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2020-05-03

Oshkosh to Modernise U.S. Army Vehicles for US$346 M

Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation company, recently announced that it has been awarded delivery orders totalling US$346.4 million from the U.S. Army Contracting Command - Warren. The contract will modernise vehicles in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) fleets.

Under the delivery orders, Oshkosh will recapitalise Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and Palletized Load System (PLS) trucks as well as manufacture new PLS trailers.

The FHTV fleet is designed to accommodate many mission packages, allowing it to support multi-domain operations as the battlefield continues to evolve.

“Whether they’re hauling rocket launchers and missile defence systems, or transporting mission-critical equipment, the HEMTT and the PLS will continue to be an integral part of the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve heavy vehicle fleets for years to come,” said Pat Williams, vice president and general manager of U.S. Army and Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “As the military pivots its focus to near-peer adversaries, they can be confident that the FHTV fleet will continue to serve as a key enabler for combat missions. We look forward to supporting the Army’s modernisation priorities now and well into the future.”

Significant Upgrades to HEMTT

The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) consists of a family of 4-axle 8-wheel drive tactical vehicles, including multiple cargo, tanker, tractor, wrecker and load handling variants. The Cargo variants carry up to 11-tonne payloads, while the Load Handling System (LHS) variant can carry flat racks and International Organization for Standardization containers up to 13 tonnes. The Tanker has a 2,500-gallon bulk fuel capacity, and the Wrecker provides lift tow and flat tow capability for the Army’s wheeled vehicle fleet.

There are two tractor variants in the HEMTT family: one for towing engineer equipment, with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 151,000 pounds and one for towing PATRIOT semitrailers with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 109,000 pounds.

The latest generation of HEMTTs, the A4 vehicle model, has significant upgrades from the predecessor A2 and Basic HEMTTS, including: a common cab with the Palletized Load System (PLS) A1; appliqué armour protection together with A-cab having integral under cab protection and provisions for mounting the armour B-kit; an improved power train (engine and transmission); an anti-lock braking system; traction control; updated electrical system; climate control and air ride suspension.

Older Basic and A2 HEMTT models are being updated to the latest A4 configuration through the HEMTT Extended Service Program (ESP)/HEMTT RECAP, a recapitalisation programme that converts high-mileage, older-version HEMTT trucks into the current A4 production configuration with a zero mile new vehicle warranty.

The HEMTT’s mission is to deliver high tonnages of supplies (all classes) to combat and combat support units across all tactical mobility levels as far forward as mission, enemy, troops, terrain, and time and civil considerations allow.

PLS: Backbone of Resupply Missions

The Oshkosh Palletized Load System (PLS) is built to carry ammunition and other critical supplies and has proven its ability in front-line resupply missions in all types of environments, in all types of terrains.

The PLS, with its 600 horsepower Caterpillar C15 engine, is the backbone of the resupply and distribution system, providing efficiency and performance for loading, unloading and delivering materials. It carries a wide range of cargo and is specially designed to load and unload a variety of flatrack or ISO compatible containers all on its own with a hydraulic load handling system (LHS).

PLS chassis mission profiles can extend to aiding in building and repairing roads, firefighting and construction details when integrated with Engineering Mission Modules (EMMs), including the concrete mobile mixer, modular fuel farm, water distribution module, bituminous distributor module and dump truck. Engineered to meet the same level of performance as the PLS, the EMMs load on the vehicle like any cargo container and have the ability to tap into the vehicle’s electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems.

Recapitalised vehicles are rebuilt with the latest technology and safety upgrades and quickly returned to field operations with the same warranty and life cycle cost advantages of a new vehicle. Since 1995, Oshkosh Defense has recapitalised over 13,700 HEMTTs and 3,400 PLS vehicles.

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