Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, successfully demonstrated its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) prototypes at an event hosted by the U.S. JLTV Joint Program Office in Quantico, Virginia.

During the demonstration, the Oshkosh JLTV prototypes completed the military’s severe off-road track (SORT) without fail, allowing military and congressional leaders to observe and experience a new generation of light vehicle mobility and protection.

“Experience has taught us that the very nature of warfare has changed – and the JLTV program is addressing the fact that our troops need a light, protected vehicle that can perform on any number of future battlefields with unpredictable conditions and threats,” said John Bryant, Senior Vice President of Defense Programs for Oshkosh Defense.  

“The military SORT simulated difficult conditions and allowed Oshkosh to demonstrate our vehicle’s exceptional power and agility while maneuvering steep inclines, hairpin turns and rugged terrain,” he added.

As a participant in the JLTV Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase, Oshkosh has completed manufacturing of its 22 JLTV prototypes – which were built on an active manufacturing line by a highly-skilled Oshkosh workforce using Lean processes and a proven quality management system.  The Oshkosh JLTV prototypes, which will be delivered to the government in August, include both the 4-door multi-purpose variant and the 2-door utility variant.

“The entire Oshkosh team – from engineering to supply chain to manufacturing – is absolutely committed to the JLTV program.  It was amazing to see the first JLTV prototype make its way down a warm assembly line, start right up and drive off the line - as if we’ve been making them for years,” said Bryant.  “Our truck’s performance at the JLTV demonstration reflects a deep commitment to our troops and a true understanding of the critical role this vehicle will play in protecting them.”

The Oshkosh JLTV solution, named the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV), delivers the latest automotive technologies and an advanced crew protection system to achieve JLTV performance at an affordable price.  The Oshkosh L-ATV meets or exceeds the current JLTV requirements –-with room for future growth.

Advanced Protection:  The L-ATV offers MRAP levels of protection built on an advanced, multi-faceted crew protection system capable of dispersing IED blasts while protecting the troops inside.  Based on extensive in-theater MRAP experience, L-ATV was designed to accept multiple armor configurations, which allows the vehicle to adapt easily to changing operational requirements.

Extreme Off-Road Mobility:  The L-ATV offers a proprietary Oshkosh TAK-4i™intelligent independent-suspension system to allow the vehicle to operate off-road at greater speeds, which can be critical to troops’ safety. The TAK-4i suspension provides 25 percent more independent wheel travel than other vehicles currently fielded with the military.  While traversing challenging terrain, TAK-4i absorbs the shock and vibrations while the crew capsule remains steady – providing troops a smoother ride and less travel fatigue.

Speed and Performance:  The L-ATV performs exceptionally well on steep inclines, deep desert sand and rugged terrain because of its state-of-the-art TAK-4iintelligent independent suspension system and digitally-controlled Duramax engine with exceptional power-to-weight ratio and torque.

Quality and Value:  The JLTV team at Oshkosh employed a formal, multi-generation new product development process including a manufacturing readiness phase that has fully prepared Oshkosh to move into low rate initial production today.  The Oshkosh L-ATV has undergone extensive testing to deliver a mature, reliable vehicle platform that is designed to optimize total lifecycle costs.