Interest grows in joint light tactical vehicle.

• Author: Harper, Jon
• Position: News Briefs

Orders for the joint light tactical vehicle could increase significantly in the coming years as interest grows among Defense Department customers and overseas allies, program officials and contractor representatives said at a recent demonstration at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

The vehicle, known as the JLTV, is expected to replace a portion of the Army and Marine Corps' Humvee fleets. Osh-kosh Defense has been selected as the prime contractor.

The Pentagon originally planned to buy about 55,000 at a projected cost of $23 billion. But Marine Corps leaders recently said they want to acquire about 9,100 vehicles, a 65 percent jump from the 5,500 they had sought to purchase.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"There have been formal discussions" about changing the requirement, said Andrew Rodgers, program manager for light tactical vehicles at PEO Land Systems Marine Corps, who is working with the JLTV joint program office.

"The [approved acquisition objective] remains at 5,500. But the commandant and the Marine Corps would like to increase their quantities over the next couple years. We're working our way up to 9,092 vehicles," he told reporters. Formal changes to the acquisition...