Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles (JLTV) program is in response to an operational need to replace the aging High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) fleet. The USMC in cooperation with Army TACOM are the project managers to set specifications and acquire prototype vehicles for testing. As of mid-2007, the targeted timeframe to introduce the JLTV (Initial Operations Capability) is 2012.
The service life and capabilities of the HMMWV have been compromised by the addition of armor and other changes. The increased weight has cause premature failure of the suspension and other components. The JLTV will restore or exceed the original HMMWV mobility and payload capabilities, maintain most of its transportability capabilities, while raising its survivability and protection capabilities and improving its sustainability.
The JLTV concept is based on a Family of Vehicles focused on integrated scalable personnel protection, and regaining vehicle agility and mobility required of the light tactical vehicles fleet while addressing passenger protection. JLTV will also reduce system life cycle cost through commonality of replacement spare and repair parts at the sub-assembly and component level. As a light tactical system, the JLTV will provide defensive measures covering troops while in transport, increase payload capability, maintain configuration management to reduce or improve the logistics footprint, and reduce onerous soldier and Marine workload associated with system operation and field maintenance activities.
Planning for the JLTV program will be influenced by lessons learned during the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles procurement in progress in 2007, particularly with regard to occupant protection.
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Mission Role Variants
The JLTV family will include multiple Mission Role Variants (MRVs) sharing common major components for a high degree of materiel interoperability across the services. Those MRVs include:
- Long Range Surveillance Variant
- Combat Tactical Vehicle
- Utility Variant
Each variant will have multiple configurations tailored for unique mission tasks. Planned as an evolutionary environmentally friendly acquisition program, improved force protection and fuel efficiency goals have been set.
Future increments are planned to expand both the number of mission tasks JLTV will support, and the capability of each vehicle, achieved through technology insertion goals correlated to technology maturity and readiness levels.
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Program Status
The JLTV Initial Capabilities Document received Joint Requirements Oversight Council approval in late 2006. In early and mid-2007, an RFI was issued for industry response and requirements were refined. Prototype contracts are expected to be awarded by the end of 2007.
