According to pictures published on Twitter, the Oshkosh JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) can be configured to be used as a self-propelled mortar carrier fitted with an Israeli-made Elbit Systems SPEAR, a 120mm soft recoil mortar system.
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Oshkosh Defense Joint Light Tactical Vehicle fitted with SPEAR 120mm mortar system. (Picture source Caesar @Ninja998998)
The JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) is a 4x4 armored vehicle that was developed by Oshkosh Defence for the US Army and Marine Corps. In September 2011, the American Company Oshkosh unveils the next generation of a light combat vehicle, the L-ATV Light combat tactical All-Terrain Vehicle. On 25 August 2015, the L-ATV was selected as the winner of the JLTV program.
The first JLTV delivery order was placed in March 2016 with the U.S. Army ordering 657 trucks. Overall JLTV requirements are 9,091 vehicles for the Marine Corps with all to be delivered in FY (Fiscal Year) 2022, and 49,099 for the Army entering service in late 2019 with deliveries occurring through 2040.
The JLTV mortar carrier is fitted with an Elbit Systems’ SPEAR, a fully autonomous, vehicle-mounted
120mm soft recoil mortar system mounted at the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle has a crew cab located at the front vehicle providing armor protection against firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters.
The SPEAR is equipped with a recoil reduction system that reduces the mortar’s firing loads from 30+ tons to as low as 12-15 tons, the “soft recoil” allows the SPEAR to be mounted on a variety of high mobility light tactical vehicles such as HMMWVs, jeeps and other high-mobility rapid deployment wheeled platforms as well as bigger wheeled or tracked platforms.
The SPEAR is equipped with computerized aiming and navigation devices, enabling the mortar system to be operated autonomously and aimed without the need for external reference points. SPEAR can be easily integrated with a variety of C4I or Battle Management Systems (BMS).
The SPEAR can be operated by a crew from 2 to 3 soldiers in autonomous or manual modes. The mortar system can be fire the first round in sixty seconds. It can engage targets at a maximum range of 10km, using standard ammunition.
