Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles (JLTV) program was developed in response to an operational need to replace the aging High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) fleet. The JLTV would restore or exceed the original HMMWV mobility and payload capabilities, maintain most of its transportability capabilities, while raising its survivability and protection capabilities and improving its sustainability.
The long term objective of the JLTV was to equip the MAGTF's combat arms, combat support, and combat service support forces with a high level of scalable protection, improved sustainment, and net-ready maneuver platforms that were strategically and operationally transportable, and tactical mobile across all terrain.
The JLTV family would include multiple Mission Role Variants (MRVs) sharing common major components for a high degree of materiel interoperability across the services. Those MRVs include the Long Range Surveillance (LRS) Variant for reconnaissance forces, the Combat Tactical Vehicle (CTV) and the Utility Variant (UVL), each in multiple configurations tailored for unique mission tasks. Planned as an evolutionary environmentally friendly acquisition program, improved force protection and fuel efficiency goals were established.
The initial production of JLTVs would provide the MAGTF Commander a family of tactical wheeled vehicles capable of providing combat forces protected, sustained, and netted mobility in irregular warfare operations and enhancing its contribution to the integrated Joint Task Force (JTF).
The Marine Corps established an initial increment of 5500 vehicles with an Initial Operations Capability of 2012. Future increments were planned to expand both the number of mission tasks JLTV would support, and the capability of each vehicle, achieved through technology insertion goals correlated to technology maturity and readiness levels. The JLTV Initial Capabilities Document received Joint Requirements Oversight Council approval in late 2006. The Capability Development Document was scheduled for Joint Staff review in March 2007, with a Milestone B decision expected in November 2007.
By 2008, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Family of Vehicles (FoV) was described as a joint pre-MDAP program currently for the Army and Marine Corps. The JLTV goal was a family of vehicles with companion trailers capable of performing multiple mission roles that would be designed to provide protected, sustained, networked mobility for personnel and payloads across the full Range of Military Operations (ROMO). JLTV objectives included increased protection and performance over the current fleet, minimizing ownership costs by maximizing commonality, fuel efficiency and other means, and maintaining effective competition throughout the lifecycle.
The JLTV FoV had been greatly expanded to include a total of ten (10) sub-configurations (and companion trailers) in three payload categories. However in the System Design and Development phase it was noted that a single vehicle and/or trailer could potentially fulfill the requirements for multiple sub-configurations. Commonality of components, maintenance procedures, training, etc between vehicles and trailers was expected to be inherent in FoV solutions within and across Payload Categories to minimize FoV total ownership cost. Unique service requirements were minimized.
