Oshkosh fielding JLTV combat vehicles with VICTORY-based vetronics and open-systems standard electronics
WARREN, Mich. – Armored combat vehicles designers at Oshkosh Defense LLC in Oshkosh, Wis., will support fielding of the U.S. Army Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) systems under terms of a $543.5 million order announced last week.
Officials of the Army Contracting Command in Warren, Mich., are asking Oshkosh to exercise available options to support the fielding of the JLTV family of vehicles. 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 Oshkosh JLTV is light utility and combat multi-role vehicle with open-systems standard electronics. The combat vehicle 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 HMMWV combat vehicles.
The JLTV features a vetronics architecture that complies with the Army's VICTORY electronics standard. VICTORY stands for Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability. C4ISR/EW stands for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance/electronic warfare.
The JLTV's VICTORY-compliant modular, scalable, open-architecture vetronics is designed to support rapidly evolving C4ISR suites. 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 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.
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 accommodate 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 Contracting command awarded the contract on behalf of the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Warren, Mich.
On this order Oshkosh will do the work in Oshkosh, Wis., and should be finished by July 2024. For more information contact Oshkosh Defense online at https://oshkoshdefense.com, or Army TACOM at www.tacom.army.mil.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
