During an event yesterday to mark 50,000 miles of testing the Lockheed Martin / BAE Joint Light Tactical Vehicle in Owego, NY, a Syracuse TV crew apparently flipped the truck over on the test course:
The JLTV flipped while turning at the bottom of a hill and landed on its side. St. Clair, a photographer in the passenger seat and a Lockheed test driver riding in the back suffered minor injuries.
Earlier in the day I was part of a group of defense reporters—we left before the flip—who took the truck for a spin around the course, which was muddy from earlier rains and boasts some tight turns, inclines, and a 60 degree drop that I, ah, struggled with during my turn behind the wheel. But flipping the truck seems like it would really have taken some work, since one of the engineers who drove us around first really pushed it around the course.
Lockheed's Louis DeSantis told us during an earlier briefing that an Australian defense official had put the truck in the trees a few days before our arrival, during a visit by Aussie military and government officials to discuss the delivery of two right-hand steering models for jungle testing for the Australian military. But flipping it is another matter entirely, since it handled beautifully and took the turns and deep puddles and dips amazingly well. Still, things like this happen—but I would assume that yesterday was the last time they let reporters behind the wheel for some time.
(Pics of Lockheed / BAE JLTV by Paul McLeary)
IMHO, US should buy Swedish, French, Spanish or German vehicles. More modern; same (or more) bang for less R&D; will look cooler.
ps. what vehicle would you suggest.
Personally, if pushed into a corner... I don't like the JLTV specs at all. They are too heavy. Too close to the MRAP classes.
It is claimed to be a replacement for the HMMWV, but so has the rest of the past 12,000 vehicles?
M-1117, Stryker, MRAP classes: all vehicles which came out of Iraq's invasion requirements, which the Humvee had to do initially.
How many more vehicles will need to be an augmentation for US Army and Marine Corps missions? Getting a little ridiculous?
1) Perhaps stretch the existing HMMWV, add heavier suspension and bigger motor? Fit 6 troops??
1a) Add a towed truck box to Humvee for general utility and transport?
2) Evolve the MRAPs to future missions: including VL air defense, Command and Control and Recon (including UAV launch rail sys)?
3) Stryker has huge potential as PG mortar and VL weapon carrier as well as transport box haul? Good enough for USMC?
4) OK, if we truly need a new vehicle from scratch: let it be at least CH-53K internally carried (and possibly CH-47F); 2-3 seat light tracked or wheeled armored vehicle (say in the 3 ton class); comparable to the Wisesl II. Add remote controlled 12.7mm, 40mm mount, or PG 120mm mortar. Yes, this could perform actual Battlefield roles, according to requirements.
5) Seriously, what US Army and USMC needs is a towed, plug-in fuel cell box range-supplement for hybrid fuel-cell/flex-fuel powered light (airborne) 2-3 seat combat vehicle and a 10-12t Main Multi-Use Utility/Transport class, IMO.
Bottom line: it should be about exploiting the evolution of the developing technologies and evolving the available employed vehicles... and less about inventing new classes of vehicles - for Industrial contract sake - every 2-3 years.