It’s award season, and the work of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program team is not going unnoticed or unrecognized. The JLTV program was named one of the four recipients of the 2013 Department of Defense (DoD) David Packard Award in Acquisition Excellence.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our team and their tremendous efforts to keep JLTV on budget, schedule, and with stable requirements despite tremendous uncertainty.”
The David Packard Award in Acquisition Excellence serves to recognize organizations, groups, or teams that demonstrate exemplary innovation in acquisition practices. The JLTV program office celebrated the award as a validation of their efforts. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team and their tremendous efforts to keep JLTV on budget, schedule, and with stable requirements despite tremendous uncertainty. That speaks volumes about this team’s dedication and character,” said U.S. Marine Corps Program Executive Officer for Land Systems William Taylor.
AM General’s JLTV entrant. The three JLTV competitors are currently undergoing testing, with a selection expected in fiscal year 2015. AM General photo
The diligent work of the program office may stem from the valuable work they see themselves as performing. The JLTV is being designed to close a capabilities gap that currently exists in the tactical vehicle fleet. “The days of front lines and rear areas are gone,” said Col. John Cavedo, the joint project manager. The JLTV is envisioned as providing a flexible, transportable, protected, networked expeditionary vehicle. “Our objective is to eliminate the tradeoffs commanders have to make today between mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles and the [Humvee], and to give them a flexible, expeditionary, and networked vehicle able to handle tomorrow’s diverse challenges,” said Cavedo.
“Our objective is to eliminate the tradeoffs commanders have to make today between mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles and the [Humvee], and to give them a flexible, expeditionary, and networked vehicle able to handle tomorrow’s diverse challenges.”
The JLTV is a U.S. Army-led program that is partnered closely with the Marine Corps. The program is currently undergoing 14 months of testing as part of its 33-month engineering and manufacturing development phase. At the completion of that phase, a JLTV vehicle will be selected among the three competitors – Oshkosh Defense, Lockheed Martin, and AM General – and a low rate initial production decision will be made.
Oshkosh Defense’s proposed JLTV during testing. The JLTV is envisioned as closing a capabilities gap that exists in the current tactical vehicle fleet. Oshkosh Defense photo
This is not the first time the JLTV program has been recognized. The program was previously cited as a leader in the implementation of the DoD’s Better Buying Practices. Its innovative efforts were touted for reducing cost, emphasizing the benefits of competition, and shortening the acquisition timeline.
Its innovative efforts were touted for reducing cost, emphasizing the benefits of competition, and shortening the acquisition timeline.
A Pentagon ceremony is being scheduled for members of the joint program office to accept their award. Other programs that received the David Packard Award in Acquisition Excellence include the Air and Missile Defense Radar, HC/MC-130J team, and the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization and Air Force National Capital Region Information Technology team.