JLTV Programme Hit by Short-Term Delay

The downselect of winning contenders for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the US Department of Defense's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme has been postponed by a month, according to industry sources.


It has emerged that a recent advance planning brief for industry (APBI) with the US Marine Corps regarding the programme has seen a final selection for the EMD phase delayed by approximately one month. A decision is now expected in July, sources told Shephard.

The JLTV programme is designed to provide the US Army and USMC with 50,000 vehicles. The requirement is being handled by the army's Program Executive Office for Combat Support and Combat Service Support.


In March, a number of companies submitted bids for the programme including Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems; Oshkosh Defense; BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman; AM General and General Dynamics Land Systems.


Up to three winning parties could receive an EMD contract which outlines a requirement for 22 prototype vehicles. A milestone C decision is still expected next year with a single party expected to be selected for low rate initial production in 2015.

Meanwhile, Navistar exhibited an 'international' variant of Saratoga- its offering for the JLTV programme at the Special Operations Forces Exhibition (SOFEX) in Jordan, Amman today. Describing how the vehicle was on display for the first time outside the US, MacArevey said the company was 'prospecting interest' in the region.


The company already retains a foothold in the area with Jordan Armed Forces operating approximately one hundred MaxxPro MRAP vehicles.

The 'International' Saratoga variant is based on the MaxxForce chassis and runs on a V8 engine. With an all-up-weight of 22,000lbs, the international version is a 'few thousand pounds' heavier than the lightened platform which Navistar modified for the JLTV requirement.