USAF Begins HMMWV Replacement

The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Agile Combat Support Directorate started the process of replacing its existing inventory of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), also known as Humvees, with the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The Directorate is acquiring three different JLTV variants including a general purpose vehicle (GP), utility vehicle (UTL), and a heavy guns carrier vehicle (HGC).

The service has a need for 3,230 vehicles and they will be bought via an Army contract with Oshkosh Corporation. However, not all HMMWVs will be replaced, the current process is to swap out the up-armored variant. Air Force units are expected to start receiving the new JLTVs starting from September 2021, after having mission specific equipment installed at Naval Information Warfare Center. 

“This is a long-term program, and we’ll be buying [JLTVs] through possibly 2045,” said Al Bello, chief of the division’s Mobility and Vehicles Branch, which oversees the JLTV Integrated Product Team leading the replacement effort. 

“There are a lot of Humvees out there that are still in good shape." Bello added. "We’ll replace approximately 125-150 per year through attrition.”

Developed by the Army based on the U.S. experience fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the JLTV is considered a major upgrade from Humvees currently in the field. It’s designed to achieve operational objectives in Performance, Payload and Protection against adversaries and provide better protection against improvised explosive devices.

The JLTV will function as the primary tactical vehicle for the security forces tasked with guarding missile silos and launch facilities, aiding in explosive ordnance disposal, and backing up the Guardian Angels tasked with personnel recovery.

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