Lockheed's JLTV Embarrassment

[Stuka]

[facepalm]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhUFVWke4wM
[/facepalm]

Maybe they should stick to airplanes.

 

[Stargazer]

Poor Kelly Johnson must be dying a second time... of shame this time... if he can see this!

 

[Michel Van]

Poor Kelly Johnson must be dying a second time... of shame this time... if he can see this!

ohhe yes i know Wat Johnson thinks
"Wat to hell does a aerospace company with SUV development ?!"
"for christ sake we build aircraft, not cars!"

 

[Triton]

I think it would be very interesting if a topic was started for the United States Army, United States Special Operations Command (USSOC), and United States Marines Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program in the "Army Projects" section.

If we can find concept artwork or information, it would be nice to document the following bids for the JLTV contract:
* Boeing, Textron and Millenworks
* General Dynamics and AM General (as 'General Tactical Vehicles')
* Force Protection Inc and DRS Technologies (officially rejected on August 14, 2008).
* BAE Systems and Navistar
* Northrop Grumman, Oshkosh Truck and Plasan
* Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems Mobility & Protection Systems, Alcoa Defense and JWF Industries.
* Blackwater and Raytheon

On 29 October 2008 the Pentagon narrowed the field of vendors to the Lockheed Martin, General Tactical Vehicles and BAE Systems/Navistar teams to compete for the final version and contract for the JLTV. Each team received contracts worth between $35.9 million and $45 million to begin the second phase of the program, which could ultimately be worth $20 billion or more. The contracts were put on hold following protests by the losing teams, Northrop Grumman-Oshkosh and Textron-Boeing-SAIC. On 17 February 2009, the Government Accounting Office denied the protests.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Light_Tactical_Vehicle

Since this documentation and images will disappear over time, if currently available. Perhaps deleting the information about the winning contractor when a decision is made.

I think it would also be interesting to start a topic thread about the FTTS (Future Tactical Truck System) in the "Army Projects" section.

Probably not as sexy as a fighter plane or a bomber, but I find them interesting nonetheless.

 

[dragon72]

I read an article about his a couple of days ago. Apparently this is one of the very few times the vehicle has rolled. These vehicles have been put though their paces by one assumes very experienced drivers who were trying to find its limits (though it appears a reported did a good job of it).

People are saying how terrible this is and how this single roll over means that the vehicle is bad but how many times did the humvee roll over during trials? People complain without making fair comparisons.

 

[Triton]

I read an article about his a couple of days ago. Apparently this is one of the very few times the vehicle has rolled. These vehicles have been put though their paces by one assumes very experienced drivers who were trying to find its limits (though it appears a reported did a good job of it).

People are saying how terrible this is and how this single roll over means that the vehicle is bad but how many times did the humvee roll over during trials? People complain without making fair comparisons.

No denying that Lockheed Martin has a public relations issue to restore confidence in their JLTV proposal. The accident couldn't have happened at a worse time when the event was intended as a press event to generate positive public opinion in favor of their JLTV proposal. Especially when Lockheed Martin executives are shown on camera speaking about the extensive stability testing that has occurred on the vehicle and setting expectations that the vehicle is difficult to tip.

Most laypeople do not follow the development of a new military system very closely and they can jump to conclusions because of previous well publicized cases of military contractor fraud.

 

[fightingirish]

Elchtest!!!