Oshkosh Defense has unveiled today the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV), a new class of vehicle designed to meet the military’s new trend toward lighter, deployable yet highly protected tactical vehicles. Based on its extensive experience with and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and the medium weight variant, (M-ATV), comprising a major part of teh U.S. Army vehicle fleets in Iraq and Afghanistan, Oshkosh anticipates the next generation of light combat military vehicles require new levels of mobility and protection to operate effectively in remote, rugged and hostile landscapes.
“We designed the L-ATV to address the rapidly evolving threats and provide troops with greater ability to navigate through extreme driving conditions,” said Ken Juergens, vice president and general manager of Joint Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Battlefields have changed – threats are more dangerous, operating environments are more rugged and fuel efficiency is more important than ever. The L-ATV is designed to meet these challenges, today and well into the future, just as our M-ATV continues to meet evolving battlefield threats without comprising its payload and off-road mission profile.” He added the new L-ATV incorporates field-proven technologies, advanced armor solutions and expeditionary levels of mobility, to set to redefine safety and performance standards for the U.S. Armed Forces and international militaries.
Key for the vehicle’s off-road mobility is the Oshkosh TAK-4i independent suspension system, the next generation of Oshkosh’s TAK-4 suspension system currently used with the M-ATV. Employing this advanced suspension. The TAK-4i technology uses a proprietary technology to deliver 20 inches of independent wheel travel – 25 percent more wheel travel than any vehicle in the U.S. military’s fleets. The L-ATV’s armored capsule is scalable and can accept multiple armor configurations to protect troops from IEDs and today’s other prevalent battlefield threats. The capsule is optimized for protection, weight and mobility, and its modular and flexible design allows the vehicle to accept a greater range of upgrades and continuous enhancements.
The L-ATV’s engine delivers expanded power capabilities, greater fuel efficiency and integrated communications for improved diagnostics and maintenance over legacy engine technologies currently fielded. Oshkosh also prepared the vehicle to employ the ProPulse diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, providing a powertrain option that can be readily implemented to maximize the vehicle’s efficiency through improved fuel economy, high levels of exportable power for use in stationary positions or on the move and lower life-cycle costs.
Anticipates a growing demand for the new class of vehicles and has set, Oshkosh defense counts on its large scale manufacturing capabilities, which has ramped up to exceed 1,000 vehicle deliveries per month for the M_ATV program. Addressing military requirements for rapid modifications, the line was designed for flexible production, allowing the company to quickly incorporate production changes or retrofit vehicles with additional armor or upgrades as needed.
