Heavy-duty hauler pushes limits of truck technology.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.

The Marine Corps is expected to buy more than 1,000 heavy trucks to replace its aging fleet of battlefield resupply vehicles. Industry officials await a formal solicitation, scheduled to be released this month.

The program, called the Logistics Vehicle System Replacement, has been funded in the Marine Corps' fiscal 2003 budget. The spending plan includes nearly $25 million between 2003 and 2005. The Corps would like to have the LVSR truck in the fleet by 2007. Up to 1,200 vehicles could be purchased.

The LVSR is a heavy tactical transport vehicle for bulk liquids, ammunition, ISO containers up to 20 feet in length, tactical bridges and bulk cargo. This vehicle also would perform wrecker and recovery duties and tow semi-trailers carrying heavy-oversized equipment.

The Marines already have an LVSR prototype, which they call a "technology demonstrator," but they will not expect the final vehicle to look exactly like the demonstrator, said Lt. Col. Tom Manley, who manages tactical wheeled vehicle programs at the Marine Corps Systems Command.

The demonstrator is an existing LVS, upgraded with advanced technologies from the commercial trucking and automotive industry. The vehicle was built and tested at the Nevada Automotive Test Center and recently relocated to the Quantico Marine base, in Virginia, for more testing.

The contractors competing for the LVSR program will receive "performance specifications," but will not be instructed on how to build the vehicle, Manley told National Defense. "The technology demonstrator only shows the realm of the possible. It does not mean the vehicle has to look exactly like the demonstrator."

Only a year ago, the LVSR program was in budgetary limbo. But in recent months, it appears that delays in the Marine Corps' V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft and next-generation amphibious vehicle programs freed up dollars for LVSR, said an industry source. Truck manufacturers are speculating that, if the program gets going this year, production could begin in 2005, with orders of up to 120 vehicles per year.

The Corps eventually will retire 1,800 LVS vehicles, but will buy fewer replacements, because they are more capable, officials said.

Engineers and industry executives who are familiar with the LVSR demonstrator hail this vehicle as the epitome for how military trucks should be built.

"The Marines are leading the way in military trucks," because they pick and choose from the most advanced technology available in the automotive...