BAE, partners bid on JLTV ARLINGTON, Va., March 27 (UPI) -- An industry team led by BAE Systems is tossing its hat in the ring for the U.S. military's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program. The proposal by BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and Meritor Defense is for the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the project, which will involve delivery of 22 prototype vehicles and other equipment for testing. "We kept the best from the technology development phase and applied it to our EMD vehicles and we've made refinements to perform even better," said Glenn Lamartin, BAE Systems JLTV Capture lead. Our JLTVs are protected and survivable, light enough for transport by air or sea and agile on road and off. Most importantly, they are affordable. This is truly a vehicle that is going to meet the needs of our service men and women. BAE Systems said an engine by the Ford Motor Co. has been selected to power its planned family of vehicles -- the Power Stroke 6.7-liter, turbocharged diesel. "We have worked hard over the last year to strengthen our team and our offer, bringing together the best of the defense and automotive industries," said Ann Hoholick, BAE Systems vice president of Amphibious and New Programs. Ford products have a reputation for dependability and performance, even under challenging conditions. With their experience in commercial trucks, we see this as a great fit for our JLTV offer. It's a win for us and a win for our valued customers. As many as three EMD contracts are expected to be awarded in June by the government.