U.S. Army Reaffirms JLTV CommitmentThe U.S. Army released its new tactical wheeled vehicle plan Oct. 25, reaffirming that it will fill one-third of its light-vehicle requirements with Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs).
https://defensenews.com/blogs/ausa/2010/10/26/u-s-army-reaffirms-jltv-commitment/
Officials admit that the JLTVs are costly; the estimated price tag is more than $300,000 apiece, and that’s before equipping them with combat systems.
But the per-vehicle price is also less than that for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, which can cost from $430,000 to $900,000 apiece.
For now, the Marine Corps remains officially committed to the program, although officials have openly questioned the vehicle’s weight and, more recently, its cost.
Under the plan, dubbed “The Army Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Strategy,” the A variant will make up 70 percent of the Army’s JLTVs; the heavier C variant, 25 percent; and the command-and-control B variant, 5 percent.
The next major decision point is milestone B, set for late 2011. A unit will be equipped with JLTVs in late 2016. The Army expects to be buying the vehicles beyond 2025, although the rate will depend on year-to-year funding.
The service envisions a fleet with three levels of armor: unarmored, B-kits/fragmentation kits and MRAP/JLTV.
“This strategy purposely moves slowly to increase armor-level objectives for the reasons of both cost and the rate of improvement in armor and other protection enhancements,” the plan says.
The Army is also looking into rehabbing Humvees.
“The Army will solicit industry to see what options exist for competitive recapitalization of HMMWVs to improve protection while sustaining or improving automotive performance,” the plan says.
It also says budget expectations will force the Army to shrink its tactical wheeled vehicle fleet. The need for more armor, and the modifications to support the weight, have made trucks more expensive in the last several years. Humvees originally cost $70,000, but the up-armored variant now costs more than $160,000, and more than $220,000 with fragmentation kits.
The plan calls for taking advantage of the deployment cycle, equipping the units who most need the vehicles first. This means there will be fewer available for units in reset or training, and the plan directs the Army Training and Doctrine Command to study whether the generating force or other non-deploying parts of the force can use less expensive non-tactical commercial vehicles instead.
The Army document says the plan contains “significant challenges and risks.” First, if procurement funding is less than forecast, the Army will not be able to afford this plan and will be forced to make further difficult choices. The strategy also relies on the Army being able to get the right vehicle to the right place at the right time.