XM1078, Truck, Cargo, 2½ Ton, 4×4

XM1078, Truck, Cargo, 2½ Ton, 4×4. . , In the 1980s, the Army began a program to replace the old 2½ ton and 5 ton vehicles who's designs dating from the early 1950s with a new family of vehicles. This project became known as the Family of Tactical Vehicles (FMTV). The 2½ ton version would be known as the Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV). Stewart and Stevenson won the competition using a vehicle based on a modified Steyr 12 M-18 truck. This vehicle was a pre-production line example of what would be accepted as the M1078 LMTV and be fully adopted in 1996.

The concept behind the FMTV was that a single universal chassis of a certain weight class could then be altered for specific tasks. With weight classes of five tons and two and a half tons, the lighter vehicles were all based around the XM1078s basic frame and cab, allowing for large amounts of parts to be interchangeable. Whenever possible, it was mandated to include commercial technology to reduce costs.

On its own, the XM1078 was designed to be a light, mobile, easily deployable vehicle. Unlike some of its predecessors, this cargo truck was designed so that it could be easily carried in a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, from which it could also be airdropped using the LAPES (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System). The design was also light enough that it could be lifted and moved by military helicopters. The cab-over engine design saved space, allowing for the LMTV to take up less room while maintaining a good level of crew comfort and increasing the driver's forward field of vision. Another improvement over some of the older designs was the installation of a standardized seven speed automatic transmission, increasing ease of use and performance quality over the more traditional five speed manual designs. When IED threats appeared during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the generic nature of the design allowed for the XM1078 to be easily up-armored with the LASC, or Low Signature Armored Cab, taking less than a day of maintenance. As such, the LMTV continues to see use as a light cargo hauler in both peaceful areas and contentious hot zones.