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Palletized Load System
The Palletized Load System (PLS) is a truck-based logistics system that entered service in the United States Army in 1993. It performs long and short distance freight transport, unit resupply, and other missions in the tactical environment to support modernized and highly mobile combat units. It provides rapid movement of combat configured loads of ammunition and all classes of supply, shelters and intermodal containers. It is similar to systems such as the British Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System (DROPS).
In January 1989, the United States Army Tank Automotive Command awarded prototype PLS contracts to Oshkosh Truck Corporation, the PACCAR Government Group and General Motors, Military Vehicle Operations, with each contractor to deliver nine trucks, six trailers, and 30 flatracks for prototype hardware testing which began in September 1989. Oshkosh Truck Corporation was awarded a five-year contract for PLS in September 1990, with production commencing in 1992.
The original contract award was for 2626 PLS trucks, 1050 M1076 PLS trailers, and 11,030 M1077 PLS flat racks. Under the initial PLS contract, between 1992–1997 Oshkosh delivered 2905 PLS trucks and 1534 PLS trailers. Around half of the PLS trucks were fitted with a Grove material handling crane and were designated M1074. PLS without the crane are designated M1075. Under an additional add-on contract from 1997 to 2001, Oshkosh produced 595 PLS trucks and 800 trailers, bringing the PLS fleet to 3,500 trucks and 2,334 trailers.
In March 2001, Oshkosh Truck was awarded the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV) contract. The FHTV award differed in that in addition to the provision for up to 740 PLS trucks and 1060 PLS trailers, the award covered deliveries of Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) and Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET). The FHTV contract was extended twice, following which FHTV 2 was awarded to Oshkosh Truck. In October 2008 FHTV 3 was awarded to Oshkosh Defense. As part of the FHTV 3 contract, Oshkosh commenced deliveries of PLS in A1 configuration. In December 2009 the last of 6,288 production PLS A0 was delivered.
Oshkosh announced in January 2012 that it had been awarded a bridge contract by the U.S. Army to continue FHTV production. Under this extended contract, the government could place orders through October 2013 and Oshkosh Defense could deliver through September 2014.
In July 2013 the U.S. Army released a synopsis for a FHTV 4 award. This stated the government intended to award the FHTV 4 contract on a sole-source basis to Oshkosh Corporation, and it is understood that the aim was to ensure negotiations with Oshkosh for FHTV 4 were concluded in time to ensure there was no break in production between FHTV 3 and FHTV 4 production and deliveries. There would be a break of seven months. FHTV 4 was awarded to Oshkosh Defense in June 2015 as a five-year requirements contract worth a potential USD780 million. At this time the FHTV IV award covered an estimated 1,800 FHTVs and in addition to Recapitalized (Recap'd) PLS covered Recap'd HEMTT and also included the production of approximately 1,000 new production PLSTs. PLSs accounted for about 25% of the Recap potential.
In March 2020 the final FHTV 4 award was announced by Oshkosh, this calling for an undisclosed quantity of U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve FHTVs to be Recap'd. Quantities/breakdown have been revealed. Contract value was USD346.4 million, with deliveries scheduled to conclude in December 2021. As of the award date, Oshkosh disclosed that since 1995 the company had rebuilt over 3,400 PLS trucks. On 3 May 2021 the U.S. Army announced that it had awarded Oshkosh Defense a three-year extension to the FHTV 4 contract. Under the extension, Oshkosh provided new and Recap'd PLS trucks and trailers, HEMTTs, and HETs. The initial delivery orders under the extension called for a total of 353 new and recapitalized vehicles, with the final known orders placed in June 2024, these valued at $231.9 million for trucks, kits and kit installs. In total, Oshkosh is known to have received four FHTV 4 orders during 2024.
In August 2024 Oshkosh Defense LLC announced that U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal (ACC-DTA) had awarded the company a five-year, Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment Requirements contract for the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV) V (5) program. Based on evaluated quantities, the requirements-type contract is estimated at $1.54 billion and allows Oshkosh to continue delivering new and recapitalized trucks and associated trailers into 2031. The Army was able to purchase under FHTV 5 from August 2024. The first known purchase under FHTV 5 was announced in April 2025, this $95 million order calling for an undisclosed quantity of autonomy-ready Palletized Load Systems A2. It was not stated if these PLS A2 formed part of the Expedient Leader Follower (ExLF) program.
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Palletized Load System
The Palletized Load System (PLS) is a truck-based logistics system that entered service in the United States Army in 1993. It performs long and short distance freight transport, unit resupply, and other missions in the tactical environment to support modernized and highly mobile combat units. It provides rapid movement of combat configured loads of ammunition and all classes of supply, shelters and intermodal containers. It is similar to systems such as the British Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System (DROPS).
In January 1989, the United States Army Tank Automotive Command awarded prototype PLS contracts to Oshkosh Truck Corporation, the PACCAR Government Group and General Motors, Military Vehicle Operations, with each contractor to deliver nine trucks, six trailers, and 30 flatracks for prototype hardware testing which began in September 1989. Oshkosh Truck Corporation was awarded a five-year contract for PLS in September 1990, with production commencing in 1992.
The original contract award was for 2626 PLS trucks, 1050 M1076 PLS trailers, and 11,030 M1077 PLS flat racks. Under the initial PLS contract, between 1992–1997 Oshkosh delivered 2905 PLS trucks and 1534 PLS trailers. Around half of the PLS trucks were fitted with a Grove material handling crane and were designated M1074. PLS without the crane are designated M1075. Under an additional add-on contract from 1997 to 2001, Oshkosh produced 595 PLS trucks and 800 trailers, bringing the PLS fleet to 3,500 trucks and 2,334 trailers.
In March 2001, Oshkosh Truck was awarded the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV) contract. The FHTV award differed in that in addition to the provision for up to 740 PLS trucks and 1060 PLS trailers, the award covered deliveries of Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) and Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET). The FHTV contract was extended twice, following which FHTV 2 was awarded to Oshkosh Truck. In October 2008 FHTV 3 was awarded to Oshkosh Defense. As part of the FHTV 3 contract, Oshkosh commenced deliveries of PLS in A1 configuration. In December 2009 the last of 6,288 production PLS A0 was delivered.
Oshkosh announced in January 2012 that it had been awarded a bridge contract by the U.S. Army to continue FHTV production. Under this extended contract, the government could place orders through October 2013 and Oshkosh Defense could deliver through September 2014.
In July 2013 the U.S. Army released a synopsis for a FHTV 4 award. This stated the government intended to award the FHTV 4 contract on a sole-source basis to Oshkosh Corporation, and it is understood that the aim was to ensure negotiations with Oshkosh for FHTV 4 were concluded in time to ensure there was no break in production between FHTV 3 and FHTV 4 production and deliveries. There would be a break of seven months. FHTV 4 was awarded to Oshkosh Defense in June 2015 as a five-year requirements contract worth a potential USD780 million. At this time the FHTV IV award covered an estimated 1,800 FHTVs and in addition to Recapitalized (Recap'd) PLS covered Recap'd HEMTT and also included the production of approximately 1,000 new production PLSTs. PLSs accounted for about 25% of the Recap potential.
In March 2020 the final FHTV 4 award was announced by Oshkosh, this calling for an undisclosed quantity of U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve FHTVs to be Recap'd. Quantities/breakdown have been revealed. Contract value was USD346.4 million, with deliveries scheduled to conclude in December 2021. As of the award date, Oshkosh disclosed that since 1995 the company had rebuilt over 3,400 PLS trucks. On 3 May 2021 the U.S. Army announced that it had awarded Oshkosh Defense a three-year extension to the FHTV 4 contract. Under the extension, Oshkosh provided new and Recap'd PLS trucks and trailers, HEMTTs, and HETs. The initial delivery orders under the extension called for a total of 353 new and recapitalized vehicles, with the final known orders placed in June 2024, these valued at $231.9 million for trucks, kits and kit installs. In total, Oshkosh is known to have received four FHTV 4 orders during 2024.
In August 2024 Oshkosh Defense LLC announced that U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal (ACC-DTA) had awarded the company a five-year, Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment Requirements contract for the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV) V (5) program. Based on evaluated quantities, the requirements-type contract is estimated at $1.54 billion and allows Oshkosh to continue delivering new and recapitalized trucks and associated trailers into 2031. The Army was able to purchase under FHTV 5 from August 2024. The first known purchase under FHTV 5 was announced in April 2025, this $95 million order calling for an undisclosed quantity of autonomy-ready Palletized Load Systems A2. It was not stated if these PLS A2 formed part of the Expedient Leader Follower (ExLF) program.