Army orders additional Joint Light Tactical Vehicles

Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Oshkosh Defense has received an order worth more than $195 million from the U.S. Army under the Joint light Tactical Vehicle program.

The order -- the fifth JLTV buy since 2015 -- is for 748 vehicles and 2,359 installed and packaged kits.

"Soldiers and Marines need a reliable, transportable, and protected mobility solution that balances payload, protection, and performance," Dave Diersen, Oshkosh Defense vice president and general manager of Joint Programs, said in a press release. "The Oshkosh JLTV is that solution."

The JLTV program is currently in Low Rate Initial Production with testing and evaluations being conducted. It is anticipated it will receive a Full Rate Production decision in fiscal year 2019. The first Army unit is expected to be equipped with the vehicle by the middle of that year.

Army and Marine Corps Initial Operating Capability is expected for the vehicles in early fiscal year 2020.

Ohkosh's modularly designed JLTV, which will partially replace the Humvee, is one-third smaller, one-third lighter and 70 percent faster than Oshkosh's MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle