USMC declares IOC for JLTV fleet

The US Marine Corps (USMC) has declared that its Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) has reached initial operational capability (IOC) just under a year ahead of schedule. 

It can now deploy and support naval expeditionary missions worldwide, following the declaration of IOC by the Marine Corps Combat Development Command on 2 August, an achievement that was expected to be met in June 2020. 

‘Congratulations to the combined JLTV Team for acting with a sense of urgency and reaching IOC early,’ James Geurts, assistant secretary of the navy for research, development and acquisition, said.

‘Changing the speed in which we deliver, combined with coming in under cost and meeting all performance requirements, is a fine example of increasing Marine Corps capabilities at the speed of relevance which enables our marines to compete and win on the modern battlefield.’

The JLTV programme is being led by the US Army, and will fully replace the USMC’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle fleet. 

JLTV comes in different variants with multiple mission package configurations, all providing protected, sustained, networked mobility that balances payload, performance and protection across the full range of military operations.

‘The warfighting capabilities the JLTV provides our marines far exceed the capabilities offered by its predecessor,’ John Garner, PEO Land Systems, added.

‘I’m proud of what our team, in collaboration with the army, has accomplished. Their commitment to supporting the warfighter delivered an exceptional vehicle, ahead of schedule, that marines will use to dominate on the battlefield now and well into the future.’

For IOC, the JLTV had to fully field vehicles to a number of Marine Corps schoolhouses, namely: School of Infantry East at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; School of Infantry West at Camp Pendleton, California; The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia; and the Motor Transport Maintenance Instruction Course at Camp Johnson, North Carolina.

It also had to field with an infantry battalion at II Marine Expeditionary Force, and the JLTV is scheduled to start fielding to I MEF and III MEF before the end of September.

These assessments followed the start of delivery of the vehicles to the schoolhouses in early 2019, and the infantry battalion in July.