Oshkosh Truck Corp announced that, with Ideal Innovations Inc (I-3) and Ceradyne Inc, it had been awarded a firm-fixed-priced delivery order for six Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) II test vehicles by the United States Marine Corps Joint MRAP program office. The vehicles are to be delivered in the first quarter of calendar year 2008 and will be used for further government testing of their Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP)-resistant capabilities. The BULL is produced on an Oshkosh MTVR (medium tactical vehicle replacement) chassis.
“Oshkosh Truck understands the complex mobility and protection requirements of armored vehicles, and with many companies competing for these contracts, it says volumes that Oshkosh was only one of two companies selected,” said Robert G Bohn, chairman and chief executive officer, Oshkosh Truck. “The Oshkosh Truck armored vehicles are engineered to help protect US troops against asymmetric warfare threats such as mines and IEDs, and we are proud to supply troops with armored vehicles to help keep them safer in the theater.”
The contract awarded to I-3, Oshkosh Truck, and Ceradyne is worth $18.1 million, and is a developmental effort to purchase test vehicles and armor coupons for enhanced MRAP survivability and mobility tests. The MRAP II contracts will also contain ordering options for production quantities.
The MRAP II test vehicles and armor coupons will be delivered to Aberdeen Test Center. Manufacturing of these vehicles will be performed in Wixom MI, Costa Mesa CA, and Oshkosh WI, and work is expected to be completed in July 2008.