The school’s heavy driving unit, responsible for training in all heavy vehicles, including the JLTV and the Eitan APC, conducted loading exercises onto Air Force Hercules transport planes of Squadron 131 and a new Triton-class landing ship from Unit 921.
“The goal of the exercise was to explore additional uses for the vehicle beyond the more familiar operations in nearby areas,” said Capt. L, commander of the unit, in a conversation with iCar. “It’s a relatively new vehicle in the army, and we want it to be suitable for as many missions as possible and test its capabilities.”
Lt. B, the unit’s operations officer, added: “This vehicle is different from the Humvee, for example. It has unique dimensions and weight, a challenging field of view, and different attachment points, so both our crews and Air Force and Navy personnel need to train to ensure operational deployment by air or sea.”
The JLTV – Joint Light Tactical Vehicle – was developed through a U.S. Army program to replace the aging Humvee. Oshkosh won the contract in 2015. The vehicle is armored and features a passenger capsule designed by Plasan in Kibbutz Sasa in northern Israel.
The capsule creates a “safety gap” between the floor and the cabin, providing protection from explosives and mines, unlike older Humvees or other armored vehicles.
The JLTV is powered by a 6.6-liter V8 turbo-diesel Duramax engine from General Motors, producing 340 horsepower, paired with a six-speed Allison automatic transmission. The rear-mounted engine allows a high ground clearance. Permanent four-wheel drive with a low-range gearbox and front and rear differential locks enhance off-road mobility.
Oshkosh’s TAK-4i independent suspension, with coil springs and combined oil-and-nitrogen shock absorbers, enables the vehicle to rise for water crossings or tough terrain and lower for tactical deployment via ships or transport planes, as tested in the exercises. The suspension also keeps the chassis level for observation or weapon operation on uneven terrain.
