By Ann Roosevelt
BAE Systems, Oshkosh Corp.[OSK] , Navistar Defense LLC, and Force Dynamics, a joint venture between Force Protection [FRPT] and General Dynamics [GD] Friday announced they are delivering vehicles for the next phase of the Army’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program.
BAE has been awarded contracts to provide the military with two versions of a new M-ATV for use in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan. Under this award, the company will produce three more test vehicles of each version to undergo additional survivability and mobility testing.
One version of the vehicle is produced by the company’s Global Tactical Systems (GTS) business and the other from its U.S. Combat Systems (USCS) business.
“We combined the industry’s best in a vehicle that is survivable, mobile and dependable for use in Afghanistan,” Regis Luther, vice president of Light Tactical Vehicles for the GTS line of business, said in a May 1 statement. The company is prepared to deliver vehicles 30 days after receiving orders.
Navistar Defense, LLC received a contract to deliver three test units for the next round.
“Navistar’s participation in the M-ATV program is a privilege,” said Archie Massicotte, president, Navistar Defense, said in a May 1 statement “We are dedicated to the warfighters and we will work with the military to ensure those in Afghanistan receive the very best vehicles as quickly as possible.”
Force Dynamics will also deliver three vehicles for testing and evaluation under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for its M-ATV Cheetah, a lightweight, high-mobility vehicle. The contract is from Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command’s (TACOM) M-ATV program.
Force Dynamics said TACOM has indicated that if an M-ATV vehicle submission can meet all of the inspection requirements, survivability threshold and mobility tests that the vehicle will be given a “fair opportunity” for selection for a production delivery order.
Damon Walsh, executive vice president and managing director of Force Dynamics, said in a statement, “We are very pleased that the Cheetah has been selected to continue to compete for this important and urgently needed program. This is a strong validation of the M-ATV Cheetah’s high level of mobility, combined with MRAP-I level protection.”
To be as prepared as possible, the company has initiated production of the M-ATV Cheetah. “We are fully ready to respond to the customer’s demand for these critical vehicles,” Walsh said.
Oshkosh Corp. also May 1 announced an IDIQ contract from TACOM for three M-ATV vehicles for further testing.
The contract is the same one from which the government could now award Oshkosh full production for an anticipated 2,080–10,000 M-ATVs later this year.
“As confirmed by this announcement, the Oshkosh M-ATV is a very capable vehicle to take our troops wherever the mission requires,” said Robert Bohn, Oshkosh Corp. chairman and chief executive officer. “The military needs a vehicle that delivers superior crew protection and thrives in rugged off-road terrain, and our vehicle is designed for exactly that.”