Oshkosh to Armor More M-ATVs

As the war on terror keeps dragging on, the need for better equipped vehicles to be used in Afghanistan increases. Since the factory-built armor for the MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) used there seems to no longer be enough, the US Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) awarded Oshkosh Defense with a $54 million contract for the delivery of 970 add-on protection kits for the aforementioned vehicles.

According to the provisions of the contract, Oshkosh will deliver 170 explosively formed penetrator (EFP) kits by April 2010 and 800 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) kits by May.

“The M-ATV provides exceptional protection capabilities for our U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan, and these add-on armor kits will only further improve upon those capabilities,” Andy Hove, Oshkosh Corporation vice president said in a release.

"The M-ATV provides exceptional protection capabilities for our U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan, and these add-on armor kits will only further improve upon those capabilities.”

“A flexible design and advanced independent suspension system allows the vehicle to take on additional payloads, including add-on armor upgrades.”

To handle the task, Oshkosh will partner with Plasan North America, the same company which developed 5,000 legacy MRAPs and thousands of Oshkosh Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) Armored Cabs.

So far, the war on terror proved to be quite a business for Oshkosh, who received contracts worth some $3.52 billion, to deliver 6,619 M-ATVs complete with spare kits and aftermarket in-theater support.