Australia has yet to announce whether it will continue to participate in the EMD phase however there are indications that it will continue with references to Right Hand Operation (RHO) requirements and an Australian test site.
Potential contenders for the EMD phase were earlier advised of ADF requirements for 1,300 RHO vehicles, comprising 850 General Purpose, 50 Command and Control on the Move, 400 Utility and 1,288 AU Trailers.
Australian specific requirements for JLTVs configured to RHO mainly relate to Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliance.
The September 2011 updated EMD Statement of Work (SOW) indicates that 'the JLTV shall be developed, designed, modelled, simulated, fabricated, tested, and delivered in both Left Hand Operation (LHO) and RHO JLTV versions as specified in this SOW.'
In anticipation of trialling RHO vehicles the US Government will provide the Contractor office space at Monegeetta Proving Grounds, in addition to the Aberdeen and Yuma sites in the US.
The draft SOW also includes reference to the Australian Industry Capability (AIC) Plan, stating that the Contractor shall deliver an AIC Plan that outlines how the Contractor could investigate opportunities for Australian Industry to compete on a best value basis for work in future production and sustainment phases of the JLTV program.
It is pointed out that this does not imply or create any actual requirement for the Contractor to utilise Australian Industry in the performance of this contract or any potential future production or sustainment requirements for JLTV.
The Contractor shall identify and describe a plan to investigate, but shall not perform or implement any of the investigation or tasks outlined in its AIC Plan deliverable in the performance of this contract.
The content of this AIC Plan will be used solely by the Australian Government to examine possible utilisation of Australian industry in the JLTV program.
Presumably this country will be liable for any additional design or other costs as part of the cost of participation.
US industry has also been advised that Australia desires to negotiate and execute Australian Industry Capability and Global Supply Chain deeds with successful EMD offerors.