DSEI 2011: Oshkosh readies L-ATV for launch

Oshkosh Defense plans to unveil its new Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV) at the AUSA exhibition in Washington DC in October as it positions the vehicle for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme.

Speaking at the DSEi exhibition in London, Kenneth Juergens, Oshkosh Defense vice president and general manager for joint programmes told Shephard that the company had incorporated elements of its MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) platform into the L-ATV design to bring cost savings through commonality.

‘It is a lighter vehicle than the M-ATV. In terms of JLTV it meets or exceeds the requirements for price, range and performance. We have already done 24,000 testing miles and are looking forward to unveiling it at AUSA,’ Juergens said.

While it emerged earlier this week that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee of Defense has recommended the termination of the JLTV project is its markup of the 2012 defence budget, Juergens echoed other executives at DSEi in being outwardly confident of its survival.

‘We are still expecting a draft RfP sometime in October and a full RfP to come out in January. This is a key programme for the army and the marine corps and they really want this to proceed,’ Juergens said.

L-ATV incorporates the Oshkosh TAK-4i independent suspension system - an evolution of the system in the larger M-ATV - which uses proprietary technology to deliver 20 inches of independent wheel travel. The company claims this is 25% more wheel travel than any vehicle in the US military’s fleets.

The vehicle’s armoured capsule has been designed to be scalable and allows for a range of long-term upgrades.

Juergens said an optional Oshkosh ProPulse diesel-electric hybrid powertrain had been developed and tested on the vehicle.

Meanwhile, the company used DSEi to display an ambulance version of its M-ATV, which takes a range of litters and the all-mechanical design allows the loading of two patients in two minutes. A floating floor also provides more protection in the event of an IED attack.

Also on display was a soft-skin cab version of its Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) truck, which can be offered to export customers without any ITAR restrictions.