Carrying the Load
Written by Peter Buxbaum
MLF 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 9 (October)
Simple or Complex, Trucks Still Keep the
Wheels of Tactical Logistics Moving.
United States ground forces make use of transport trucks to perform a variety of missions on or near the battlefield. Some of these are modified versions of the line haul trucks that crowd U.S. domestic highways. Others, including the high mobility multiwheeled vehicle and the mine resistant ambush protected vehicle (MRAP), although not usually thought of as transport vehicles, do perform logistics functions as well.
Both the Army and the Marine Corps acquire light, medium and heavy transport vehicles to perform various logistics tasks. In the Marine Corps, light missions are fulfilled by the HMMWV fleet, the medium by the medium tactical vehicle replacements (MTVR) family of vehicles, and the heavy by the logistics vehicle system (LVS). The Marines have plans to replace the HMMWVs with the joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV). They are currently replacing the LVS vehicles with the logistics vehicle system replacement (LVSR) family.
The Army has its family of medium tactical vehicles (FMTV), family of heavy tactical vehicles, as well as other classes of trucks to perform a variety of logistics missions.
“The Marine Corps employs three weight classes of motor transport vehicles: light, medium and heavy tactical vehicles,” said Mike Everly, program manager, motor transportation, in the Marine Corps Systems Command. “The light tactical vehicles are comprised of the Humvee, which has a maximum payload of between 1,800 and 5,700 pounds depending upon the variant.”
The HMMWV is used by Marine Air Ground Task Forces for a variety of missions, noted Everly. “These include command and control, troop transport, light cargo transport, as a shelter carrier, towed weapons mover, and weapons platform throughout all areas of the battlefield or mission area,” he explained. “Also, 71 Marine Corps component programs use the Humvee as the prime mover for their specific systems.” The HMMWVs are manufactured by AM General of Mishawaka, Ind.
Oshkosh has produced over 10,000 MTVRs for the U.S. Marine Corps and the Seabees of the Naval Construction Force, which have been operating in off-road missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. “The MTVR was built to operate extensively in off-road missions and uses the Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspension system to help achieve a 70 percent off-road profile capability,” said Mike Ivy, vice president and general manager for Army programs at Oshkosh Defense. “The vehicle is available in several variants and can fulfil a wide array of support missions, including cargo transport, recovery, refuelling and tractor-trailer missions.”
The MTVR features an off-road payload capacity of over seven tons and an on-road payload capacity of up to 15 tons. The vehicle can travel up to 65 miles per hour on primary or secondary roads and can ford up to 60 inches of water.
The Oshkosh Logistics Vehicle System Replacement is used by the Marine Corps for the on- and off-road transportation of heavy payloads, such as munitions, fuel, water and heavy equipment. “The vehicle is able to support high-tempo operations across expansive and varied terrain,” said Ivy.
The LVSR features an on-road payload capacity of 22.5 tons and an off-road payload capacity of 16.5 tons. To date, Oshkosh has received orders to produce nearly 1300 LVSRs for the Marine Corps, according to Ivy.
The U.S. Army’s family of medium tactical vehicles consists of 17 models, including cargo, tractor, van, wrecker, tanker and dump truck variants. The FMTV transports troops and hauls equipment in support of a wide range of tactical operations.
The vehicle has a 30 percent off-road capability and payload capacities ranging from 2.5 tons to 10 tons. “FMTV trucks feature a common cab and share a parts commonality of more than 80 percent for simplified maintenance, training, sustainment and overall cost efficiency,” said Ivy. The Army awarded Oshkosh Defense a five-year FMTV contract for the production of 23,000 trucks and trailers, as well as support services and training through 2013.
The U.S. Army’s family of heavy tactical vehicles produced by Oshkosh Defense consists of the Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT), Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) and Palletized Load System (PLS). Oshkosh has produced 27,500 HEMTTs to haul troops, supplies and equipment in severe environments. The vehicle is available in variants including cargo, wrecker, tractor, tanker, load handling system, and light equipment and guided missile transporter. The HEMTT features a 13-ton payload capacity and extensive parts commonality across its variants.
The Oshkosh HET is designed to transport battle tanks, fighting and recovery vehicles, armored vehicles and construction equipment, as well as their crews. The latest HET configuration has been upgraded with increased horsepower, higher capacity front suspension, and electrical and diagnostic enhancements. “HET trucks are often paired with the M1000 heavy-duty trailer to haul the M1A1 and M1A2 Abrams tanks,” said Ivy.
The Oshkosh PLS is built to carry ammunition and other critical supplies needed in battle. “The PLS truck and trailer form a complete system that reduces the need for forklifts or other material-handling equipment,” said Ivy. “They both carry a demountable cargo bed, also known as a flatrack, which features a 16.5-ton payload capacity. A single operator uses the hydraulically powered hook arm to lift various flatracks or containers on or off the truck in less than one minute, and off the truck and trailer in less than five minutes.”
The PLS also uses the Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspension on the front axle positions, which provides greater off-road mobility and enhances protection in the harsh terrain found in Afghanistan. The U.S. Army recently contracted Oshkosh Defense to provide 725 PLS vehicles.
Mack Trucks currently supplies four of its models to the U.S. Army: the Mack Vision Elite High-Rise Sleeper, the Mack Granite Elite Heavy Truck/Tractor, the Mack Granite Elite 30T Wrecker, and the Mack Granite Elite Water tanker. The Army and the Marine Corps both also use the Buffalo A1 route clearance vehicle, which is built on a Mack Granite chassis. Mack was recently awarded a long-term contract through the Defense Logistics Agency to provide parts support to the Buffalo A1.
“The trucks are to be used in Iraq and Afghanistan by the security forces and police to aide in infrastructure and rebuilding efforts in the two countries,” said Chuck Wissinger, the company’s military marketing manager. “The Buffalo A1 is used in route clearance efforts to find and destroy improvised explosive devices.”
Navistar Inc. leverages its commercial truck products to provide a variety of vehicles to the Army and Marine Corps. “We tailor platforms for the military,” said Elissa Koc, manager of communications for Navistar Defense. “If they are looking for water tankers, fuel trucks or wreckers we are able to adapt platforms in use on the commercial side for military purposes.”
U.S. Army TACOM recently acquired Navistar’s International 7000-MV, or WorkStar, for operations to support the Afghan police and security forces. “The Army purchased several variants, including buses, fuel trucks, and cargo vehicles,” said Koc. “This platform is very flexible.”
Navistar’s International 5000-MV is a heavier duty tractor, which has been used to haul tanks and MRAPs into the field.
MRAPs are normally thought of as fighting vehicles, but Navistar’s MaxxPro MRAP includes variants that are put to work for logistical purposes. “The MaxxPro is becoming a family of vehicles that include wreckers and flatbeds,” said Koc. “We can modify the platform to what the customer is looking for.”
Daimler Trucks North America, a division of Daimler Benz and formerly part of Chrysler, provides the U.S. military with Freightliner trucks. DTNA provides the Army with M915A5 6x4 line haul tractors, M916A3 6x6 light equipment transporters and M917A2 6x6 dump trucks.
“The line haul tractor has been described as the linchpin of military logistics,” said Rick Engel, director of government vehicles sales for Daimler Trucks North America. “It is the bulk transporter for the Army and carries long semi-trailers and large containers, with everything from food to construction equipment to ammunition.”
This latest generation of freightliner trucks includes new technologies including electronically-controlled engines, electronic transmissions, anti-lock braking systems and enhanced suspension. “Most recently, all of the vehicles are produced with an increased front axle weight rating in order to accommodate the Army’s application of add-on-armor kits,” said Engel. “The new M915A5 is fitted for, but not equipped with, armor.”
The M915A5 also seeks to reduce the Army’s transportation operating costs. “The commercial vehicles and the military variants employ aerodynamics, lighter materials and electronic controls to optimize performance, increase reliability and minimize operating cost,” said Engel. “For the Army, the M915A5 operating costs, specifically for fuel and repair parts, are often just 25 percent to 30 percent of heavy duty, specialized military vehicles.”
Truck manufacturers are often called upon to provide support for vehicles once they are in the field. Navistar has 1,100 parts and support locations such as dealerships and parts depots throughout the world, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, noted Koc. “We work with the military to make sure the right parts are coming out of our distribution centers quickly,” she said. “We have field service representatives in theater who see to it that battle damaged trucks get up and running.”
“We have one of the broadest networks of dealer support of any company,” said Engel. “By virtue of our association with Daimler, we have established Mercedes-Benz dealerships as freightliner dealerships to supply parts to the military.”
Oshkosh is working on new technologies to improve the vehicles it supplies the military. Oshkosh’s diesel-electric hybrid technology, ProPulse, increases fuel efficiency by up to 20 percent and reduces a vehicle’s logistics footprint. The Oshkosh TerraMax unmanned ground vehicle kit combines robotics with high-power, military-grade computers and drive-by-wire technology. “This technology increases driver situational awareness,” said Ivy, “and can potentially eliminate the need for a driver altogether.” ♦