The EMP-Proof Truck: AM General Doubles Down On Humvee

The EMP-Proof Truck: AM General Doubles Down On Humvee
The EMP-Proof Truck: AM General Doubles Down On Humvee

SOUTH BEND, IND.: The US military replaced its Humvees in Afghanistan and Iraq, with heavier, better armored vehicles because of the threat from roadside bombs. But that approach may not work In a high-tech conflict, argues manufacturer AM General. You might want to go back to the Humvee. Why? Because it’s simpler. There are no…

Army: 50 kW Laser Stryker By 2021, 100 kW FMTV Truck By 2022

Army: 50 kW Laser Stryker By 2021, 100 kW FMTV Truck By 2022
Army: 50 kW Laser Stryker By 2021, 100 kW FMTV Truck By 2022

HUNTSVILLE, ALA.: The Army keeps putting more powerful lasers on smaller vehicles. Battlefield lasers in testing today can shoot down snooping quadcopters and other small drones. By the early 2020s, however vehicles mobile enough to keep up with combat brigades – Strykers and FMTV trucks – will have power in the 50 to 100 kilowatt…

No More Iron Mountains: Lighter Logistics Key To Multi-Domain Battle

No More Iron Mountains: Lighter Logistics Key To Multi-Domain Battle
No More Iron Mountains: Lighter Logistics Key To Multi-Domain Battle

A grim vision of future battlefields has the Army urgently exploring every option to streamline its logistics, everything from cargo drones to “compact fusion reactors.” Moving iron mountains of supplies has been a signature strength of the US military since the Civil War. But against an adversary with precision weapons, those sprawling supply dumps, the…

Army Soldiers Slash Time To Move From Port To Front: Deterring Russia

Army Soldiers Slash Time To Move From Port To Front: Deterring Russia
Army Soldiers Slash Time To Move From Port To Front: Deterring Russia

HUNTSVILLE, ALA.: Determined to deter the rising Russian threat, the US Army is slashing the time it takes for a brigade to get ready for battle once it’s arrived in Europe, from over 40 days to under 10. Normally unloading equipment, getting organized, and moving to the front takes more than 40 days, Maj. Gen.…

Holy Smoke! GM, Army Turn Out New Hydrogen Car In 9 Months…

Holy Smoke! GM, Army Turn Out New Hydrogen Car In 9 Months…
Holy Smoke! GM, Army Turn Out New Hydrogen Car In 9 Months…

AUSA: I’ve covered the Army since 1997 and detailed its acquisition disasters from Crusader to Comanche to Future Combat System to — oh, let’s not get depressed and stop there — and I could not imagine the Big Green Machine putting a contract together for a new vehicle in nine months, let alone issuing a…

Polaris Offroad Vehicles Video At AUSA

Polaris Offroad Vehicles Video At AUSA
Polaris Offroad Vehicles Video At AUSA

Small is beautiful, even at the largest defense show of the year. Polaris Defense makes off-road vehicles — light and rugged enough to drop from airplanes — in service with US Special Operations Command and various allied nations. The “Big Army” is considering the Polaris DAGOR, among other competitors, to carry airborne troops and other…

Gun Truck: Oshkosh Unveils 30mm Chaingun JLTV For Army Recon

Gun Truck: Oshkosh Unveils 30mm Chaingun JLTV For Army Recon
Gun Truck: Oshkosh Unveils 30mm Chaingun JLTV For Army Recon

After a summer of speculation and anticipation, truck maker Oshkosh is rolling out the much-awaited upgunned variant of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, meant to scout ahead of Army infantry. While Oshkosh didn’t confirm or deny they were going for the Army’s Light Reconnaissance Vehicle requirement with this upgrade, it’s an extremely open secret. Adding a…

Lockheed Drops JLTV Suit; DOT&E Knocks Reliability

Lockheed Drops JLTV Suit; DOT&E Knocks Reliability
Lockheed Drops JLTV Suit; DOT&E Knocks Reliability

WASHINGTON: Lockheed Martin just dropped its suit against the government for awarding the giant Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract to truck-maker Oshkosh. Why now? “After careful deliberation, Lockheed Martin has withdrawn its protest of the JLTV contract award decision in the Court of Federal Claims” was all the company would say. But it turns out…

JLTV: Lockheed Set To Sue Gov’t Over Withheld Documents

JLTV: Lockheed Set To Sue Gov’t Over Withheld Documents
JLTV: Lockheed Set To Sue Gov’t Over Withheld Documents

WASHINGTON: The world’s largest arms maker, Lockheed Martin, is about to take the government to court over the contract to replace the Humvee. When the Army awarded the first 17,000 of a projected 55,000 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to Oshkosh in August, losing bidder Lockheed filed an administrative protest with the Government Accountability Office. But…

Oshkosh Readies To Resume JLTV: GAO Decides In December

Oshkosh Readies To Resume JLTV: GAO Decides In December
Oshkosh Readies To Resume JLTV: GAO Decides In December

Two weeks after the Army awarded the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract to Oshkosh, losing bidder Lockheed Martin filed a protest. With the potentially 55,000-vehicle JLTV program on hold until late December, when the Government Accountability Office makes its ruling, Oshkosh is doing everything it legally can to get ready to resume. The protest “is…

Lockheed Protests JLTV Award To Oshkosh; AM General Doesn’t

Lockheed Protests JLTV Award To Oshkosh; AM General Doesn’t
Lockheed Protests JLTV Award To Oshkosh; AM General Doesn’t

Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is protesting the Army’s award of the 55,000-truck Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program to rival Oshkosh. The other losing bidder, Humvee-maker AM General, announced today that it will not protest. Lockheed provided me the following statement after I asked them about the AM General announcement: “After evaluating the data provided at…

The 21st Century Jeep: JLTV Race Hits Final Stretch

The 21st Century Jeep: JLTV Race Hits Final Stretch
The 21st Century Jeep: JLTV Race Hits Final Stretch

WASHINGTON: “Go drive it, Sydney,” Heidi Shyu called out across a room. “I want you to go drive it. It’s awesome.” “It” is the JLTV, the Army and Marine Corps’ future Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, a $30 billion program for 55,000 vehicles. As the Army’s top acquisition official, Shyu will choose the winning contractor — –…

US Airborne, UK Paras Give Thumbs-Up On Light Vehicles

US Airborne, UK Paras Give Thumbs-Up On Light Vehicles
US Airborne, UK Paras Give Thumbs-Up On Light Vehicles

Red Falcons Further Integrate LTAVTThis week we caught up with Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, Red Falcons out deep in the Fort Bragg woods integrating the LTATV’s into the ranks. Posted by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division on Saturday, January 24, 2015 PENTAGON: As the Army explores buying…

Charge Of The Light Brigade: Army Seeks Air-Droppable Vehicles For Infantry

Charge Of The Light Brigade: Army Seeks Air-Droppable Vehicles For Infantry
Charge Of The Light Brigade: Army Seeks Air-Droppable Vehicles For Infantry

You are reading the first of three in-depth stories on the future of US land forces and their new combat vehicles.  In this first piece, Sydney details what the Army wants in its new air-droppable vehicles for the oft-outgunned light forces who are first to the fight. The next two stories will explore the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV),…