Soldiers of the US Marine Corps may soon receive a new tactical air defense system. The new complex, built on the basis of the JLTV light tactical vehicle, should replace the old models based on the Humvee army SUV in the army. It is assumed that the new combat vehicle will be able to effectively fight against unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and tactical aircraft of the enemy. At the same time, the US military is considering various options for weapons: from automatic weapons and guided missiles to modern lasers and microwave guns.
JLTVs are replacing Humvees
JLTV, or Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (General Light Tactical Vehicle), is a program that was launched in the United States back in 2006. As part of the program, the US military expected to receive a new family of light tactical combat vehicles with greater survivability and payload than Humvees (in Russia they are often called Humvees after the civilian version of the vehicle). The new army SUV should partially replace the Humvee in the Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command.
The final development of the new universal combat vehicle ended only in 2015. The winner of the competition was the Oshkosh Corporation, which began mass production of the new JLTV military off-road vehicles in 2016. The purpose of this program is the purchase of 54,599 such vehicles by the US Armed Forces. This is a very important deal for Oshkosh, as the total cost of the entire program is estimated at $ 47.6 billion. It is assumed that 49,099 new JLTV SUVs will be received by the army, another 5,500 vehicles will go to the US Marine Corps. The supply of vehicles for the army is planned until 2040, the Marine Corps should receive the bulk of the equipment earlier - until 2022.
It was possible to establish a full-fledged mass production of new combat vehicles only in the summer of 2019. At the same time, the new American tactical vehicle has already acquired foreign buyers. The armies of Lithuania, Slovenia and Montenegro managed to become buyers of JLTV. The UK and Portugal are also negotiating the acquisition, but there are no firm contracts for the supply of armored vehicles to these countries yet.
Oshkosh JLTV is presented in four main versions: a two-seater cargo version of the JLTV-UTL off-road vehicle (M1279 Utility), a four-seater general-purpose armored vehicle JLTV-GP (M1280 General Purpose), a melee weapon carrier JLTV-CCWC (M1281 Close Combat Weapons Carrier) and a model heavy weapons carrier JLTV-GP (M1278 Heavy Guns Carrier - General Purpose). The M1278 model is initially planned to be equipped with a combat module with an automatic 30-mm cannon. Work is also underway on the creation of other versions of vehicles, including ambulance and reconnaissance. The vehicle's payload - up to 1600 kg in a four-seater version and up to 2300 kg in a two-seater version - allows you to install various weapons systems on board a tactical vehicle.
A distinctive feature of the SUV is its good tactical and technical characteristics. The car has received an intelligent independent suspension Oshkosh TAK-4i, which makes it easy to adjust to different routes and terrain. Diesel 6.6-liter Gale Banks Engineering 866T V-8 with 340 hp, mated to an Allison 2500SP automatic transmission, provides the SUV with good mobility. The maximum speed on the highway is up to 110 km / h. At the same time, the manufacturer claims that over rough terrain and dirt roads, the Oshkosh JLTV moves 70 percent faster than the armored versions of the HMMWV.
Options for a tactical air defense system based on JLTV
The Marine Corps will receive most of the new JLTV light tactical vehicles, which will replace the Humvee, by 2022. At the same time, the Marines are interested not only in conventional versions of the SUV. Their interest is riveted primarily on models that carry various weapons. In the face of the new JLTV armored car, the American marines also expect to receive a means of dealing with various air targets. In parts, such a machine should replace the M1097 Avenger complex. The new tactical air defense system should provide mobile protection of forward units of the marines, often operating in isolation from the main forces, from air strikes. First of all, from attacks by modern drones, attack helicopters and tactical aircraft of the enemy.
No one doubts that the JLTV is a suitable vehicle for placing various combat modules. The payload and powerful engine make it possible to install various anti-aircraft weapons on the JLTV chassis, from quite classic models to weapons based on new physical principles. Back in 2016, Oshkosh demonstrated a sample of its vehicle with a combat module equipped with a 30-mm automatic cannon. In this version, the firepower of a light tactical vehicle approaches that of traditional infantry fighting vehicles. Currently, the US military and industry representatives are just working on choosing the optimal weapon configuration for the new tactical air defense system.
There will be no problems with the placement of light versions of air defense weapons on the JLTV chassis. And the same module with a 30-mm automatic cannon will ensure confident destruction of air targets at an altitude of up to 10 thousand feet (up to 3050 meters). Another likely option is called the Stinger MANPADS. This complex was originally developed as a means of dealing with low-flying helicopters and aircraft and has proven itself well. This is a truly proven weapon that has already been used in a large number of conflicts around the world. At the same time, the M1097 Avenger air defense complex based on the Humvee SUV is already in service with the American military. Such a machine is equipped with 8 Stinger missiles and two large-caliber 12.7 mm machine guns. It is assumed that the JLTV will also be able to carry up to 8 Stinger missiles, but in modern realities this may not be enough, especially to deal with a swarm of small drones or inexpensive loitering ammunition.
More exotic weapons systems include a laser installation. It is assumed that the JLTV will be able to accommodate combat lasers with a power of 30 to 50 kW. It is believed that 30 kW of power will be sufficient to combat all models of unmanned aerial vehicles, and 50 kW lasers will pose some threat to aircraft. At the same time, theoretically, such an installation will have an unlimited number of shots, which is useful in the fight against modern drones, which are massively used even by terrorists.
An option using directed energy weapons is also being considered. It is known that the US Air Force in April 2020 began testing the THOR microwave gun, the main purpose of which is to combat unmanned aerial vehicles. The American press emphasizes that the Thor high-frequency emitter is most effective against a swarm of drones. US Air Force Research Laboratory spokesman Kelly Hammett said Thor is a revolution in the use of directed energy. The THOR microwave cannon was first introduced in 2019. The development process is known to have taken at least 18 months and cost approximately $ 15 million. To destroy enemy drones, Thor uses short and powerful "bursts" of microwave radiation. In this case, the developers claim that the weapon works on the principle of a flashlight. All drones entering the radiation cone of the installation are damaged.
At the same time, experts are inclined to believe that the composition of the armament of the tactical air defense complex based on the JLTV off-road vehicle will be more prosaic. Most likely, the Marines will receive a vehicle armed with a rapid-fire 30mm automatic cannon, paired with a radar unit. This is the easiest option, since the 30mm artillery system has already been adapted to this chassis. At the same time, the capabilities of a 30-mm gun are enough to hit all types of air targets: from a quadcopter to a jet fighter. And the high rate of fire of the weapon allows you to quickly hit several targets at once. At the same time, the JLTV air defense vehicle will most likely receive missile armament - all the same Stinger missiles that will complement its combat capabilities.
