Belgium’s Ministry of Defence has awarded Oshkosh Defense a contract for 322 Oshkosh JLTV Command and Liaison Vehicles (CLV) for the Belgian Defence Forces. The Belgian CLV (Commando en Liaison Voertuigen, “Command and Liaison Vehicle”) is the proven Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) platform from Oshkosh equipped with Belgian communication systems. The JLTV is currently used by the U.S. military. According to Belgian MoD, the first CLV vehicles are expected to be delivered in 2023. The CLVs will replace the Belgian Army’s Iveco Lynx Light Multirole Vehicles (LMVs), which were acquired from Italy’s Iveco and have been in service since 2007.
The Belgian procurement marks Oshkosh Defense’s first large of a JLTV-based vehicle under the U.S. government’s direct commercial sale (DCS) program as the vehicle is traditionally procured via U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) program. Belgium joins the United States, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Montenegro in choosing this vehicle. The new vehicles will be used for command and liaison missions and will better protect personnel against mines, projectiles and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). Belgian Defense decided on the purchase of CLV vehicles almost a year ago with a budget of 142 million euros allocated for the program.
Oshkosh Defense president John Bryant said: “Oshkosh Defense is honoured that Belgium has chosen to equip its armed forces with the Oshkosh CLV. The Oshkosh CLV offers Belgian soldiers the world’s most advanced light military vehicle, delivering next-generation levels of protection, off-road mobility, speed, transportability, and seamless operational and logistical interoperability with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) allies.”
Director Land Systems Colonel Filip De Varé said: “The Belgian Defence opted for a worldwide competition in which ‘money for value’ was the only criterion. The CLV will be integrated in the CaMo programme, an international partnership between the French and Belgian land forces.”
The Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a light utility/combat multi-role vehicle developed by Oshkosh Defense for the U.S. military under Army-led JLTV program. The vehicle was called L-ATV (Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle) before the selection for the program. The JLTV family now consists of three base vehicle platforms – Utility (JLTV-UTL), Close Combat Weapons Carrier (JLTV-CCWC) and General Purpose (JLTV-GP)- and four configurations based on specific Mission Packages – M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier (JLTV-GP – HGC), M1279 JLTV-UTL, M1280 JLTV-GP and M1281 JLTV-CCWC. The vehicle is also ordered/in process of being procured by UK, Lithuania, Slovenia and Montenegro in addition to Belgium.
