The BAE Systems – Navistar – ArvinMeritor team handed over aCategory A General Purpose vehicle, a Category B Command and Control onthe Move and a Category C Utility vehicle. The vehicles are designed tobe highly compatible with the U.S. variants, ensuring interoperabilitybetween forces, yet tailored specifically to meet the needs of theAustralian military.
“Our team has taken a user-centric design approach that provides thefoundation for a future family of vehicles that can be modified to meetthe needs of our military as well as those of our global allies,” saidAnn Hoholick, vice president and general manager of New Vehicles andAmphibious Systems forBAE Systems. “We look forward to continuing to improve and enhance our offerings as we receive feedback from our military customers.”
In January 2009, the U.S. and Australia entered into a Land ForceCapability Modernization Project Arrangement for the TechnologyDemonstrator phase of the JLTV program, enabling tactical vehicleinteroperability and integration between U.S. future forces andAustralian land forces.
“Australia’s participation in the JLTV program will help reduceoverall program risk through the testing and evaluation of additionalprototype vehicles,” said Mark McCoy, the U.S. Army’sproduct manager for JLTV. “As our military prepares for futurecoalition operations, similarity of tactical vehicle solutions acrossallies will enhance global interoperability and reduce the maintenanceand logistical burden.”
The JLTV prototype vehicles will undergo reliability and blast testing in Australia, as well as tropical environment testing.
“Lessons from recent conflicts highlight the importance of protectedmobility in the modern battlefield,” said Australian Army Lt. Col.Robin Petersen, JLTV Cooperative Program Personnel and Australian JLTVProgram Manager. “The requirements of the JLTV program closely alignwith our requirements; we face similar capability gaps and threats.”
BAE Systems is Australia’s largest defense company, employing more than 6,000 people who support customers at 100 locations across Australia. As a global company, BAE Systemsdraws on the resources and strengths of its people around the world tohelp deliver the most efficient, value-for-money solutions to theAustralian Defence Force.
The team builds off the three companies’ current leadership in armored and tactical vehicle development and support. Combined, the BAE Systems - Navistar – ArvinMeritor team maximizes JLTV program value through proven capabilities, lean manufacturing and extensive worldwide logistics support.
BAE Systems is a global defense, security and aerospace company withapproximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a fullrange of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as wellas advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).
Navistar Defense is an affiliate of Navistar InternationalCorporation, a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliatesproduce International brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForcebrand diesel engines, IC Bus brand school and commercial buses, Monaco RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse brand chassis for motor homes and step vans.
ArvinMeritor, Inc. is a premier global supplier of a broad range ofintegrated systems, modules and components to original equipmentmanufacturers and the aftermarket for the transportation and industrialsectors. The company serves commercial truck, trailer and specialty original equipment manufacturers and certain aftermarkets, and light vehicle manufacturers
