The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is a U.S. Army, USSOCOM, and U.S. Marine Corps program to replace the current HMMWV with a family of more survivable vehicles and greater payload. In particular, the HMMWV was not designed to be an armored combat and scout vehicle but has been employed as one, whereas the JLTV will be designed from the ground up for this role.

The JLTV program is related to, but not the same as, the FTTS (Future Tactical Truck System) program. Lessons learned from the FTTS have been fed into the JLTV requirements.

The future family of vehicles will comprise five armored versions, ranging from infantry combat vehicles, command vehicles, reconnaissance vehicles, and armored utility vehicles.

Such a design could also be used in place of an armored personnel carrier or unarmoured trucks.

Candidates

The following companies and partnerships have officially announced their intention to bid for the JLTV contract:

• Boeing, Textron and Millenworks
• General Dynamics and AM General (as 'General Tactical Vehicles')
• Force Protection Inc and DRS Technologies (officially rejected on August 14, 2008).
• BAE and Navistar
• Northrop Grumman, Oshkosh Truck and Plasan
• Lockheed Martin and Armor Holdings (BAE)
• Blackwater and Raytheon

Categories

There are three primary variants of the JLTV, which are categorized by their payload and general mission, and within that category, further variations may exist for specific purposes. All vehicles share some capabilities, while certain configurations may have additional capabilities. All variants are transportable externally by CH-47 and CH-53 helicopters and internally by C-130 aircraft.

Payload Category A

Payload Category A vehicles will fill the role of "Battlespace Awareness" with a payload capacity of 3,500 lb (1,600 kg).

General Purpose Mobility: General Purpose Mobility (JLTV-A-GP) is the only variant in Payload Category A, designed for general purpose utility vehicle for use by the Army and Marine Corps, with a 4 person capacity. Unlike other variants a C-130 is capable of transporting two vehicles at a time.

Payload Category B

Payload Category B vehicles will fill the role of "Force Application" with a payload capacity of 4,000–4,500 lb (1,800–2,000 kg).

Infantry Carrier: The Infantry Carrier (JLTV-B-IC) has a 6 person capacity, and is designed to carry a fire-team of Army soldiers or Marines. Each service may get a different vehicle, or they may use the same one.

Reconnaissance, scout: Six seat configuration for use by the US Army.

Reconnaissance, knight: Six seat configuration for use by the US Army.

Command and Control on the Move: Four seat command and control (JLTV-B-C2OTM) configuration for use by the US Army.

Heavy Guns Carrier: Heavy Guns Carrier for use by the US Army and Marine Corps for convoy escort, military police, and patrol with four seats and a gunner position.

Close combat weapons carrier: Four seat close combat weapons carrier for use by the US Army and Marine Corps.

Utility vehicle: Two seat utility vehicle for use by the USMC.

Ambulance: Ambulance configuration for use by the US Army and Marine Corps. 3 seats and 2 litters.

Payload Category C

Payload Category C vehicles will fill the role of "Focused Logistics" with a payload of 5,100 lb (2,300 kg).

Shelter carrier/utility/prime mover: Two seat shelter carrier/utility/prime mover for use by the US Army and Marine Corps.

Ambulance: Higher capacity ambulance configuration for use by the US Army and Marine Corps. 3 seats and 4 litters.

Design requirements

30 kilowatt generator: The vehicle will be designed to generate sustained power (independent of hotel loads and exportable power) with the engine running and idle in addition to when the vehicle is moving.

The trailer: Each JLTV will have a trailer capable of carrying the same payload as its prime mover over the same speeds and mission profile. The trailer will also feature all the same reliability characteristics as its prime mover.

Ammo capacity: Every JLTV will have the capacity to carry two cans of M16 ammo, one can of M203, four cans of M249 and six cans of either MK19, M2, or M60/M240 ammo.

Jam-resistant doors: The vehicle's jam-resistant doors will allow the passengers to easily escape after the vehicle has taken damage.

Automatic fire extinguishing system

Extra spall liner: An extra spall liner will help minimize the perforation effects within a vehicle when the vehicle takes hostile fire.

Armor kits: The JLTV will have two armor kits: the A-kit and a B-kit (which adds additional protection to the A-kit). Although the actual armor levels are a classified annex of the JLTV Purchase Description, an RFI (Request For Information) was released in January 2006 which in the interests of market research into the current state of the art requested the following protection levels:

• A Kit

KE threat: STANAG 4569 Level 1 (7.62 mm 360 degrees, 30 m)

Artillery: STANAG 4569 Level 1 (155 mm HE at 100 m)

Mine blast/IED (center line): STANAG Level 3 (6 kg (Threshhold) 8 kg (objective)).

• B Kit

KE threat: STANAG 4569 Level 3 (T); Level 4 (O) (7.62 mm AP to 14.5 mm AP)

Artillery: STANAG 4569 Level 3 (T); Level 4 (O) (155 mm HE at 60 m, 155 HE at 30 m)

Mine blast/IED (center line): STANAG Level 4a (O) (10 kg)

RPG: (O) Defeat or defend against all or partial types of RPG warheads (3) 360-degree armor protection of personnel against known threats including KE, IED, mine, and RPG (O) when up-armored with B-Kit.

Tires: The JLTV is planned to be able to run on two flat tires in order to keep going after being attacked by small arms.

Small arms fire induced leaks: The vehicle will be capable of traveling one terrain feature after having endured a single small caliber arms sized perforation to the fuel tank, engine oil reservoir, or coolant system.

Electronic monitoring: The JLTV will be equipped with a diagnostic monitoring system that will electronically alert the operator of equipment failures so that they can be fixed. The electronic monitoring will observe the fuel, air intake, engine, cooling, transmission, energy storage, power generation and vehicle speed as well as other systems.

References

Defense Update