US Army taps Oshkosh for autonomy-ready truck production

Oshkosh Defense has announced a $95 million order from the U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal under the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) V contract.

The order includes production of the modernized, autonomy-ready Palletized Load System A2 (PLS A2), a platform designed to enhance operational safety and efficiency in contested environments.

According to a press release from Oshkosh Defense, the PLS A2 integrates advanced driver assistance features and autonomy-ready technologies intended to reduce risk to soldiers and improve battlefield situational awareness. The vehicle’s architecture supports integration of active-safety systems and by-wire controls, enabling adaptability to evolving mission needs.

“The PLS A2 exemplifies how Oshkosh Defense is harnessing next-generation autonomy to enable human-machine integration and enhance operational efficiency,” said Pat Williams, chief programs officer at Oshkosh Defense. “As the U.S. Army advances its ‘transformation in contact’ initiatives, we remain committed to engineering mission-critical solutions that deliver technologies that can be rapidly integrated within existing operational units.”

The production launch of the PLS A2 is scheduled for this year. Oshkosh says the platform is designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for future technology insertions as threats and battlefield requirements continue to change. The FHTV V contract framework enables sustained modernization of the Army’s heavy tactical vehicle fleet, including trailers and logistics platforms that are central to ground operations.

The Army’s logistics modernization strategy focuses on building a resilient, technology-enabled supply chain capable of operating under electronic warfare threats and in dispersed battlefield conditions. Platforms like the PLS A2 are expected to contribute to a more autonomous and survivable logistics capability while reducing personnel exposure.

Oshkosh Defense, a business unit of Oshkosh Corporation, has long been a supplier of tactical wheeled vehicles to the U.S. military.