Oshkosh L-ATV

Oshkosh L-ATV
2016 Oshkosh L-ATV (configured as JLTV) equipped with M153 CROWS II remote weapon system.
Type	light multi-role vehicle/light tactical vehicle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	FY 2019 (planned)
Used by	United States Army United States Marine Corps
Production history
Designer	Oshkosh
Designed	2011
Unit cost	$250,000 (base vehicle) $400,000-$560,000 (including R&D, radios, weapons, and armor)
Number built	49,099 (Army) 5,500 (Marines) (these are current requirements; details in main text)
Variants	Four-seat general purpose (JLTV-GP) Four-seat close combat weapons carrier (JLTV-CCWC) Two-seat utility (JLTV-UTL) Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV)
Specifications
Weight	Curb weight: 14,000 lb (6,400 kg)
Armor	classified (A-kit/B-kit configuration)
Main armament	a variety of light and medium caliber weapons, AGLs, or ATGMs can be fitted
Secondary armament	smoke grenade launchers
Engine	GM Duramax V8, 6.6-litre of unspecified power output (est. 300 hp (224 kW))
Transmission	Allison automatic; Oshkosh transfer case
Suspension	Oshkosh TAK-4i independent suspension
Operational range	300 miles (480 km)
Speed	Forward Road: 70 mph (110 km/h) Off road: varies Reverse: 8 mph (13 km/h)
Steering system	power-assisted, front axle

The Oshkosh L-ATV (Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle) is a light utility/combat multi-role vehicle that won the US military's Army-led Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program. In the very early stages of the program it was suggested that JLTV would replace the AM General High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) on a one-for-one basis. It is now suggested that the JLTV will part-replace the HMMWV, not replacing it on a like-for-like basis.

Oshkosh's L-ATV will deliver a level of protection similar to that of current, but far heavier and less maneuverable, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) class designs, these having far more protection from blast than even the latest up-armored HMMWVs.

On 25 August 2015, the L-ATV was selected as the winner of the JLTV program. The first JLTV delivery order was placed in March 2016 with the U.S. Army ordering 657 trucks. Overall JLTV requirements are 5,500 vehicles for the Marine Corps entering service in FY 2020 with all to be delivered in FY 2022, and 49,099 for the Army entering service in late 2019 with deliveries occurring through 2040. The Army received its first seven JLTVs for test at the end of September 2016, Colonel Shane Fullmer, JLTV project manager stated at an AUSA 2016 media briefing.

The idea for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) first emerged in 2007 from threats experienced during the Iraq War. The primary tactical wheeled vehicle used by the U.S. military at the start of the war was the Humvee. However, it was unarmored and built for payload mobility, so they incurred heavy losses when improvised explosive devices (IEDs) began being employed by insurgents. The initial response was to add armor to existing Humvees primarily on the sides, which improved ballistic protection against direct fire, but since the chassis was not designed to handle the extra weight there was little room for underbody protection, it wore out the suspension and drive train, and compromised off-road mobility. To combat growing numbers of IEDs, the U.S. rapidly procured some 25,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, including the M-ATV for use in Afghanistan. While MRAPs offered superior protection from underbody blasts, they were significantly larger and heavier and still had poor off-road mobility; the military incorporated MRAPs in response to operational needs, but never intended them to become a permanent part of their tactical wheeled vehicle fleets, so thousands were scrapped, stored, or sold off upon conclusion of operations.