Joint Light Tactical Vehicle


The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, known and marketed under Oshkosh development as the L-ATV, is a light utility/combat multi-role vehicle. The Oshkosh-developed JLTV was selected for acquisition under the US military's Army-led Joint Light Tactical Vehicle 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 on a one-for-one basis. It is now suggested that the JLTV will partially replace the HMMWV.
The L-ATV was designed to deliver a level of protection comparable to that of heavier and less maneuverable Mine Resistant Ambush Protected class designs, these having more protection from blast than up-armored HMMWVs which they were delivered to replace on deployed operations.
In August 2015, the L-ATV was selected as the winner of the JLTV program. The first JLTV delivery order was placed in March 2016 with the U.S. Army ordering 657 examples. Overall requirements have fluctuated, but were stated by Michael Sprang, JLTV Project Director to be 49,099 for the Army; approximately 12,500 for the Marine Corps; 2,000 for the Air Force ; and approximately 400 for the Navy.
The JLTV achieved Initial Operational Capability in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2019. The Army recompeted the right to manufacture the JLTV beginning with the A2 variant. In 2023, the Army selected AM General. Oshkosh expects to produce JLTVs into early 2025 and retains the right to produce JLTVs for direct commercial sale.

History

Background

The idea for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle first emerged in 2006 from threats experienced during the Iraq War. The primary tactical wheeled vehicle used by the U.S. military at the start of the war was the Humvee. However, most were unarmored and the type incurred heavy losses when improvised explosive devices 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, negatively impacted off-road mobility, compromised vehicle reliability, and greatly increased their maintenance needs.
To combat increasing numbers of IED attacks, the U.S. rapidly procured some 29,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, including the Oshkosh M-ATV for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. 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.
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 and CH-53E Super Stallion 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.

JLTV competition

The Joint Chief of Staff's Joint Requirements Oversight Council approved the JLTV program in November 2006; this began a 13-month Concept Refinement phase which is a pre-systems acquisition process designed to further develop the initial concepts resident in the Initial Capabilities Document. The Concept Refinement phase also includes an Analysis of Alternatives. At the conclusion of the Concept Refinement phase in December 2007, the Joint Program Office JLTV project manager intended to transition the program directly into the engineering, manufacturing, and development phase.
As the milestone approached, it became clear that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment would not support the JLTV program entering into the acquisition process at that time. He denied the request and instructed the Army and the Marine Corps to develop a more vigorous Technology Development phase.
The DoD released a request for proposal for the TD phase of the JLTV program in February 2008. In October 2008, the Pentagon narrowed the field of vendors to respondents Lockheed Martin, General Tactical Vehicles and BAE Systems/Navistar. Each team was awarded contracts worth between $35.9 million and $45 million to begin the next phase of the program.
These teams were as follows:
Entries during the engineering and manufacturing development phase were not limited to the winners of the TD phase. At least six teams submitted bids. In August 2012, the Army and Marine Corps selected the Oshkosh Defense L-ATV, Lockheed Martin JLTV, and AM General BRV-O, as the winners of the EMD phase. They were awarded a contract to build 22 prototype vehicles.
Each company delivered 22 vehicles and six trailers to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. 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 and personnel from the Defense Department's Office of Test and Evaluation would begin to put the vehicles through field testing during 14 months of government performance testing. Testing was scheduled for completion by FY2015, with a production contract to be awarded to a single vendor for almost 55,000 vehicles. In September 2013, full-pace, full-scope JLTV testing began at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Yuma, and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

Oshkosh L-ATV development

first displayed the L-ATV at Association of the United States Army in Washington, D.C. in October 2011. The L-ATV had developmental origins that trace back to 2007 and Oshkosh/Northrop Grumman'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.
Oshkosh and Northrop Grumman submitted an unsuccessful bid for the JLTV technology development phase in 2008. Limited details were disclosed about the bid other than that the armor was developed by Plasan and the engine was diesel electric.
At AUSA 2011, Oshkosh suggested that following then recent program developments, L-ATV would be offered to meet the recently revitalized JLTV's EMD phase.
In 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. The Utility Variant is designed to provide mobility for loads such as containers, pallets, and break bulk cargo. 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 2,300 kg. Both Oshkosh L-ATV variants have a common crew protection system, automotive systems, and the Oshkosh TAK-4i intelligent independent suspension system.
In June 2013, L-ATV prototypes participated in an event hosted by the U.S. JLTV Joint Program Office in Quantico, Virginia. The vehicles successfully completed the severe off-road track without failure. The SORT demonstrated the L-ATV's ability to maneuver steep inclines, turn sharply, and operate in rugged terrain.
In August 2013, Oshkosh delivered its first L-ATV JLTV prototype to the Army for government testing. The four-door variant and the General Purpose ) and two-door Utility Variant were provided for evaluations.
In July 2014, Oshkosh announced the L-ATV had completed 200,000 miles and all requirements for reliability, availability, maintainability testing. In November 2014, Oshkosh announced the L-ATV had completed limited user testing 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 in December 2014. On 10 February 2015 Oshkosh Defense issued a press release announcing the company had submitted its proposal in response to the JLTV Low Rate Initial Production and full-rate production RfP.