The Montenegro defense ministry has taken delivery of the first five Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) from US vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense.
Another 15 units are scheduled to arrive in the Balkan state next week, according to the defense ministry.
Montenegro is buying a total of 67 of the vehicles for its armed forces, all of which are to be delivered by 2023. The contract for the vehicles is worth a little over 36 million dollars and was signed in October 2019.
“The vehicles will provide a completely different firepower for our infantrymen, allowing our personnel to train, and later take part in missions, with our partners by utilizing our own logistics,” defense minister Predrag Bošković commented.
Montenegro is the first European customer for the 4X4 JLTV. Other European customers include Belgium, Slovenia and Lithuania.
The vehicles are air-transportable (CH-47 and CH-53 helicopters; C-130, C-5, C-17 and A400 Cargo fixed-wing aircraft) and can be delivered in a multitude of versions ranging from general purpose to heavy guns carrier. The vehicles come with integrated C4ISR capabilities and have a payload of 2,313 kg in the two-door configuration, and 1,587 kg in four-door configuration.
Montenegro will equip some of its JLTVs with remote controlled weapon stations (RCWS) from Israel’s Elbit Systems.
