Oshkosh dangles JLTV bridge option for Marine Corps, but the deadline is looming
Delays at AM General to provide a new version of the JLTV to the Marines has led Oshkosh to step in with a solution.
Delays at AM General to provide a new version of the JLTV to the Marines has led Oshkosh to step in with a solution.
The Marine Corps didn’t provide specifics on why the service was possibly seeking another JLTV supplier, but told Breaking Defense in a statement that it "continuously evaluates acquisition options to ensure it can meet approved JLTV requirements, preserve readiness, and reduce fielding risk.”
The Israeli package includes 30 AH-64E Apache helicopters and, 3,250 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles.
The Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program is the Army’s first program of record for a new family of high-energy lasers.
Rep. Betty McCollum said she was “dismayed” to find out the Army did not consult with the Marine Corps prior to making its decision.
Northrop has developed a prototype of the new gun, completed a phase of "internal live firing" and plans on new live fire trials based off a 4x4 sized vehicle, "similar to a JLTV [Joint Light Tactical Vehicle]" type, in the "next six months," said a company representative.
A collection of photos from the ground at the 2024 Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium in Novi, Michigan.
The Army is pushing for companies to integrate lasers on JLTVs, while eyeing a future where ground robots don the directed energy weapons.
"One of the tasks for me, I would like to create a Lithuanian hedgehog, which could be so strong [that it would be] uncomfortable for bigger Russia to swallow," Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence, said today.
The service is looking for a “readily available” weapon for its smaller, lighter vehicles, that can hit targets at least 25 kilometers away.
After AM General won a new contract over incumbent Oshkosh Defense in February, Oshkosh filed a protest, saying it had "significant concerns" about the award process.
The Government Accountability Office will weigh in on the Army’s multi-billion decision by mid-June.
Meanwhile, the Army awaits word on whether Oshkosh Defense will protest multi-billion-dollar deal, potentially delaying the JLTV timeline.
“The Army succeeded in obtaining a lower cost than the independent government cost estimate through the recompete,” said Michael Sprang, the service’s JLTV project manager.