U.S. airborne troops seek to replace old Humvee by Oshkosh L-ATV Light All-Terrain Vehicle 12310162

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Defence & Security News - United States
 
U.S. airborne troops seek to replace old Humvee by Oshkosh L-ATV Light All-Terrain Vehicle
American airborne troops seek to replace old Humvee 4x4 light tactical vehicle by Oshkosh Defense Light Combat All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV). For more than 30 years, the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle has been the go-to vehicle for U.S. forces wishing to put boots and tires on the ground.
     
     
Now it is about to be replaced by Light Combat All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV). While the vehicle will not be fielded until 2019, paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment "The Rock", 173rd Airborne Brigade, got a chance to see the vehicle up close Tuesday, when one of the vehicles was transported from Michigan to Lithuania for testing.
 

"We found that in Afghanistan the up-armored HMMWV was too big and heavy, and it lost a lot in performance," said Lt. Col. Rob Barnhill, Product Manager Systems Integration, Joint Program Office.

The L-ATV is a 4x4 armoured vehicle designed and manufactured by the U.S. Company Oshkosh Defense. The affordable Oshkosh L-ATV incorporates field-proven technologies, advanced armor solutions and expeditionary levels of mobility to redefine safety and performance standards for the U.S. Armed Forces and international militaries.

The L-ATV will come in two types, a four-passenger combat vehicle and a two-seat combat support vehicle. It carries a maximum weight of 15,639 pounds, which makes it light enough to be transported by helicopter and more suited for off-road mobility.

In 2010, the L-ATV's off-road capability and speed allowed an early development version to become the first military vehicle to compete in the Baja 1000 desert race.

After inspecting the vehicle, the paratroopers were impressed.

"It's really nice," said Pfc. Raymond Bohrer, Able Company. "The computers are not directly in your face, and there is a lot more room. I have long legs and can sit comfortably."

The L-ATV was selected for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase. In August 2015, the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) has awarded Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation company, a $6.7 billion firm fixed price production contract to manufacture the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).