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Waiting is right move

Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway is laying down a challenge to industry: Either the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle comes in light enough to be carried by a helicopter, or the Corps might bow out of the joint-service effort.

JLTV is supposed to replace the Humvee with a family of versatile, light yet heavily armored vehicles that can withstand improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades, yet still be carried by a helicopter.

But so far, the armor needed to meet survivability requirements is making the vehicles too heavy for the Corps’ needs. And Conway says unless they can cut weight, he’s prepared to walk away from the program and let “what we’ve got take us into the next decade.”

What the Corps has is existing vehicles that meet one, but not both requirements: Humvees light enough to be helicopter-portable, and mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles that can stop IEDs, but are far too heavy to fly into battle aboard CH-53E Super Stallions or CH-47 Chinooks.

Conway makes a good point. There’s no advantage in settling now for heavily armored vehicles that essentially duplicate the capabilities of the MRAP and its soon-to-arrive, smaller, more maneuverable variations. If the Corps can’t get the vital combination of mobility and armor, it’s better off waiting.

Mobility is critical to the Corps’ entire concept of operations, which depends on flexibility, speed and the ability to strike from the sea.

Rather than waiting for a boutique platform that may not meet requirements, Conway is right to be checking out alternatives.

Maybe that will be enough to spur the necessary innovation with the three competing contractor teams.