More ASVs to Combat Observation and Lasing Teams

Textron Marine & Land has been awarded a $58 million contract modification by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) to manufacture 82 additional Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) variants for the M1200 Armored Knight.

The M1200 Armored Knight is an ASV variant equipped with a sensor package that is used to locate and designate targets for indirect fire and laser guided weapons. The specially configured ASV is used by Field Artillery Combat Observation and Lasing Teams (COLT) to carry out its missions.

The ASV vehicle will be provided to DRS Technologies, the prime contractor for the Armored Knight responsible for the integration of the sensor and Mission Equipment Package. The total requirement for the program has been listed at 531 vehicles. In 2007, 19 vehicles were delivered to the customer and it is currently anticipated that 83 will be delivered in 2008 with the remainder to follow in 2009 and beyond.

Source and Photo: Textron

JLTV update

An RFP has been issued for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).

"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," Lt. Col. Ben Garza, JLTV program manager for the Marine Corps at Quantico, Va., said.

Like the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle will stress a commonality of capabilities and components. There are expected to be 10 sub-configurations in three different payload categories.

Sources: Various

Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Update

For over twenty years the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, HMMWV or "humvee", has been quite the success story. Thousands have been produced for the U.S. Armed Forces. More than a dozen variants were created from an ambulance to a TOW missile carrier. It even spawned the civilian Hummer.

The days of the HMMWV are, however, numbered. Like it's predecessor the Jeep, the HMMWV was designed for use behind the front lines. Times and the battlefront have changed. These vehicles were finding themselves confronted by heavy small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), IEDs and other threats they were never designed to face

In response the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program was launched. JLTV program is looking to procure an acceptable next-generation vehicle probably about half the size and price of an MRAP. Speed and mobility will be demanded in five variants: Reconnaissance; Utility; Combat/Tactical and C2. This means billions of dollars and this story will really begin to heat up with an expected RFP in February.

The most recent news on this front is an announced new partnership. Northrop Grumman has joined with Oshkosh Trucks to compete with Boeing/Textron, General Dynamics/Force Protection and Lockheed Martin/Armor Holdings (now part of BAE). Stay tuned.

Sources: Various