The
U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Oshkosh Defense, a division of
Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), a contract for the Joint Light Tactical
Vehicle (JLTV) program’s Engineering, Manufacturing and Development
(EMD) phase. The JLTV program aims to replace many of the U.S. military’s
aged HMMWVs with a lightweight vehicle that offers greater protection,
mobility and transportability.
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“The JLTV program is
critical to supporting our troops who stand in harm’s way and
deserve the best equipment that industry can provide,” said John
Urias, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Oshkosh
Defense. “The Oshkosh JLTV solution will allow the Army and Marine
Corps to provide unprecedented levels of protection and off-road mobility
in a light vehicle – so that their troops can accomplish their
missions and return home safely.”
JLTV is managed by the Joint U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps program,
under the leadership of the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office for
Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS). Under the
contract, Oshkosh will deliver 22 Oshkosh-designed and manufactured
JLTV prototypes within 365 days of contract award, and support government
testing and evaluation of the prototypes.
Since 2006, Oshkosh has invested significantly in independent R&D
to develop its JLTV solution. Oshkosh employed a generational product
development approach that aligned to rapidly evolving technical requirements.
As a result, the Oshkosh JLTV delivers the latest automotive technologies,
an advanced crew protection system, and a next generation TAK-4i™
independent suspension system to achieve JLTV performance at an affordable
price. The Oshkosh JLTV is fully tested, ready for initial production,
and meets or exceeds the requirements of the JLTV program.
“The Oshkosh JLTV solution was designed with a purpose –
to keep Warfighters safe on future battlefields with unpredictable terrain,
tactics, and threats,” said John Bryant, vice president and general
manager of Joint and Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Oshkosh
has a 90-year history of delivering high quality military vehicle programs
on-time and on-budget, and our JLTV program is no exception. We understand
how critical this light, protected, off-road vehicle will be to Warfighters.”
The Oshkosh JLTV solution, called the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain
Vehicle, or L-ATV,
offers an advanced crew protection system that has been extensively
tested and is proven to optimize crew survivability. The L-ATV can accept
multiple armor configurations, which allows the vehicle to adapt easily
to changing operational requirements. The L-ATV
also applies the Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent independent-suspension
system to provide significantly faster speeds when operating off-road,
which can be critical to troops’ safety.
Oshkosh Defense has an unwavering commitment to the men and women who
serve our nation. Notably, Oshkosh was awarded the M-ATV
contract in June 2009 on an urgent needs basis. Oshkosh ramped up production
at a historical pace – delivering 1,000 vehicles per month within
six months. Oshkosh delivered more than 8,700 M-ATVs,
most of which were deployed in Afghanistan and are credited for saving
thousands of troops’ lives.
“Oshkosh’s M-ATV
is the only vehicle in the combat theater in Afghanistan performing
the JLTV’s mission profile,” said Bryant. “We delivered
more than 8,700 M-ATV’s on-time and on-budget, and Oshkosh will
bring the same level of commitment to the JLTV program.”
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