Marine Infantry Battalion Becomes First Operational Unit to Receive JLTVs
CAMP
LEJEUNE, N.C. — Program Executive Officer Land Systems is equipping the Marine Corps’
first infantry battalion — 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division — with
the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, and U.S. Navy and Marine leadership visited to
witness the event.
“I am very
proud of the Joint Marine Corps and Army team whose mission-first approach and
close interaction with the end user has delivered our Marine operators the
JLTV,” said James Geurts, assistant Navy secretary for research, development and
Acquisition. “The fielding of these JLTVs provides our Marines the light
tactical vehicle capability needed to compete and win on the modern
battlefield.”
Joining Geurts
for the July 18 tour at Camp Lejeune of the II Marine Expeditionary Force JLTV
fielding site were: Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Gary Thomas; Lt.
Gen. Charles Chiarotti, deputy commandant for installations and logistics; II
Marine Expeditionary Force Commander Lt. Gen. Brian Beaudreault; Michael
Stewart, deputy director for integrated warfare; John Garner, program executive
officer, Land Systems; and Marine Corps Systems Command Brig. Gen. Arthur
Pasagian.
The JLTV
family of vehicles is made up of four different variants: the utility variant;
general purpose vehicle; heavy guns carrier; and close combat weapons carrier.
All variants include multiple mission package configurations and provide
protected, sustained and networked mobility that balances payload, performance
and protection across the full range of military operations.
Col.
Farrell Sullivan, chief of staff, 2nd Marine Division, spoke to Geurts on
behalf of the operating forces.
“I think
the battalion, like most battalions, are eager to get these out into the
field,” Sullivan said. “We’re excited about the additional capability [the
JLTV] brings and also for its ability to get Marines to where they need to be.”
Geurts,
Thomas, Chiarotti and Beaudreault then had the opportunity to speak to the
Marines of 3/8 operating forces while taking a closer look at the vehicle.
“We’re excited about the additional capability [the JLTV] brings and also for its ability to get Marines to where they need to be.”
Col. Farrell Sullivan, chief of staff, 2nd Marine Division
Of the
event, Geurts said, “It was an honor to hear directly from the Marines
operating these vehicles about how much of a capability leap it presents over
their aging legacy vehicles and the many ideas they have on how to leverage
them to enable new methods of mobility and expeditionary operations for the
future fight.”
The Marine
Corps is planning to field 15,390 JLTVs, replacing all High Mobility
Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles in the Corps’ legacy fleet in a one-for-one swap.
PEO Land Systems began
delivery of the JLTV in February to the Corps’ schools of infantry and other
supporting units. The Light Tactical Vehicle program office at PEO Land Systems
will begin fielding the JLTV to First and Third Marine Division units by the
end of September.