U.S. lawmakers took another swipe at the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, hatcheting $50 million off the Army and Marine Corps' 2012 research and development budget request, according to the House Appropriations defense subcommittee's review of the 2012 defense spending bill.
The committee recommended the Army use the money subtracted from the JLTV program toward researching "survivability enhancements" for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle highlighting the potential for "blast venting technology."
Repeatedly brought up in hearings and commended by Army Secretary John McHugh, the committee again showed their support for what is called the blast chimney, which directs blast energy through the vehicle by way of a vent no wider than a laptop.
"These improvements could lead to a HMMWV with survivability equal to or better than the [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle], weigh considerably less than predicted for the JLTV, and at a cost significantly less than the other," the subcommittee's report read.
Performance by the HMMWV, MRAP and MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (MATV) over the past 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan has called into question the need for delivery of the JLTV by 2016, according to the review.
Marine Corps leaders have raised concerns with the JLTV's weight and transportability. Many of the same questions have been raised for the Army's other major tactical vehicle program, the Ground Combat Vehicle.
"The committee notes that the operational niche to be filled by the JLTV appears to be shrinking," according to the subcommittee's report.
The committee recommended the Army use the money subtracted from the JLTV program toward researching "survivability enhancements" for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle highlighting the potential for "blast venting technology."
Repeatedly brought up in hearings and commended by Army Secretary John McHugh, the committee again showed their support for what is called the blast chimney, which directs blast energy through the vehicle by way of a vent no wider than a laptop.
"These improvements could lead to a HMMWV with survivability equal to or better than the [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle], weigh considerably less than predicted for the JLTV, and at a cost significantly less than the other," the subcommittee's report read.
Performance by the HMMWV, MRAP and MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (MATV) over the past 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan has called into question the need for delivery of the JLTV by 2016, according to the review.
Marine Corps leaders have raised concerns with the JLTV's weight and transportability. Many of the same questions have been raised for the Army's other major tactical vehicle program, the Ground Combat Vehicle.
"The committee notes that the operational niche to be filled by the JLTV appears to be shrinking," according to the subcommittee's report.
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