Directorate works to replace up-armored Humvees
The Agile Combat Support Directorate is working with the Department of the Army to field the Departmentof Defense replacement for up-armoredHighMobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, better known as Humvees.
Through an Army contract with theOshkoshCorp., the directorate’s Support Equipment & Vehicles Division, in partnership with the 441st Vehicle Support Chain Operation Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, plan to acquire and field approximately 3,230 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles startingin2021. Developedby the Army based on the U.S. experience fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the JLTV is considered amajor upgrade from Humvees currently in the field. It’s designed to achieve operational objectives in performance, payload and protection against adversaries and provide better protection against improvised explosive devices.
“The JLTV is much more capable than the Humvee,” said Al Bello, chief of the division’sMobility and Vehicles Branch, which oversees the JLTV Integrated Product Team leading the replacement effort. “Besides the technological advances, the ride and comfort of the vehicle is so much better, especially when you are going over uneven terrain. A ride in aHumvee can be very jarring, but this [ JLTV] has an independent suspension, increased power with GeneralMotors power and drivetrains, and overall is just a better vehicle due to evolving
technology.”
While the Air Force has bothup-armoredandnon-armoredHumvees, this effort is currently focused on replacing up-armored Humvees.
The directorate is acquiring three different JLTV variants including a general-purpose vehicle, utility vehicle and a heavy guns carrier vehicle.
“The functional mission determines the vehicle variant and configuration,” said Bello.
For instance, due to their unique mission and requirements, Security Forces, Tactical Air Control Party, Special Tactics and Explosive
Ordnance Disposal professionals will all have different configurations.
The newvehicles will start coming off the production line in January 2021. From there they will be sent to the Naval InformationWarfare Center located in North Charleston, South Carolina, for the installation ofmission specific equipment. Providing there are no equipment delays, the vehicles will then be fielded to Air Force units starting around September 2021.
“This is a long-term program, and we’ll be buying [ JLTVs] through possibly 2045,” saidBello. “There are
a lot of Humvees out there that are still in good shape. We’ll replace approximately 125-150peryear throughattrition.”
Bello added that his team ismotivated by the fact that the JLTV will make a difference in the field.
“It’s important to protect our warfighters in the field and ensure they have the best equipment to do the mission,” Bello said. “The Humveewaspurchasedyears ago, itwas a goodvehicleand served its purpose, but technology has improved and for us, it’s all about getting the best equipment into the hands of the warfighter.”