Projecting Force Potency through Scalable Protection

Ms. Jennifer Moore
Program Manager
Light Tactical Vehicles
U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command

From Armor & Mobility, Fall 2021

Ms. Moore serves as the Program Manager Light Tactical Vehicles within Logistics Combat Element Systems, Marine Corps Systems Command. She provides program management leadership for all efforts within the light tactical fleet including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) family of vehicles, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), Light Tactical Trailers and the Family of Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicles. Previous civil service positions included the Product Manager, Light Legacy Fleet, within Program Manager Light Tactical Vehicles (PM LTV), Program Executive Officer Land Systems (PEO LS), Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) Foreign Military Sales acquisition team lead, PEO LS, and Deputy Command Information Officer, Marine Corps Systems Command. Prior to her civil service career, Ms. Moore fulfilled a variety of information technology and project management positions with Hewlett Packard for 15 years.

Ms. Moore maintains certifications as a Project Management Professional through Program Management Institute, Program Management Level Three and Information Technology Level One through Defense Acquisition University and the Defense Chief Information Officer certification through National Defense University. Ms. Moore graduated from University of North Carolina Wilmington with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and from American Military University with a Master of Business Administration. During her federal service career, Ms. Moore received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service award.

Armor & Mobility spoke recently with Ms. Jennifer Moore, Program Manager for Light Tactical Vehicles, Marine Corps Systems Command, regarding the state of fielding and lessons learned since the U.S. Marine Corps took first delivery of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) in early 2019.

A&M: Please provide some background on the USMC’s need for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) capability, initial order and delivery numbers, and date of first JLTVs to service.

Ms. Moore: The JLTV is the first vehicle purpose-built for the evolving battlefield and provides increased readiness for 21st century warfare. The JLTV will fully replace the Corps’ High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) fleet. The JLTV Family of Vehicles (FoV) comes in four different variants (General Purpose, Utility, Close Combat Weapons Carrier and Heavy Guns Carrier) with multiple mission package configurations, all providing protected, sustained, networked mobility that balances payload, performance and protection across the full range of military operations. The Marine Corps fielded the first 55 JLTVs to Marines at the School of Infantry West in February 2019. The first infantry battalion to receive the JLTV were Marines from 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, in July 2019. The program office reached IOC shortly afterwards in August 2019.

A&M: From an initial implementation and integration perspective, give a general look at how the JLTV’s role improved on previous HMMWV mission sets as it relates to mobility and protection?

Ms. Moore: The JLTV provides improvements in the balance of payload, performance, and protection over the HMMWV FoV. In addition, the JLTV provides increased reliability and maintainability. Some of the advantages the JLTV offers over the HMMWV include increased network connectivity, modular vehicle configurations and protection to meet specific mission requirements. The vehicle incorporates an auto-leveling suspension system and multiple operating and transportation heights. The JLTV also possesses a flexible open system architecture, for example, the ability to plug and play multiple radio configurations.

A&M: In terms of lessons learned from initial real-world operations, what are some key positives and improvement points that USMC integration has realized?

Ms. Moore:  Scalable armor has allowed MEF commanders the flexibility to trade levels of protection for additional increases in mobility based on their mission. Increased mobility has allowed the operating forces to employ the JLTVs across terrain and areas where HMMWVs have difficulty operating. The JLTV’s scalability is what will set it apart on the battlefield. Another key aspect is the vehicle’s ability to reduce impact fatigue to the occupants and driver. Its suspension system and integrated cabin construction drastically reduces driver’s fatigue that is routinely encountered in ground tactical wheeled vehicles. Marines are able to sustain mobility operations much longer than before, ultimately enabling a combat reach that is only limited by the range of the vehicle.

A&M: What is the general timeframe for expected further investment in JLTV in terms of additional delivery to service and slated upgrades?

Ms. Moore: The Marine Corps will continue fielding JLTVs for several more years. During fielding, integration of existing capabilities (migration from HMMWV) and new capabilities are planned as well as underway. The Fleet Marine Force (FMF) will continue to submit universal need statements (UNS) for additional capabilities requested for integration onto the JLTV FoV. Once the UNS transition to requirements and are appropriately funded, they have the opportunity to be developed and integrated on fielded as well as future JLTVs.