Photo By Sgt. Adwin Esters | The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is showcased for Marines after an executive brief at...... read more read more
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The Humvee has served the U.S. armed forces for over three decades and its successor, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, is finally finding it’s new home with the Marine Corps Reserve.
The JLTV, which is manufactured by tactical vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense, was designed to offer protection levels greater than those of up-armored Humvee’s and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected designs but in a considerably smaller and lighter package.
Andrew Rogers, program manager with Light Tactical Vehicles, and his team conduct an annual roadshow for different units slated to receive the tactical vehicle, showcasing to them all the capabilities of the JLTV.
“During 2017 we traveled to I MEF, II MEF, III MEF and Logistics Command which was two years prior to them receiving their vehicles,” said Rogers. “This year we are bringing in Marine Forces Reserve who are three years out [from receiving the JLTV] and we will return for the next two consecutive years to make sure MFR is knowledgeable about what they are going to get.”
Out of the Marine Corps’ first order of over 5000 JLTVs, roughly 130 will be fielded to Marine Forces Reserve in 2021, while the active component can expect to see them within their units as early as the beginning of 2019, explains Rogers.
“By the end of 2021 we should see them in use in Reserve units across the country,” said Rogers.
The JLTV program is a joint service program primarily led by the Army in cooperation with the Marine Corps and United States Special Operations command to replace a percentage of Humvees in the fleet of light armored vehicles across each military branch Reserve force.
Transportability is a key JLTV requirement. The JLTV has an electronic adjustable height suspension that allows the vehicle to ‘squat’ to fit in restricted height spaces on amphibious warfare ships and the ability to be raised to traverse difficult terrain while carrying armor and payload.
The JLTV also has comparable off-road performance, acceleration and speed to the Humvee and is air transportable connecting externally via helicopter or riding internally via cargo plane.
“[The JLTV] is a game changer for everybody,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brian Brooksby, a motor transportation maintenance officer with the Light Tactical Vehicles team. “This is an infantryman’s truck. It will be motor transportation operated but it’s built with the warfighter in mind.”
The transition to the new tactical vehicle will be done systematically over a several decade timeframe due to the Humvee’s long operational lifespan, the 1:1 rate of replacement and the overall time it takes to build, disperse and integrate the JLTV into the fleet in best condition are redistributed and the most worn are retired.
“The Marines currently have approximately 20,000 Humvees still in operation. They will most likely still be in service for another 20 years before being fully transitioned out,” said Rogers. “The last person to operate a Humvee in a combat situation has not been born yet.”
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2018 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 269048 |
| Location: | NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 690 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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