Army Issues Request For Proposal for Joint Light Tactical Vehicle

US Army, WARREN, MI: A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued by the U.S. Army today for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Family of Vehicles (FOV). JLTV is a Joint U.S. Army/U.S. Marine Corps program with the U.S. Army designated as the lead service. 
 
“The RFP is an invitation for suppliers, through an open bidding process, to submit proposals for Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Family of Vehicles (JLTVs),” said Brigadier General John R. Bartley, Program Executive Officer Combat Support & Combat Service Support (PEO CS & CSS), located at Warren, Mich. 
 
JLTV will consist of a family of vehicles with companion trailers capable of performing multiple mission roles that will be designed to provide protected, sustained, networked mobility for personnel and payloads across the full Range of Military Operations (ROMO). 
 
“Commonality of capabilities will be the hallmark of JLTV, a future replacement for some portion of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) for the Army, consisting of 10 sub-configurations in three different payload categories,” said Bartley. 
 
“This is the culmination of over two years of effort on projects which laid the foundation for the JLTV such as the Army's Future Tactical Truck System Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration and the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator,” added the Project Manager for Joint Combat Support Systems Army Colonel John Myers. 
 
“This Request for Proposal represents a significant milestone in the JLTV program as JLTV will address capability gaps defined for the light forces. The JLTV will regain the balance between payload, protection and performance, commonly referred to as the 'Iron Triangle,' while maintaining transportability” stated Lieutenant Colonel Wolfgang Petermann, JLTV Product Manager for the U.S. Army located at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. 
 
“JLTV will replace all the HMMWVs for the Marine Corps and will be the centerpiece of the light tactical wheeled vehicle fleet as part of the tactical mobility triad to maintain our expeditionary capability,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ben Garza, JLTV Program Manager for the U.S. Marine Corps located at Quantico, Va. 
 
JLTV provides a vehicle platform which will utilize, to the maximum degree possible, solutions and technology being developed in the Army's Future Combat Systems program, the Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center, the Army Research Lab, and the Office of Naval Research as well as commercial industry advances. The JLTV FoV will be used by, but not limited to, the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Foreign governments have also expressed an interest in joining the development of the vehicles. 
 
The JLTV will enhance light tactical mobility for combat arms, combat support, combat service support and long range reconnaissance forces by providing the following characteristics: 
 
— Protection: Scalable armor to provide mission flexibility while protecting the force. 
— Sustainment: Reliable, maintainable, maximum commonality across mission role variants, onboard and exportable power, and reduced fuel consumption while accounting for added armor protection. 
— Networking: Connectivity for improved Battlespace Awareness (BA) and responsive, well-integrated Command and Control (C2) for embarked forces. 
— Transportability: Transportable by a range of lift assets, including rotary wing aircraft, to support concepts across the Range of Military Operations (ROMO). 
— Mobility: Maneuverability to enable operations across the spectrum of terrain, including urban areas. 
— Commonality: Designed for commonality beyond major components, to include repair parts, tools, training, system design, maintenance procedures and sources of supply. 
 
Following submission of proposals, the Government will convene an evaluation board, comprised of subject matter experts from across the Department of Defense, to review the industry proposals. The Government desires to make three contract awards in July 2008 for the planned 27-month Technology Development Phase wherein the JLTV prototypes will be developed and tested. 
 
A System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase beginning in 2011 is currently planned for the JLTV.