Oshkosh HET Is a Fast Transporter of Mission-Critical Equipment

The line-up is comprises the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4, the Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET), the Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR), the Palletized Load System (PLS), and not least the Wheeled Tanker. All these five powerful and rugged vehicles come in several customizable variants, intending to provide the best configuration possible.

Who are they?

Oshkosh Defense is an American company that specializes in building state-of-art military vehicles and mobility systems. They offer a vast production capacity and a complex line-up mainly because of their multiple international manufacturing facilities.

The Oshkosh Heavy Equipment Transporter represents a fast-response machine intended to transport mission-critical equipment quickly and efficiently. It comes with high off-road capabilities, the ability to traverse any terrain, be it sand, water, heavy snow, dense mud, or rocky trails. With a rugged construction, its main objective is to be a dependable and reliable machine with only one focus: successfully completing any task, no matter where, no matter when.

Vehicle drivetrain features

In order to achieve such performance, this mighty vehicle must be equipped with some serious power. Indeed, what gives this machine so much muscle is the famous Caterpillar C18 engine that provides a very healthy amount of 700 horsepower. In fact, it produces 200 hp more than the original version of the HET, which was delivered to the U.S. Army in the early 2000s.

The potent powerplant must be mated to an equally robust transmission, and the Allison-built 4800 SP one fulfills that role with grace. Furthermore, a step ahead of other vehicles of its kind, the HET comes with an Oshkosh single-speed 30000 series transfer case that eliminates the inefficient requirement of halting progress when the terrain grade changes in order to shift the gear ratios. It thus eliminates unnecessary wear and tear on the equipment as well as on the operating personnel, also making them more aware of their surroundings because of less attention being put on the aspects of operating such a massive machine through enemy territory.

Available configurations

The Oshkosh HET comes in two highly configurable versions: the Global and M1070A1 variants.

At first glance, the Oshkosh Global HET stands out with its 6x6 drivetrain configuration that adds even more all-terrain relentless covering ability. Furthermore, it is fully compliant with European road regulations as well as the Euro III emission levels. This configuration permits the HET to achieve a maximum payload of 72 tons. In addition, the Global variant also comes fitted with two heavy-duty winches with a 55,000 lbs (24,948 kg) rated pulling capacity for each unit.

The second variant of the HET, the M1070A1 version, represents a specifically designed transporter of other large military vehicles such as tanks, armored vehicles, recovery vehicles, and even construction equipment. Serious assemblies such as the 70-ton M1 Abrams main battle tank can be successfully transported wherever the mission objective needs it, thanks to its improved capacity front suspension. Besides, the HET also benefits from upgrades on the electrical department and also to the diagnostic systems, all in order to provide a modern and all-around capable package.

The new version of the Heavy Equipment Transporter family of battle-ready military vehicles prove to be one of the most capable heavy tactical vehicles. The safety and well-being of the soldiers operating the Heavy Equipment Transporter is a significant aspect of the entire vehicle design. These mighty machines can most certainly make the difference in any conflict zone, ensuring excellent capabilities coupled with much-needed crew protection.