Lithuania has taken delivery of another batch of 50 Oshkosh Defense built Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), which were delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces Depot Service in Mumaičiai, Šiauliai district.
The vehicles reached Lithuania via the Port of Hamburg in Germany from the Port of Baltimore in the US this week and Oshkosh Defense is currently working on assembling the turrets on the vehicles before handing them over.
“The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) installed in part of the JLTVs enables the gunner to control the heavy 12.7 mm machine-gun from inside the armored vehicle. Daylight and thermal imaging cameras and a laser rangefinder multiply the efficiency of the powerful machine gun. We will have become more mobile and harder for the potential enemy to bite into,” Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas said.
The delivery brings the total number of the vehicles in the fleet to 100, while the country will receive a total of 200 JLTVs under the current contract.
The first batch was handed over in August last year and is currently in service with the Lithuanian Army.
In October this year, Lithuania ordered another 300 JLTVs which are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2025.
The acquisition of the JLTVs is part of the modernization program of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, which also includes the purchase of the Vilkas (Boxer) infantry fighting vehicles and PZH 2000 self-propelled howitzers. They will complement and upgrade the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ all-terrain vehicle fleet, which is currently made up of HMMWV (Humvee) all-terrain vehicles.
JLTVs 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.
