The Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition is currently underway in Washington, DC as you read this. Every major player in the business is present, showing their best products for the American armed forces.
The original manufacturer of the military Humvee and the commercial Hummer, AM General, is also present. The world’s (possibly) most well-known military vehicle is present as well, including in two new iterations, but these are not the subject of our current narrative. Instead, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) in the A2 version receives the distinction.
The JLTV is, more or less, the replacement for the Humvee, or an evolution of it. Dating back to the mid-2000s, the program saw several companies competing for the right to make the vehicle, and ended with Oshkosh being selected for production back in 2005.
AM General didn’t give up on its offering, though, and kept the JLTV it competed with rolling, just in case. After all, even if it’s not officially the winner of the competition, that doesn’t mean it still can’t be used, right?
The truck’s best and most improved iteration to date is the A2 model. It is equipped with the most recent Duramax engine model, the 6.6-liter L5P, which has a standard rating of 445 horsepower and can run on both diesel and biodiesel. The engine uses an upgraded control module, and it is connected to an Allison 2500 transmission.
The unit now propels a car with a somewhat improved design, but it has also improved in terms of noise reduction and corrosion prevention. According to AM General, the mission-critical hardware may now remain corrosion-free for up to 30 years with the help of readily accessible commercial solutions.
The engine is not the only thing that changed. The electrical architecture of the truck has been upgraded so it now includes smart power distribution, an upgraded alternator, and improved electrical harness. Most importantly though the system now comes with a lithium-ion battery and all the other prerequisites that could make it easier for the JLTV to “accommodate future hybridization.”
In addition to the machine’s A2 version, AM General is also displaying the truck’s JLTV-T variant. This one has a trailer attached that transports a Navistar prototype for the Army’s Water Bison program.
The goal of that project is to find a solution that will provide 110–142 soldiers with enough drinkable water for one day. Although AM General doesn’t say how many people are interested in the concepts it is showcasing in Washington, don’t be shocked if we soon get to witness this new military equipment in action.