The US Army orders 97 airdroppable FMTV A2 to strengthen logistics

The U.S. Army has awarded Oshkosh Defense a new contract for the supply of 97 FMTV A2 vehicles (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles) in Low-Velocity Airdrop (LVAD) configuration, in Cargo 6×6 and 4×4 versions. The order also includes Arctic Kits, packages designed to make the vehicles suitable for operating in extreme cold conditions and remote areas, in line with the Army's growing focus on Arctic readiness.

Why LVAD matters: supporting MBCT where “classic” logistics can't reach

According to Oshkosh, the FMTV A2 LVAD Cargo variant is a key support asset for Mobile Brigade Combat Teams (MBCTs): the goal is to keep units supplied, mobile, and operational from the moment they enter the theater, even when infrastructure and communication routes are degraded or contested. The concept is simple: deliver essential vehicles and materials directly via airdrop to areas where normal convoys or traditional resupply are too risky or impossible.

In this context, Oshkosh describes the FMTV A2 LVAD as a capability multiplier for MBCTs: it allows logistics and maneuver support to be pushed further forward, reducing dependence on fixed bases and hubs and increasing operational resilience.

“Fills a known gap”: Oshkosh's perspective

Explaining the rationale behind the acquisition is also the statement from Pat Williams, Chief Programs Officer at Oshkosh Defense: the FMTV A2 LVAD, he claims, “fills a known gap” in the mobility of airborne forces, enabling accelerated logistics and maneuver support “where traditional resupply is not possible,” extending the reach of units on the “tactical edge.”

A distinctive element of the order is the inclusion of Arctic Kits, cited as proof of the system's ability to operate in extreme and remote environments. For the Army, which in recent years has emphasized training and postures for harsh climates, the adoption of dedicated kits is a concrete step to transform a logistical vehicle into a platform deployable even in high-latitude scenarios.

Program status: successful tests and airdrops

The new order comes after a series of tests presented as indicators of the program's maturity:

• Cargo 6×6: tests started in 2023 and first airdrop tests successfully completed in 2024.
• Cargo 4×4: tests began in mid-2024 and three consecutive successful airdrops at the beginning of 2025 at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Grounds (Arizona).

The platforms in detail: payloads and declared performances

The order concerns Cargo 4×4 and 6×6 vehicles, part of the FMTV A2 family. In the configurations mentioned in the LVAD context:

• FMTV A2 4×4 – 2.5-ton Cargo Van: payload 5,000 lb (approximately 2,267 kg) and cargo area 90 ft² (approximately 8.3 m²).
• FMTV A2 4×4 – 3-ton Cargo: payload 6,000 lb (approximately 2,721 kg), maximum speed 62 mph (approximately 99 km/h) and cargo volume 145.8 ft³ (approximately 4.1 m³).
• FMTV A2 6×6 (variants): capacity up to 8 tons in the bed; volume 164.7 ft³ (approximately 4.7 m³). For the 8-ton Cargo: payload 16,000 lb (approximately 7,257 kg) and maximum speed 60 mph (approximately 97 km/h).

Operational implications: distributed logistics and survival in contested environments

Viewed from an operational perspective, the decision to increase the LVAD fleet goes in the direction of more distributed and less predictable logistics: being able to drop vehicles and supplies at low speed allows support for advanced units even in the presence of threats to airports, ports, or road nodes, and reduces vulnerability linked to mandatory routes.

In parallel, the focus on the Arctic suggests a cross-cutting requirement: mobility and sustainment must remain credible not only in temperate scenarios but also in theaters with severe environmental conditions, where mechanical reliability, autonomy, and logistical support become crucial.

Overall, the contract for the 97 FMTV A2 LVAD consolidates an already initiated experimentation path and translates a very specific need into acquisitions: bringing logistics and maneuver capabilities to airborne forces and MBCT “where others can't reach”, with an increasingly explicit eye on the cold weather dimension.