AM General Unveils Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) A2 Prototype

AM General released an official photo of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) A2 Prototype, which was unveiled at the AUSA Exposition in Washington in October. Externally, the JLTV A2 prototype displayed at AUSA 23 does not appear to be markedly different from the current in-service Oshkosh JLTV, with the one noticeable exception being the redesigned radiator grille panel, which has styling parallels with that on the AM General HMMWV or Humvee, and its surrounds. Designed to augment and fortify the existing fleet, the JLTV program represents a collaborative effort among the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command to bolster survivability and enhance payload capabilities, thereby advancing military operational effectiveness. This iteration of the JLTV, marked by AM General’s expertise, signifies a pivotal moment in the program’s evolution.

The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and Special Operations Command program to partially replace the Humvee fleet with a family of more survivable vehicles having a greater payload. Oshkosh was selected for production on 25 August 2015. The award included a base contract and eight option years covering two years of LRIP and five years of FRP. The initial contract award was valued at US$114 million, with LRIP slated to begin in the first quarter of FY 2016, and with Oshkosh commencing delivery of vehicles approximately 10 months after contract award. The JLTV contract award had a value of up to US$6.749 billion and called for a maximum of 16,901 JLTVs and includes a sustainment element. JLTV manufacturing is performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

In a recent announcement on July 17, AM General secured the JLTV contract, valued at $8.66 billion, winning over JLTV-maker Oshkosh Defense in the U.S. Army’s competition earlier in February. Despite Oshkosh’s protest to the Government Accountability Office, the watchdog upheld the decision in June, paving the way for AM General to initiate production lines and collaborate with subcontractors. Under the terms of the contract, AM General will supply 20,682 JLTVs and 9,833 trailers to the U.S. military and foreign customers over the course of five base years, with an option for five additional one-year ordering periods. The JLTV will be produced in a dedicated military production facility at their 96-acre Mishawaka Manufacturing Campus (MMC) in Indiana.

AM General is well positioned to evolve next generation JLTVs to meet mission demands across the full range of military operations. The JLTV follow-on contract strategy was designed to provide a fair and competitive environment, while ensuring the Army obtained a premier manufacturer that delivers the highest quality, most capable, and affordable tactical vehicle in the world. The JLTV follow-on contract request for proposal, in accordance with the Army Climate Strategy, sought to incentivize offerors to propose fuel efficiency technologies that targeted on-the-move fuel economy improvements and anti-idle capability in support of optimizing combat effectiveness. The JLTV A2 design is the first tactical wheeled vehicle with baseline architecture utilizing lithium-ion batteries, which is a key enabler for anti-idle capability.