Army makes quarter-billion-dollar JLTV armored combat vehicle order to Oshkosh Defense
WARREN, Mich., 23 March 2016.Armored combat vehicle designers at Oshkosh Defense LLC in Oshkosh, Wis., on Tuesday received their first major order for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) -- the U.S. military's next-generation light battlefield vehicle to replace the venerable Humvee.
Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, Mich., announced a $243.8 million contract modification to Oshkosh for 657 JLTVs and 25 trailers.
The order is a modification to a $114.7 million contract to Oshkosh last August for JLTV low-rate initial production (LRIP) and full-rate production. That contract has options that eventually could increase its value to $6.7 billion, and is expected to be one of the most lucrative military vehicle programs over the next decade.
Tuesday's order also asks Oshkosh to provide 2,977 kits; 12 months of system engineering and program management; test support; 175-test hardware; and one technical data package.
Related: Protest delays over: DOD plans to order 2,020 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) in 2017
The Oshkosh JLTV is a version of the company's Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV). The JLTV program was delayed shortly after the initial contract was awarded last August by a protest by Oshkosh rival Lockheed Martin Corp. The program resumed last month after Lockheed Martin's protest was dismissed.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) wants to buy 54,599 JLTVs -- 49,099 for the U.S. Army and 5,500 for the U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that the DOD will spend more than $53.3 billion on the JLTV program -- $1.1 billion for research and at least $52.3 billion for procurement.
The Oshkosh JLTV is a light utility and combat multi-role vehicle that is expected to deliver a level of protection similar to that of current, but far heavier and less maneuverable, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) class designs, and much better than the latest armored HMMWVs.
The JLTV has two variants -- a two seat and a four seat variant, as well as a companion trailer (JLTV-T). The Oshkosh vehicle offers the Core1080 crew protection for survivability, turret operated systems, remote weapons systems, and tube launched missile system.
Related: Army makes some of the last Humvee orders before JLTV contract is awarded later this year
The Oshkosh JLTV features the company's TAK-4i intelligent independent suspension system that adjusts ride-height type with as much as 20 inches of wheel travel. The vehicle also has the digitally controlled General Motors Duramax V8 cylinder 6.6-liter diesel engine.
The vehicle can be fitted with light, medium, and heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, smoke grenade launchers, or anti-tank missiles, operated from ring mounts or a remote weapon station.
The JLTV contract has eight options for Oshkosh to build the first 16,901 vehicles for the Army and Marine Corps. The contract was awarded on behalf of the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Warren, Mich.
On Tuesday's order Oshkosh will do the work in Oshkosh, Wis., and should be finished by December 2024. For more information contact Oshkosh Defense online at http://oshkoshdefense.com, the Army Contracting Command at www.army.mil/acc, or Army TACOM at www.tacom.army.mil.
John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
