17.12.2015 Sergyi Way

The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) has directed Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) company, to resume work on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) production contract. The JLTV program fills a critical capability gap for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps by replacing a large portion of the legacy HMMWV fleet with a light vehicle that provides unprecedented protection, off-road mobility and transportability.

“We are pleased that the JLTV production contract, awarded to Oshkosh in August, is now moving forward to deliver the world’s most capable light tactical vehicle,” said U.S. Army Major General (Retired) John M. Urias, executive vice president of Oshkosh Corporation and president of Oshkosh Defense. “Our JLTV is designed to safely transport Soldiers and Marines as they perform their missions ‘outside the wire’ – providing unprecedented off-road speed and mobility on future battlefields that could be virtually anywhere in the world.”

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) dismissed Lockheed Martin’s protest earlier today based on Lockheed’s notice that it intends to file a protest in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Army lifted the stop work order and instructed Oshkosh to resume performance of the JLTV contract. According to the JLTV production contract, Oshkosh will begin delivering vehicles within the next 10 months, reaching an expected total volume of nearly 17,000 vehicles, as well as kits and sustainment services over an eight-year period.

“The Army conducted a thorough, methodical procurement including exhaustive testing and evaluation to ensure our troops get the best vehicle,” said Urias. “The Oshkosh team and our employees will immediately resume work to deliver JLTVs to our Soldiers and Marines.

“The JLTV program fills a critical gap in the U.S. military’s current tactical vehicle line-up,” said Urias. “The Oshkosh JLTV will give our troops new levels of payload, performance and protection in a platform that was engineered to evolve as new technologies emerge and our adversaries’ tactics change.”

In designing its JLTV, Oshkosh leveraged its extensive experience producing and sustaining more than 150,000 heavy, medium and protected MRAP vehicles for the U.S. and its allies. The JLTV Family of Vehicles is comprised of two seat and four seat variants, as well as a companion trailer (JLTV-T). The two seat variant has one base vehicle platform, the Utility (JLTV-UTL). The four seat variant has two base vehicle platforms, the General Purpose (JLTV-GP) and the Close Combat Weapons Carrier (JLTV-CCWC).

13.07.2014 Oshkosh

OSHKOSH, Wis. -- Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), reached a milestone in the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program by completing Net-Ready testing with the Oshkosh Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV).

“We are pleased that our JLTV has demonstrated its capability to transfer critical data from onboard systems to external networks during this testing and evaluation process,” said U.S. Marine Corps Colonel (Retired), John Bryant, senior vice president, Defense Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “This is another important milestone in what has been an exemplary procurement program by the DoD, which will provide the protection and mobility our service men and women need for future missions.”

A core element in developing the next-generation light vehicle is fully supporting the execution of operational activities and information exchanges identified in DoD Enterprise Architecture, while satisfying the JLTV’s technical requirements for the transition to Net-Centric military operations. Oshkosh recently completed this testing at the Electronic Proving Grounds at Fort Huachuca, Arizona – the United States Army’s developmental test center for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber and Intelligence (C5I) capabilities.

Oshkosh Defense has successfully completed every milestone to date throughout the JLTV program’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, including the design understanding review, manufacturing readiness review and on-time delivery of 22 prototype vehicles 12 months after the start of the EMD phase. As an Original Equipment Manufacturer, Oshkosh has an in-house team of C4ISR experts who designed the C4ISR solution for the fully integrated JLTV EMD prototype vehicles it has delivered for the program.

Oshkosh is providing vehicle training and support throughout the 14 months of robust military testing during the EMD phase. The JLTV is expected to fill a significant capability gap that exists between larger MRAP vehicles and the aging High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) fleet.

Leveraging a 97-year history of innovation, Oshkosh has developed a state-of-the-art vehicle that redefines protection, extreme off-road mobility and the very meaning of the term “mission-ready.”

Dec 12, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) team successfully completed the government’s Manufacturing Readiness Assessment (MRA), an important milestone on the path to vehicle production at the company’s Camden, Ark., manufacturing complex.

The MRA, which measures manufacturing maturity and assesses technical risk, took place at Lockheed Martin’s Camden Operations on Nov. 18 and 19. In October, the company announced plans to produce the JLTV at the award-winning Camden facility, where program officials expect to gain significant production efficiencies and cost reductions.

Read more

Moving JLTV: Lockheed Martin will shift production of the JLTV to its Camden, Ark., facility after BAE Systems announced it would close its facility in Sealy, Texas. (Lockheed Martin)

Oct. 15, 2013 - By PAUL McLEARY – Defense News

WASHINGTON — In a surprise announcement with serious implications for the US Army’s ground vehicle industrial base, BAE Systems announced today that it is shuttering its Sealy, Texas, production facility by the end of June 2014.

A total of 325 employees will be put out of work between November and June, and some of the work being done at the facility will be moved to other BAE facilities, a spokesperson for the company said.

The facility at Sealy was focused on wheeled vehicle production. With orders having dried up for mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles and the family of medium tactical vehicles, and no new orders coming in, the company said it didn’t have enough work to keep the line open.

“We explored every possible option to maintain the viability of the facility, but the decline in US defense spending has made it necessary for us to continue rationalizing our business base,” said Erwin Bieber, president of BAE Systems Land & Armaments sector, in a statement. “This was a difficult decision, but it in no way reflects upon the hard work and commitment of the employees. We will do all we can to assist them during this difficult transition.”

The move has implications beyond BAE Systems. The company had an agreement with Lockheed Martin to manufacture Lockheed’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) at Sealy, but the company said that it will still provide the armored cabs, protection solutions and manufacturing expertise.

Lockheed said today that it is moving production of the JLTV to the company’s Camden, Ark., manufacturing facility.

In August, 22 JLTV prototypes left the Sealy line en route to the Army as part of the program’s Technology Development and Engineering and Manufacturing Development phases.

“BAE Systems remains committed to Lockheed Martin and our JLTV program,” Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Combat Vehicles for BAE Systems said in a statement.

Lockheed Martin’s Camden line has already produced gear such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ground vehicles.

BAE executives have been warning of layoffs for some time. During a tour of the company’s experimentation facility in Michigan in September, Signorelli expressed concern about the company’s manufacturing facility in York, Pa., as well. While the company has reached deals with the Army to keep the production line there humming through 2014, the work will run out about halfway through 2015.

“We mitigated the major risks in ‘14,” he said, but “we still can’t support the entire supply base. There will be layoffs.”

BAE Systems acquired the Sealy plant as part of its purchase of Armor Holdings in 2007.

August 28, 2013: Strategy Page

The U.S. Army recently received the first 66 prototypes of the JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle), which will eventually replace the current HMMWV vehicles. Three manufacturers (Lockheed, Oshkosh and AM General) each provided 22 versions of their interpretation of the design specification. The three JTLV designs all look like improvements on the HMMWV, which is basically what they are. AM General was behind the original HMMWV. The winner of the JLTV contract will be decided after two years of testing the 66 prototypes. These cost $2.73 million each but the production models will cost about a tenth of that, depending on options added. One of these designs will be the JLTV that will enter mass production with the army initially planning to obtain 20,000 vehicles initially and the marines 5,000. The army originally planned to buy at least 38,000 of the JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle), while the marines were going to buy about 14,000. That has been scaled back by budget cuts and changes in thinking about how common the “Iraq model” would be for future wars.

If and when the JLTV enters production it will be the end of an era. The HMMWV (“hum-V” or “hummer”) was an iconic and revolutionary vehicle, and the most innovative military transport to show up since World War II. About half the annual sales of HMMWV vehicles went to the U.S. Army, with the rest going to other branches of the American military, and foreign customers. Over 200,000 hummers have been produced so far, in dozens of variants and versions. The army will continue to use the hummer for a decade or more after the JLTV enters service, but the unique vehicle design is now beginning to fade away.

The seven ton JLTV, which replaces the 2.4 ton HMMWV and the weight difference is the result of the JLTV being more robust and better protected. The hummer had itself replaced the 1.1 ton jeep and the 3 ton M37 "3/4 ton" truck in the 1980s. The JLTV marks a notable design direction for tactical vehicles. The JLTV is designed to absorb combat damage, and be quickly equipped with two different armor kits. In effect, the World War II concept of the unarmored light vehicle for moving men and material around the battlefield has been radically changed.

This began in Iraq, where it was demonstrated that you can fight your way through a hostile population on a regular basis and defeat a guerilla force constantly attacking your tactical and logistical vehicles. This has never worked before but it worked this time, in part because U.S. troops promptly armored their hummers and trucks, and quickly developed "road warrior" tactics that defeated roadside and suicide bombs. Even though these bombs created a lot of American casualties, the American casualty rate was a third of what it was in Vietnam and World War II. This was in large part because of the armored hummers and trucks. Few people outside the military noted this event, a watershed moment in military history. But it was recognized within the military, and produced this sharp shift in design philosophy for tactical trucks, and the result is the JLTV.

The U.S. Army began replacing the World War II era vehicles with the HMMWV (humvee or "hummer") in 1985. This was the first new unarmored combat vehicle design since World War II (when the jeep and ¾ ton truck was introduced), and was expected to last for three decades or more. But that plan changed once Iraq was invaded. As expected, hummers wore out a lot more quickly (in five years) in combat, than during peacetime use (14 years). So the army and marines began developing, ahead of schedule, a new vehicle to supplement the hummer in combat zones.

In addition to being built to better survive mines and roadside bombs, the JLTV will be able to generate 30 kw of electricity (for operating all the new electronic gear, and recharging batteries), have an automatic fire extinguishing system and jam-resistant doors. Like the hummer, JLTV will be easy to reconfigure, for everything from a four seat, armed scout vehicle, to an ambulance, command vehicle or cargo or troop transport.

The hummer will continue to be used outside of the combat zone, where most troops spend most of their time. But the JLTV will be built to better handle the beating vehicles take in the combat zone, including a design that enables troops to quickly slide in armor and Kevlar panels to make the vehicles bullet and blast proof.

15.06.2013 Oshkosh - army-guide.com

OSHKOSH, Wis. -- The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, a contract for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program’s Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase. The JLTV program aims to replace many of the U.S. military’s aged HMMWVs with a lightweight vehicle that offers greater protection, mobility and transportability.

“The JLTV program is critical to supporting our troops who stand in harm’s way and deserve the best equipment that industry can provide,” said John Urias, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Oshkosh Defense. “The Oshkosh JLTV solution will allow the Army and Marine Corps to provide unprecedented levels of protection and off-road mobility in a light vehicle – so that their troops can accomplish their missions and return home safely.”

JLTV is managed by the Joint U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps program, under the leadership of the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office for Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS). Under the contract, Oshkosh will deliver 22 Oshkosh-designed and manufactured JLTV prototypes within 365 days of contract award, and support government testing and evaluation of the prototypes.

Since 2006, Oshkosh has invested significantly in independent R&D to develop its JLTV solution. Oshkosh employed a generational product development approach that aligned to rapidly evolving technical requirements. As a result, the Oshkosh JLTV delivers the latest automotive technologies, an advanced crew protection system, and a next generation TAK-4i™ independent suspension system to achieve JLTV performance at an affordable price. The Oshkosh JLTV is fully tested, ready for initial production, and meets or exceeds the requirements of the JLTV program.

“The Oshkosh JLTV solution was designed with a purpose – to keep Warfighters safe on future battlefields with unpredictable terrain, tactics, and threats,” said John Bryant, vice president and general manager of Joint and Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Oshkosh has a 90-year history of delivering high quality military vehicle programs on-time and on-budget, and our JLTV program is no exception. We understand how critical this light, protected, off-road vehicle will be to Warfighters.”

The Oshkosh JLTV solution, called the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle, or L-ATV, offers an advanced crew protection system that has been extensively tested and is proven to optimize crew survivability. The L-ATV can accept multiple armor configurations, which allows the vehicle to adapt easily to changing operational requirements. The L-ATV also applies the Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent independent-suspension system to provide significantly faster speeds when operating off-road, which can be critical to troops’ safety.

Oshkosh Defense has an unwavering commitment to the men and women who serve our nation. Notably, Oshkosh was awarded the M-ATV contract in June 2009 on an urgent needs basis. Oshkosh ramped up production at a historical pace – delivering 1,000 vehicles per month within six months. Oshkosh delivered more than 8,700 M-ATVs, most of which were deployed in Afghanistan and are credited for saving thousands of troops’ lives.

“Oshkosh’s M-ATV is the only vehicle in the combat theater in Afghanistan performing the JLTV’s mission profile,” said Bryant. “We delivered more than 8,700 M-ATV’s on-time and on-budget, and Oshkosh will bring the same level of commitment to the JLTV program.”

15/05/2013 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

Le leader mondial de la conception et de la fabrication de batteries de haute technologie pour l'industrie a remporté le contrat avec Lockheed Martin pour la fourniture de systèmes de batteries Li‐ion e6T pour le programme Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).

Saft a réussi un très joli coup aux Etats-Unis. Il pourrait être à terme un coup de maître si son partenaire Lockheed Martin remporte le contrat final. Pour l'heure, le leader mondial de la conception et de la fabrication de batteries de haute technologie pour l'industrie a remporté le contrat avec le leader mondial dans le domaine de la défense, Lockheed Martin, pour la fourniture de systèmes de batteries Li‐ion e6T pour la phase d'industrialisation et de fabrication des pré‐séries du programme Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Outre Lockheed Martin, le fabricant des célèbres Hummer et Humvee, AM General, et Oshkosh Defense représentent les deux équipes de développement concurrentes. Si Lockheed Martin est sélectionnée, Saft pourrait fabriquer des batteries e6T pour la production du programme JLTV au cours des huit prochaines années.

L'armée américaine prévoit d'acquérir environ 49.000 JLTV et les Marines 5.500 exemplaires, qui devront être livrés à partir de 2015. Le coût  de ce véhicule est d'environ 250,000 dollars (194.000 euros). Ce programme produira toute une gamme de véhicules capable d'assurer de multiples fonctions lors d'une mission. Ces véhicules seront conçus pour fournir une protection, un soutien et une mobilité en réseau. Les objectifs de ce programme sont de fournir une protection et une performance supérieures à la flotte existante, de minimiser le coût d'exploitation en optimisant les synergies, l'efficacité énergétique, la fiabilité afin d'assurer une performance compétitive durant le cycle de vie complet.

59 batteries livrées à Lockheed Martin

Le système de batteries Li‐ion e6T de Saft est conçu avec des matériaux légers et offre les dimensions d'une batterie au plomb classique, ce qui permet une intégration optimale dans le véhicule. Par ailleurs, le système fournit l'énergie pour le démarrage, l'éclairage et l'allumage, ainsi que pour les missions de

surveillance silencieuse, tout en offrant la puissance nécessaire à la recharge d'appareils électroniques tels que les viseurs de nuit et les systèmes GPS. La batterie 25.5V dispose d'une technologie de communication CANBus qui relaie des informations indispensables telles que l'état de charge de la batterie, la tension et la température des éléments ainsi que les diagnostics de la batterie.

Saft livrera au total 59 batteries à Lockheed Martin pour équiper les 22 véhicules prototypes durant les 33 mois de la phase d'industrialisation. Cette phase sera suivie d'une sélection finale qui se conclura par la signature d'un contrat de production en 2015. La phase d'industrialisation et de fabrication des pré‐séries du contrat prévoit une livraison des systèmes batteries par Saft en 2013. Le programme JLTV permet à Saft de confirmer les capacités de fonctionnement de son système batterie e6T sans maintenance pour les véhicules militaires terrestres déjà démontrées dans le programme IBS (Système Batterie Amélioré) du Corps des Marines. « Travailler sur le programme JLTV avec Lockheed Martin nous offre une opportunité unique de continuer à fournir les solutions les plus puissantes à l'armée américaine » a estimé le directeur général de la division Specialty Battery Group de Saft, Thomas Alcide.