Oshkosh Defense’s [OSK] hybrid-electric version of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (eJLTV) will participate in the Army’s Project Convergence experiment this fall, a company official confirmed to Defense Daily
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George Mansfield, Oshkosh Defense’s vice president and general manager of joint programs, said the company has continued internal testing with the “eJLTV” since unveiling the concept demonstrator in January.
“We’re making sure that it’s ready for this event this fall,” Mansfield said during an interview this week at the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA) annual conference in Washington, D.C. “We’re taking it to the Army and it’ll actually be tested in operation. So it’ll go out and they’ll do silent watch and take it in hybrid-electric drive and they’ll do some fuel economy work to power up a facility.”
Following a previous engagement with the JLTV Joint Program Office and the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, Mansfield told Defense Daily in March that officials were impressed with the eJLTV, adding he believes the demonstrator platform “lines up perfectly” with how the Army is beginning to think about getting after hybrid-electric capabilities (Defense Daily, March 3).
Mansfield said Project Convergence is another opportunity to showcase the eJLTV to Army leaders, highlighting the platform’s potential to address operational advancements and logistics improvements.
“We have the hybrid technology so that you don’t need to have the recharging infrastructure because the truck will recharge itself. You also get extended watch, silent drive. You get about 20 percent in fuel economy savings,” Mansfield said.
Army officials at the AUSA conference this week said this year’s Project Convergence experiment, which examines various systems for how they could contribute to the joint fight in the coming years, will include a new “Gateway” feature to better enable large and small companies to have their technologies assessed (Defense Daily, Oct. 10).
Oshkosh Defense officials have noted hybrid-electric drive capability is not a requirement of the Army’s JLTV follow-on production contract, which is likely to be awarded early next year, while noting it showcases a potential path in case there is interest in retrofitting vehicles with the technology.
Mansfield previously told Defense Daily last October the company is “very confident” in its pursuit to secure the next production contract (Defense Daily, Nov. 1).