Slovakia will receive 160 JLTVs throughout 2025. (Photo, Oshkosh)
The Slovak government has officially ordered 160 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) from American military vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense.The order has an estimated value of $190 million. Slovakia did not disclose why it only ordered 160 vehicles instead of the 192 it initially requested.
The Slovak Armed Forces will acquire 160 Oshkosh 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), enhancing their capabilities and advancing modernisation efforts.
The country has additionally ordered assault rifles and anti-drone systems under a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) deal originally announced in May. Deliveries are due to take place throughout 2025.
In addition to two M1278A1/A2 heavy gun carrier variants of the JLTV – one equipped with the M153 Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) with display and control panels and the other with the Manned Top Gunner Turret – the deal includes a logistic package in the form of various spare parts, special tools, and technical manuals.
The $190 million deal also includes the principal contractor’s programme support covering training, technical integration of systems onto the platform, and field services.
Oshkosh also announced it will collaborate on the operation of the vehicles with Slovak firms to speed up deliveries of spares and to undertake repairs to the JLTVs throughout their entire life cycle.
The FMS deal included M2 Quick Change Barrels (QCB) .50 calibre machine guns; MK19 40mm grenade launchers; M2A1 machine guns; M4A1 joint chemical agent detectors; and AN/VAS-5B(V)2 driver’s vision enhancers.. The FMS deal also listed AN/VRC-104 radio kits, various weapons and arms mounts and toolkits as well as ToughBooks.
Slovakia is undertaking a major effort to renew its fleet of armed vehicles including signing a $1.37 billion deal with Sweden in January for the supply of 152 CV90 IFVs to replace old Soviet-era vehicles.
According to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Slovakia wanted JLTVs equipped with M153 Common Remote Weapons Stations and a manned top gunner turret.
It also requested the tactical vehicles have state-of-the-art display and control panels for better situational awareness on the battlefield.
Additionally, the request included M2 quick change barrels, .50-caliber machine guns, MK19 40-millimeter grenade launchers, and M4A1 joint chemical agent detectors.
The initially approved sale was valued at $250 million.
The DSCA explained that the procurement will increase Slovakia’s mobility and enhance the protection of its ground units, both vital in addressing current and future threats.
Once delivered, the JLTVs will allow the central European nation to decommission its obsolete, Soviet-era vehicles.
