 7,622 JLTVs through FY 2023, with deliveries concluding the first quarter of FY 2025. The Marines announced on 28 January 2019 that its first JLTV had fielded that day at the School of Infantry West at Camp Pendleton, California. The Marine Corps declared
initial operational capability Initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) is the state achieved when a capability is available in its minimum usefully deployable form. The term is often used in government or military procurement. The United States D ...
for the JLTV on 2 August 2019. For the Army, at AUSA 2018 Colonel Shane Fullmer confirmed the service would begin equipping its first unit with 350 JLTVs in January 2019 and complete the fielding in March 2019. On 20 June 2019, Dr. Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, approved the JLTV program's transition into full–rate production (FRP). In July 2019 an initial
Sources Sought A sources sought (often capitalized as Sources Sought) notice is used by agencies of the government of the United States to solicit interest in a project under consideration by that agency. They are not requests for proposals or invitations to bid ...
notice (W56HZV19R0242) was issued for the A2 JLTV recompete program. Four draft Request For Proposals (RFPs) followed, these on 3 April 2020, 11 December 2020, 30 April 2021, and 29 October 2021. JLTV totals have varied over time and numerous suggestions as to ultimate totals and production increases/decreases have been touted, but as of January 2022 JLTV requirements were stated by Micheal Sprang, JLTV Project Director to be: Army – 49,099 (this figure has remained relatively constant); Marine Corps – 12,500 (approx.); Air Force – 2000 (dependent on funding); Navy (approx. 400). In terms of contracts and orders, the initial JLTV contract award in summation had a potential value of US$6.749 billion and called for a maximum of 16,901 JLTVs. The second and follow-on sole source to Oshkosh contract allows for 6,262 JLTVs to be ordered by November 2023. In September 2020 a Justification and Approval (J&A) for up to an additional 6,262 JLTVs was granted, the original notice (W56HZV-15-C-0095-P00282) published on 30 June 2020. This award will enable continued JLTV production, industry successfully arguing that it required up to 33 months with the JLTV TDP package to be able to respond to the A2 JLTV RfP. The up to 6,262 JLTVs approved will technically be delivered under a separate second JLTV contract, but the original contract costings and timelines remain. Final orders are to be placed in November 2023, with deliveries permitted until late 2025, but expected to conclude mid-2025. The JLTV re-compete award will allow for 15,586 JLTV when awarded. As of April 2022, 15 JLTV delivery orders had been placed: * August 2015: 201 as part of the original JLTV base award and for the test and evaluation phase * March 2016: 657; value $243 million * September 2016: 130; value $42 million * January 2017: 409; value $179 million * August 2017: 748; value $195 million * September 2017: 611; value $177 million * December 2017: 258; value $100.1 million * February 2018: 416; value $106 million * June 2018: 1,574; value $484 million * November 2018: 6,107; value $1.69 billion * December 2019: 2,721; value $803.9 million * February 2020: 1,240; value $407.3 million ''(includes unspecified quantities for Slovenia and Lithuania as FMS)'' * July 2020: 248; value $127 million * November 2020: 2,679; value $884.4 million ''(brought the total of JLTVs ordered for U.S. forces to date to 17,731, and was technically the first order under the second contract. Also included were 59 JLTVs valued at USD23 for Brazil, Lithuania, and Macedonia, making the overall total 2,738 JLTVs)'' * November 2021: 1,544; value including FMS is $591 million ''(all orders include unspecified quantities of training, support, kits and/or trailers)'' Current U.S. Army and Marines orders are for around 19,150 JLTVs.


Design

Given the competitive nature of the JLTV competition (and recompete), only limited technical detail has been released by either the US Army or Oshkosh. This directly impacts on available L-ATV technical detail. Only nominal dimensions and limited operating weight and automotive data is available. The L-ATV is based around Oshkosh's TAK-4i (i = intelligent)
independent suspension Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in w ...
system. Around 26,000 military vehicles are fitted with an earlier version of the system, these including the Oshkosh
Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement The Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) is a series of vehicles used by the U.S. Marines. The first MTVRs were delivered in late 1999. The MTVR is the equivalent of the U.S. Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV); the Marines ...
(MTVR),
Oshkosh Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) The Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) is a family of heavy-duty military logistics vehicles of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) based on a common 5-axle ten-wheel drive (10x10) chassis. The vehicles vary in individual configuration ...
, and Oshkosh MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (
M-ATV The Oshkosh M-ATV is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected ( MRAP) vehicle developed by the Oshkosh Corporation for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program. Intended to replace M1114 HMMWVs (Humvee), it is designed to provide the same levels of ...
); the TAK-4 system has also been retro-fitted to the
Force Protection Inc Force Protection, Inc. was a manufacturer of ballistic- and blast-protected vehicles from the United States which have been used in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and other hot spots around the world. The company was acquired by General Dynamics in 201 ...
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and
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...
RG-33 The RG-33 is a mine-resistant light armored vehicle initially designed by BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa (formerly Land Systems OMC), a South African subsidiary of BAE Systems. BAE Systems in the US extensively modified it with additiona ...
MRAPs. The majority of systems supplied pre-JLTV have been coil-sprung. The TAK-4i version fitted to the L-ATV remains undisclosed, but is not coil-sprung and is of the variable adjustable ride-height type with up to of wheel travel, 25 percent more than the current standard.L-ATV Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle
 – Armyrecognition.com
Motive power is provided by a digitally-controlled Gale Banks Engineering 866T V-8 diesel, this based on the architecture of the
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
(GM) Duramax LML. Power output is 340 hp. In commercial use power output of the standard Duramax LML engine is currently up to 397 hp (296 kW) at 3,000
rpm Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
. Production of the Duramax LML engine concluded in 2017, the unit replaced by the Duramax LP5. JLTV A1 models that were introduced in 2017 are powered by a derivation of this engine. The A2 JLTV will be powered by the next generation of the Duramax engine, production of the current Duramax MY2020 L5P scheduled to conclude Q3FY22. An Allison 2500SP six-speed fully automatic transmission is fitted to all JLTV. The L-ATV can be fitted with the Oshkosh ProPulse diesel-electric powertrain, previously fitted to the Oshkosh
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) is an eight-wheel drive, diesel-powered, tactical truck. The M977 HEMTT first entered service in 1982 with the United States Army as a replacement for the M520 Goer, and since that date has re ...
(HEMTT) and MTVR. According to Oshkosh literature, the ProPulse diesel-electric powertrain dramatically improves fuel economy by up to 35 percent in certain circumstances and serves as an on-board generator with enough output to power an entire airfield or hospital, generating up to 120 kW of AC power for external operations; the
hybrid powertrain Hybrid vehicle drivetrains transmit power to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles. A hybrid vehicle has multiple forms of motive power. Hybrids come in many configurations. For example, a hybrid may receive its energy by burning gasoline, but s ...
was not a requirement of the JLTV program. A hybrid electric JLTV was unveiled in January 2022, this fitted with a lithium-ion battery pack. In a Limited User Test (LUT), the L-ATV demonstrated reliability of 7,051 "Mean Miles Between Operational Mission Failure," more than the Humvee and either other JLTV competitor. The L-ATV offers protection levels greater than those of up-armored HMMWVs and comparable to those of original MRAP class designs, but in an overall vehicle package that is considerably smaller and lighter than vehicles procured under the US Marines MRAP procurement. The L-ATV is fully compliant with the US Army's Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS), based around the A-kit/B-kit
modular Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a sy ...
armor principle. The A-kit, which is installed during build, is primarily fixings for add-on armor but can include small amounts of armor fitted in difficult-to-reach areas. The B-kit is essentially the add-on armor, this added when required and as a modular add-on. According to the US Army, the A-kit/B-kit concept allows the Army flexibility in several areas: the armor B-kit can be taken off when not needed – reducing unnecessary wear and tear on the vehicles; the Army can continue to pursue upgrades in armor protection – adapting B-kits to match the threat; and the versatility of the B-kit enables the transfer of armor from unit to unit – making armor requirements affordable by pooling assets versus buying armor that is only for one vehicle. Oshkosh developed the CORE 1080 crew protection system for the vehicle, comprising the hull design, armor materials, a fire-extinguishing system, and energy-absorbing floors, seats, and restraint systems for crew members and stowage. The Oshkosh M-ATV, which was procured primarily for
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
where the earlier and bigger/heavier MRAPs had mobility issues, has protection comparable to the original MRAP designs, but while smaller it still remains a relatively large vehicle. During the L-ATV design process, every component was optimized for survivability, resulting in the same level of protection in a vehicle 30 percent smaller. This resulted in a
curb weight Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity. Curb or kerb weight Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...
for the JLTV requirement of , almost one-third the weight of the heavier MRAP (4x4) models, and almost half the weight of the original MRAP models.
Payload Payload is the object or the entity which is being carried by an aircraft or launch vehicle. Sometimes payload also refers to the carrying capacity of an aircraft or launch vehicle, usually measured in terms of weight. Depending on the nature of ...
allowance for the JLTV in Combat Tactical Vehicle (CTV) configuration was four passengers and of cargo, and in Combat Support Vehicle (CSV) configuration was two passengers and of cargo. The base L-ATV does not have a standard armament, however it can be fitted with a selection of weapons including
light Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 tera ...
,
medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation *Medium bomber, a class of war plane * Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium of ...
, and
heavy Heavy may refer to: Measures * Heavy (aeronautics), a term used by pilots and air traffic controllers to refer to aircraft capable of 300,000 lbs or more takeoff weight * Heavy, a characterization of objects with substantial weight * Heavy, ...
machine guns,
automatic grenade launchers An automatic grenade launcher (AGL) or grenade machine gun is a grenade launcher that is capable of fully automatic fire, and is typically loaded with either an ammunition belt or magazine. These weapons are often mounted on vehicles or helicopters ...
, or
anti-tank guided missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder ...
s (ATGMs) depending on user requirements. The weapons can be operated from ring mounts or a
remote weapon station A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium- caliber weapons which c ...
. Smoke grenade launchers for self-defence can also be fitted if required. The JLTV family and its
nomenclature Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. The principles of naming vary from the relatively informal naming conventions, conventions of everyday speech to the i ...
evolved throughout the development process and to date the U.S. Army has allocated M designations to four individual JLTV configurations. 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 U.S. 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), towable by all JLTV variants. Additionally, On 11 May 2016, the Army confirmed a plan, suggested since late 2015, to use the JLTV for the Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV) requirement. By Q4 2020 the LRV requirement had evolved to such an extent that it excluded the JLTV, requiring a six-person crew. Oshkosh showcased for the first time the L-ATV Ambulance at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, AL, from March 26–28, 2019. The L-ATV Ambulance is based on the Utility configuration base platform and the rear can hold 4 litters or up to 8 seated patients or a combination of the two. At present the L-ATV Ambulance is not a JLTV variant.


JLTV/L-ATV; foreign interest and operators


Current operators

* :
Lithuanian Army The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Naval Force and the Lithuanian Air Force. In wartime, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (wh ...
– On 21 November 2019, Lithuania and the U.S. signed a contract for 200 JLTVs with options for 200 more. The first batch of 50 was delivered in August 2021. * :
Armed Forces of Montenegro The Armed Forces of Montenegro ( cnr, Војска Црне Горе, Vojska Crne Gore) are the military forces of Montenegro. The Armed Forces consists of an army, navy and air force. The military currently maintains a force of 2,350 active du ...
– Montenegro signed a US$36.17 million contract for the procurement of 67 JLTVs, announced on 23 October 2019. The first 20 vehicles arrived in 2020, and deliveries will be completed during 2023. Montenegro is to acquire 55 JLTVs in basic configuration, eight in anti-tank configuration, and the remaining four in medical and command configurations. *:
Slovenian Ground Force The Slovenian Ground Force is the primary component of Slovenian Armed Forces. History The current Slovenian Armed Forces are descended from the Territorial Defense of the Republic of Slovenia (''Teritorialna Obramba Republike Slovenije''; ''TO ...
– Signed government-to-government agreement for the procurement of 38 Oshkosh JLTVs in November 2018, with deliveries to take place in 2021–2023. The JLTV order announced in February 2020 included JLTVs for Slovenia but the actual quantity was not disclosed. The vehicles were unveiled to the public on June 4. In June 2021 Slovenia announced it will order another 37 JLTVs during 2021. On 14 September 2021, a contract was signed for an additional 37 JLTVs. It is planned to purchase up to a total of 99 JLTVs. * :
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
, U.S. Marine Corps and
U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
– Original contract award on 25 August 2015. Overall requirements have fluctuated, but as of January 2022 were stated by Micheal Sprang, JLTV Project Director to be: Army – 49,099 (this figure has remained relatively constant); Marine Corps – 12,500 (approx.); Air Force – 2000 (dependent on funding); Navy (approx. 400). The initial JLTV contract award had a potential value of US$6.749 billion and called for a maximum of 16,901 JLTVs. The second sole source to Oshkosh contract allows for 6,262 JLTVs to be ordered by November 2023. The JLTV re-compete award will allow for 15,586 JLTV when awarded. Current U.S. Army and Marines orders are for around 19,150 JLTVs.


Future operators

* :
Belgian Army The Land Component ( nl, Landcomponent, french: Composante terre) is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Pierre Gérard. ...
– Belgium's Council of Ministers approved the purchase of 322 JLTVs in September 2020 for EUR135 million. In service the JLTV will replace the
Iveco LMV Iveco LMV (Light Multirole Vehicle) is a 4WD tactical vehicle developed by Iveco, and in service with several countries. After its adoption by the Italian Army as the ''Veicolo-Tattico-Leggero-Multiruolo'' (VTLM) ''Lince'' ("Light tactical multi ...
fleet for command and liaison missions, and 20 examples will be configured as ambulances. The contract also includes a multiyear open agreement for technical assistance. First deliveries are anticipated in 2023. * :
Brazilian Marine Corps ) , colors=Red and white , colors_label=Colors , march= , mascot= , battles = Invasion of Cayenne (1809) Banda Oriental Conquest (1816)War of Independence (1821–1824)Confederation of the Equator(1824)Cisplatine War(1825–1828)Ragamuffin War(183 ...
– On 5 October 2020, the Brazilian Marine Corps signed a contract for a batch of 12 JLTVs, to be delivered between 2022 and 2026. In September 2021 it was reported that the Brazilian Marine Corps (CFN) was looking to acquire an additional 48 JLTVs. * : The U.S. Army announced a JLTV contract modification in November 2020 that identified North Macedonia as a customer. North Macedonia's Long Term Defence Capability Development Plan predicts the acquisition by 2024 of 96 JLTVs. * : The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MoND) confirmed in July 2021 that it will acquire more than 100 JLTVs for Romanian special forces under a EUR47 million contract.


Potential operators

* –
Portuguese Army The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
– In April 2020, Portugal announced that it would be seeking to procure the JLTV through the US Foreign Military Sales program. If purchased, the JLTV would replace the Land Rover Defender series and the Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ73LV vehicles currently used by the Portuguese Army. *:
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
– In June 2016 it was reported that to meet Package 1 of the Multi Role Vehicle-Protected (MRV-P) requirement, the UK
Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
(MoD) was in talks with
the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
on acquiring the JLTV via the
Foreign Military Sales The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defens ...
(FMS) route. While there had been little official movement or comment on the project by February 2022, Janes reported that the requirement remained and had not been cancelled.


Gallery

File:JLTV-DEC14-4999.jpg, A production standard USMC JLTV in M1280 General Purpose (GP) configuration, this example fitted with a deep fording kit and tire chains. File:Oshkosh JLTV.jpg, Oshkosh L-ATV in M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier JLTV configuration and fitted with an EOS R-400S-MK2 remote weapon system integrated with Orbital ATK's M230 LF 30 mm lightweight automatic chain gun File:L-ATV 11.jpg, Oshkosh L-ATV in M1279 JLTV Utility configuration undergoing air-transport trials File:L-ATV 34.jpg, Oshkosh L-ATV in M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier JLTV configuration with Objective Gunner Protection Kit (OGPK) File:L-ATV 37.jpg, Rear three-quarter view of an Oshkosh L-ATV in M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier JLTV configuration File:L-ATV 49.jpg, Oshkosh L-ATV in M1280 General Purpose JLTV configuration during trials File:JLTV 3.jpg, JLTV General Purpose variant fitted with a Boeing CLWS and a heavy machine gun-armed RWS File:Oshkosh-L-ATV.jpg, Oshkosh L-ATV configured as M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier File:NMESIS launcher.jpg, In December 2019, the Marine Corps tested a version of the JLTV called ROGUE Fires, which consists of an
unmanned An uncrewed vehicle or unmanned vehicle is a vehicle without a person on board. Uncrewed vehicles can either be under telerobotic control—remote controlled or remote guided vehicles—or they can be autonomously controlled—autonomous vehicl ...
JLTV-based mobile launch platform carrying a
Naval Strike Missile The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is an anti-ship and land-attack missile developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA). The original Norwegian name was Nytt sjømålsmissil (literally ''New sea target missile'', indicating ...
launcher unit.


See also

*
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a United States military (specifically U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps) and United States Special Operations Command program to partially replace the Humvee fleet with a family of more survivable vehicle ...
(JTLV) *
Oshkosh M-ATV The Oshkosh M-ATV is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle developed by the Oshkosh Corporation for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program. Intended to replace M1114 HMMWVs (Humvee), it is designed to provide the same levels of p ...
*
Oshkosh Corporation Oshkosh Corporation, formerly Oshkosh Truck, is an American industrial company that designs and builds specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. The corporation also owns Pierce Manufact ...
*
Palletized Load System The Palletized Load System (PLS) is a truck-based logistics system that entered service in the United States Army in 1993. It performs long and short distance freight transport, unit resupply, and other missions in the tactical environment to su ...
(PLS) *
Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement The Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) is a series of vehicles used by the U.S. Marines. The first MTVRs were delivered in late 1999. The MTVR is the equivalent of the U.S. Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV); the Marines ...
(MTVR) *
Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) is a series of military vehicles that are based on a common chassis and vary by payload and mission requirements. The FMTV is derived from the Austrian Steyr 12M18 truck, but substantially m ...
(FMTV) *
Heavy Equipment Transport System Heavy Equipment Transporter System (HETS) is the name of a U.S. Army logistics vehicle transport system, the primary purpose of which is to transport the M1 Abrams tank. It is also used to transport, deploy, and evacuate armored personnel carriers ...
(HET) *
Logistic Vehicle System Replacement The Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) is a family of heavy-duty military logistics vehicles of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) based on a common 5-axle ten-wheel drive (10x10) chassis. The vehicles vary in individual configuration ...
(LVSR)


References


External links


AUSA 2015: Oshkosh Defense on their L-ATV for JLTV
(October 2015 video)
Oshkosh L-ATV website
* * * * * * * * * {{MRAP vehicles Military light utility vehicles Oshkosh vehicles Post–Cold War armored fighting vehicles of the United States Military vehicles introduced in the 2010s