The Army has placed a $95 million order with Oshkosh Defense [OSK] for more Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV), to include new autonomy-ready Palletized Load System (PLS) A2 trucks.
Pat Williams, Oshkosh Defense’s chief programs officer, confirmed to Defense Daily this is the second order for PLS A2s under the $1.54 billion FHTV V contract awarded last August, with deliveries to begin this December.
“The PLS A2 exemplifies how Oshkosh Defense is harnessing next-generation autonomy to enable human-machine integration and enhance operational efficiency,” Williams said in a statement. “As the U.S. Army advances its ‘transformation in contact’ initiatives, we remain committed to engineering mission-critical solutions that deliver technologies that can be rapidly integrated within existing operational units.”
Oshkosh Defense has noted last year’s $1.54 billion FHTV V follow-on contract will continue deliveries of new and recapitalized platforms into 2031, with the heavy truck fleet consisting of the PLS trucks and trailers, Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and Heavy Equipment Transporters (Defense Daily, Aug. 20 2024).
“The flexible architecture of the heavy fleet allows significant room for growth and the integration of new technology to support unit innovation as both threats and requirements evolve,” Oshkosh Defense said last week. “The FHTV V contract enables Oshkosh to deliver future-focused enhancements to heavy tactical vehicles and trailers that support the Army’s broader modernization strategy.”
The Army in February detailed the new Autonomous Transport Vehicle System (ATV-S) program, which aims to begin fielding the first autonomous PLS A2 heavy logistics trucks in fiscal year 2027 (Defense Daily, Feb. 26).
Self-driving technology startup Forterra and autonomous systems firm Carnegie Robotics were chosen this past fall to continue working on hardware and software required to enable autonomous driving capability on PLS A2s, with the Army planning to downselect to one vendor around the third quarter of FY ‘26.
“The integration of autonomous systems for resupply, maintenance and energy distribution will be a gamechanger,” Maj. Gen. Michelle Donahue, head of the Army’s Combined Arms Support Command, said in remarks at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Tactical Wheeled Vehicles Conference. “We will capitalize on ATV-S’ autonomous replenishment of critical commodities to extend the division commanders’ operational reach and his or her endurance.”
The ATV-S program is intended to integrate with the PLS truck’s “digital backbone” to provide “manned and unmanned teaming capability for convoy operations” utilizing sensors, controllers and autonomy software, the Army has said.
“The advanced driver assistance and autonomy-ready technologies of the PLS A2 promote significant improvements to soldier safety and broadens battlefield awareness. By integrating by-wire and active-safety systems, the PLS A2 supports the Army’s vision for a technology-enabled logistics force capable of executing missions in contested environments with reduced risk to the warfighter,” Oshkosh Defense said last week.
The Army is also pursuing the next-generation Common Tactical Truck (CTT) effort, which aims to replace the current FHTV truck fleet with new variants that utilize a common chassis and meet roles for the M915 Line Haul Tractor and M1088 Medium Tractor, PLS and HEMTT platforms, and has tested prototypes from Oshkosh Defense, Mack Defense, Navistar Defense and a team of American Rheinmetall Vehicles and GM Defense [GM].