Marines sticking with JLTV after Army cancels future vehicle buys

The Marines are sticking with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, even as costs may rise following the Army's decision to halt the program.
The joint program office for the Army and Marine Corps first picked Oshkosh Defense to build the JLTV in August 2015, and in 2023 awarded a follow-on contract to AM General, according to a Congressional Research Services report released Monday.
'The Marine Corps is fully committed to the JLTV program. It is our workhorse on the ground tactical vehicle fleet,' Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said in a House Appropriations subcommittee on defense hearing May 14. 'It's a little bit too early to assess the impact of the Army stopping their version of the program, but per-unit costs are clearly going to go up … when the orders go down.'
The JLTV was originally intended to replace the Marine Corps' and Army's light tactical vehicle fleets, which consist mostly of Humvees. The initial low-rate production contract awarded to Oshkosh Defense was valued at $6.7 billion for the first 16,901 vehicles, according to the CRS report.
A follow-on contract valued at another $8 billion awarded to AM General would have built another 30,000 JLTVs and 10,000 trailers for the vehicles.
Smith anticipates the unit cost to rise because of the Army decision, and the Corps is 'still assessing the full impact of the Army's abrupt exit from the joint program.'
'That's going to negatively impact the Marine Corps' ability to fulfill its ground tactical vehicle mobility strategy, which has me concerned,' Smith said.
The Marine Corps relies on the JLTV for its ROGUE-Fires and Marine Air Defense Integration System, or MADIS. The ROGUE-Fires system uses a remotely operated JLTV without a cab to fire the Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. The MADIS is a counter-drone weapon also mounted on the JLTV.
'At this time, AM General has [a] backlog for deliveries of vehicles through 2027 and AM General remains committed to meeting our contractual delivery requirements,' AM General said in a statement May 2 in response to the Army's decision to divest. 'As we work to understand the significance of the DoD's recent communications, we will continue to operate our HUMVEE and JLTV A2 assembly lines and our Aftermarket Fulfillment facility as normal to meet our contractual requirements and serve the Warfighter.'
The vehicle, available in two- and four-seat versions, can be transported by various aircraft, including rotary wing, according to the CRS report.
Instead of acquiring more JLTVs, the Army plans to fulfill some of its mobility requirements with the Infantry Squad Vehicle, a much smaller, scaled-down all-terrain vehicle.
An Army Transformation Initiative memo published May 1 noted the service would divest the vehicle over time. So far, the service has acquired 20,000 vehicles. The Army began fielding the JLTV in 2019, the same year the Marine Corps began receiving its first vehicles.
House Appropriations subcommittee member Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said she was 'dismayed' to learn the Army did not communicate its intentions to the Marine Corps before making the divestiture decision.
'That is beyond disappointing. Joint means joint. That's what the 'J' stands for. Joint decisions should be informed together as part of joint programs if they need to change,' McCollum said.
Speaking to reporters in Tennessee on May 14, Army Vice Chief Gen. James Mingus said the Army purchased its last tranche of JLTVs in January, according to Breaking Defense.
'We will do no future procurement buys for the JLTV, for the Army, but the Marine Corps, [Foreign Military Sales] partners [can],' Mingus said. 'We think that we have enough, they [USMC and foreign customers] can continue to do that. But for us, inside of our armor and heavy and Stryker formations, we have enough JLTVs. We've bought enough already.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

USA Today

5 hours ago

• USA Today

FedEx's Fred Smith had unparalleled impact on Memphis sports including a PGA Tour stop

FedEx founder Fred Smith made his fortune and found his fame as a businessman. But, for all the renown he received by revolutionizing the global shipping industry, Smith's impact on sports in Memphis is equally immeasurable. It's a big reason former Memphis mayor Jim Strickland has described Smith as 'the most significant Memphian in history' on multiple occasions. Smith, who died June 21 at 80, leaves behind an unmatched legacy of involvement, investment and influence on much of what has made Memphis a proud and passionate sports city. 'Every big opportunity that we've had, either Fred Smith or Fred Smith and FedEx, they were always the game changer,' Memphis Tourism president and CEO Kevin Kane told The Commercial Appeal in 2023 when the publication named Smith its Sports Person of the Year. 'They were the reason why things happened.' Memphis is an NBA city thanks to Smith. Memphis is in position to remain an NBA city for the foreseeable future thanks to Smith. "Fred Smith has been a driving force in the Memphis community since day one, and his endless contributions as a civic leader and corporate citizen are a part of an incredible legacy that will be remembered in our community and country forever," Grizzlies owner Robert Pera said in a statement. Memphis (that is, the University of Memphis) is pushing for a Power 4 conference invitation by showing it can invest at the same level as Power 4 schools – thanks to Smith. Ed Scott, who was named Tigers athletic director in June 2024, said in a prepared statement on June 22 that the school and the athletic department are "deeply grateful to Fred Smith and his family for their unwavering support." "Fred was more than a visionary businessman – he was an icon and a servant leader whose impact on the Memphis community is immeasurable," Scott's statement continues. "Without his foresight and extraordinary generosity, neither Memphis Athletics nor the City of Memphis would be what they are today. On a personal note, over the past 11 months, Fred has been both a mentor and a friend to me." Scott also indicated the university looks forward to "honoring (Smith's) remarkable contributions in the days ahead." In 2023, when it seemed like the Tigers' vision of a $220 million renovation project at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium might never come to fruition, Smith came to the rescue. Former Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch, who is now the AD at Missouri, worked closely with Smith during his tenure with the Tigers. 'I am so grateful to have the opportunity to spend time with Mr. Fred Smith," he said in a statement to The Commercial Appeal. "He was the definition of a visionary − he saw things that others didn't see, and he saw them clearly. I am thankful for his impact on Memphis and America. Prayers and blessings to the Smith and FedEx families.' Memphis has established a rich football tradition in the form of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the Southern Heritage Classic and, currently, as home to the UFL's Memphis Showboats thanks to Smith. Fred Smith made Memphis a key stop on the PGA Tour Memphis is home to one of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoff events (the FedEx St. Jude Championship), which since 2019 has brought dozens of the world's best golfers to TPC Southwind, shining one of the sport's brighter spotlights on Memphis – thanks to Smith. And the list goes on. Jack Sammons, general chairman of the FedEx St. Jude Championship and dear friend of Smith's for more than 30 years, said Smith deserves more credit than he could ever get. 'You take him out of the equation and the sports scene in Memphis – the highlight would be Babe Howard's Olympic (USA Stadium) or something. AutoZone Park would never have been built. Hell, The Peabody might never have been remodeled," Sammons told The Commercial Appeal June 22. "You start by the (Mississippi) river and go all the way to Collierville, you wouldn't get very far without saying, 'Yep, without Fred, that wouldn't be there,' just over and over." FedEx has been a title sponsor of Memphis' PGA Tour event since 1986, just 13 years after Smith oversaw the company's first flights take off from the Bluff City. Since then, it has become the title sponsor of the FedExCup (since 2007). In a prepared statement issued on June 22, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan called Smith 'the visionary of FedEx who led every day with tremendous character and values.' 'Fred and his company made significant contributions to the growth and popularity of PGA TOUR golf, and the TOUR continues to benefit from his and FedEx's influence, which will be felt for generations to come,' Monahan said. Smith's fingerprints are forever tattooed on Memphis' sports scene. Perhaps, however, none more prominently so than the Grizzlies. When the franchise's owner, Michael Heisley, decided to move it out of Vancouver in 2001, several cities were in the running for its ultimate destination. New Orleans (pre-Pelicans) and Anaheim were contenders. So, too, was Louisville. Memphis – which had long desired to be home to a major league sports organization only to come up short – emerged. Despite being the smallest market among the final four contenders, Smith's role in the negotiations was the difference. 'Heisley said the turning point in choosing Memphis over Louisville was the involvement of Memphis-based FedEx Corp., which will pay him for naming rights to the new arena,' The Commercial Appeal reported in 2001, when the deal came to fruition. FedEx paid a reported $92 million in the naming rights deal. In 2023, when the Grizzlies' immediate future in Memphis appeared, at least, a bit shaky, Smith stepped up again. The franchise's FedExForum lease agreement was soon due to expire, and officials were reluctant to renew without a major renovation project to update the downtown facility. Smith brokered a deal with local and state lawmakers that resulted in $230 million worth of state money being earmarked for FedExForum renovations. Smith's son, Richard Smith (president and CEO of airline and international at FedEx), said his father always believed deeply in the power of sports on community. "Look at your great cities in the U.S., look at your thriving cities, and they all have vibrant sports and entertainment," Richard Smith told The Commercial Appeal in 2023. "That's one of the great factors, the quality of life factors, that contributes to a great city. We think that's very important as far as being able to attract people to Memphis and to get them to want to stay in our headquarter city." Reach sports writer Jason Munz at follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group.

CBS News

9 hours ago

• CBS News

Fred Smith, founder of FedEx and father of Steelers offensive coordinator, dies at 80

Fred Smith, the founder of the FedEx Corporation, which revolutionized express delivery, and father of the Steelers' offensive coordinator, has died at 80, according to Memphis Mayor Paul Young. "Fred Smith was more than a business leader; he was a visionary whose ideas reshaped not only the global economy but the very identity of Memphis," said Mayor Young. "When he founded FedEx, he didn't just launch a company, he changed the way the world moves." Smith, the Marine Corps veteran, started FedEx in the 1970s, and in 1973, it began operation. They delivered small parcels and documents at first, and it ultimately grew into a global transportation and logistics company with an average of 17 million shipments per day. Smith would step down as CEO in 2022 but would remain as the executive chairman of the company. "As we begin to process this tremendous loss, it is important that we take care of one another and demonstrate the passion and compassion that Fred embodied every day," said Raj Subramaniam, FedEx President, CEO, and Director. "In the coming days and weeks, I know we will all find ways to honor his memory and pay tribute to his legacy." In a 2023 interview with the Associated Press, Smith discussed a gift to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation that he believed could grow in value to $65 million. "The thing that's interested me are the institutions and the causes, not the naming or the recognition," he said at the time. The Steelers hired Fred's son, Arthur, in 2024 after he spent 2021-23 as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He has been a coach in the NFL since 2007, when he first was the defensive quality control coach for Washington. He would then go on to Tennessee, where he held multiple jobs, including defensive quality control coach, offensive quality coach, assistant offensive line coach, assistant tight ends coach, and offensive coordinator. We have reached out to the Steelers for comment and will update the story once we hear back.

UPI

10 hours ago

• UPI

FedEx founder Fred Smith dies at 80

June 22 (UPI) -- Fred Smith, the founder of shipping giant Federal Express, has died at the age of 80, the company announced Saturday. His cause of death was not revealed. Smith, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, founded the company in 1973 with just limited staff and 14 small Dassault Falcon 20 jets. He led the company until stepping down in 2022, after growing it to a global behemoth with over 500,000 employees globally and a fleet of about 700 aircraft and hundreds of thousands of vehicles. "It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I share that Frederick W. Smith, our founder and executive chairman, died earlier today," FedEx chief executive Raj Subramaniam said in a statement Saturday. Beyond his leadership of the company, Smith has been heralded for his pioneering of the "hub-and-spoke" delivery system that revolutionized the field of logistics. Instead of shipping packages directly from origin to destination as had been done, FedEx began to route all packages to a central facility in Memphis where they were then rerouted to regional centers and then their destinations. While Smith did not create the hub-and-spoke concept, which had been used previously for airline and railroad travel, he combined the model with a guarantee of overnight air delivery to become the first company to consistently provide express shipping. "He was the heart and soul of FedEx -- its PSP culture, values, integrity, and spirit. He was a mentor to many and a source of inspiration to all. He was also a proud father, grandfather, husband, Marine, and friend," Subramaniam said. "Please keep the entire Smith family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."