News

2019-12-05

JLTV to the Rescue

The United States military has started replacing the ageing Humvee with Oshkosh’s faster, smarter and safer Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The 340-horsepower vehicle has been arriving to American military bases since early this year and has already started making a strong impression. The truck can withstand any type of rough terrain and automatically levels itself when parked, so that troops can easily open its 400-pound steel doors.

Plus, the JLTV is brimming with new features. For instance, it comes with a backup camera, phone-charging plugs, and two cup holders. Comfort is one of the central tenets of the truck as its seats are adjustable and have been designed to fit the bulky body armour and soldiers’ backpacks. It also features air conditioning.

The JLTV provides small arms and ballistics protection. With an add-on B kit, the vehicle achieves MRAP levels of protection. Weighing less than 6,350 kg (14,000 lbs) at curb weight, it is highly transportable while maintaining its protection and performance. The JLTV can be air transported internally by a C-130, C-5 and C-17, or externally by CH-47 and CH-53.

The vehicle boasts the latest technology such as electronics that can communicate with fighter jets, drones and other military assets around the world. In place of a sun visor mounted above the thick blast-resistant windshield, the JLTV has a fold-down night-vision driving system. The JLTV’s onboard computer also records and reports operations being carried out.

Additionally, if the truck detects any issues such as mechanical problems, it can limit its speed or shut itself down if necessary. It also has a combat override switch that the driver can use to take control away from the computer.

Suitable Successor

In January, the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Armoured Brigade Combat Team began to train operators and maintainers on the first shipment of JLTVs a few months after its nine-month rotation on the Korean Peninsula.

The unit is set to receive about 350 JLTVs, which soldiers will then use in the California desert as part of a National Training Centre rotation early next year before an upcoming deployment.

While Humvee, the all-purpose military truck, proved its mettle in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was time to find its replacement. The light troop and equipment mover with no armour was a mainstay for use behind the front lines. But they proved to be an easy target for roadside bomb attacks. And even though the Humvee was upgraded to be fitted with up to 3,000 pounds of hardened steel, the results were not desirable, as the extra weight made the trucks slow and prone to breakdowns.

Unique Features

This is where the JLTV came into the picture. It offers many comforts not typically seen in other tactical vehicles. Besides its smooth ride, other comforts include extra legroom, electronic mirrors, map reading lights and climate control for the rear seats. Indentations in the seats also allow for added comfort for those wearing personal water carriers on their backs.

Similar to a touchscreen computer found in a newer car, a driver's smart display unit on the centre console monitors the vehicle's fluids, filters, tire air pressure and even has a rearview camera. The smart display could make it easier for a mechanic when specific fault codes pop up on the screen as part of its self-diagnosis capability.

Another unique feature is the electronic adjustable height suspension. The vehicle can lower to 8 inches from its exhaust to the ground for transport purposes. The vehicle can hitch itself up on its shock absorbers until it has around 30 inches of ground clearance when driven over difficult terrain, such as a waterway crossing. Furthermore, in this mode, the air conditioning and much of the electrical system automatically shut off in order to protect the crew and limits its speed until the mode is switched off.

Due to its lighter weight than most tactical vehicles, the JLTV can even be sling loaded by a CH-47 Chinook, unlike a similar vehicle, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle, or M-ATV. The suspension system can also lower or raise the JLTV on one end, giving soldiers another option in combat.

During a reconnaissance mission, for instance, the vehicle could be hidden behind a berm and then elevated on one or both sides to allow the gunner to see over.

The JLTV represents a drastic improvement in the so-called "iron triangle" balance of protection, payload and performance. Not only does it have a maximum speed of 75 mph, it has greater protection and payload capacity than the Humvee. It is also one-third lighter with a similar payload to that of the M-ATV, as well as the first vehicle to be purpose-built for battlefield networks.

Future plans are to procure over 49,099 JLTVs for the U.S. Army and about 15,390 for the Marine Corps by the mid-2030s, as part of a joint acquisition effort. The production schedule was shortened from the early 2040s after both services were able to obtain a vehicle with more capability at a lower cost through competitive prototyping, a nearly US$6 billion reduction in planned costs.

Comments () Views (10394 ) Print

Send To Friend