Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), is on
target to complete 10,000 miles of on- and off-road durability testing
of its MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) at the Nevada Automotive Test
Center, further proving the vehicle’s endurance through extended
operations in challenging environments.
Oshkosh Defense has already performed more than 7,500 miles of
independent testing using its own time and resources to identify any
possible enhancements that could be made to the vehicle and to ensure it
would be ready for operations on Afghanistan’s harsh terrain. Rigorous
testing is part of the Oshkosh standard process to make certain its
vehicles are ready to withstand the demanding environments in which they
operate.
“This is a significant milestone that showcases the durability and
off-road capabilities of the Oshkosh
M-ATV,” said Andy Hove, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president
and president, Defense. “We are committed to providing the U.S. Armed
Forces with a high-performance vehicle that answers the urgent-need
requirement in Afghanistan. Our independent testing is helping us
accomplish that.”
The testing has confirmed the vehicle’s exceptional off-road
performance, which is benefited by the integration of the Oshkosh TAK-4®
independent suspension system, and validated the durability of its
entire integrated system. Utilizing vehicle components and technologies
that are already in combat, the Oshkosh M-ATV is the most mission-proven
option available to the U.S. Armed Forces. It is based on the
combat-tested Oshkosh® Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR)
chassis and features the same C7 engine used on the U.S. Army’s current
medium fleet. The vehicle’s superior armor and survivability system was
provided by Plasan North America, which contributed the armor for more
than 5,000 MRAPs in theater.
The TAK-4 system is the only readily available and theater-tested
off-road suspension system used by the U.S. military for this class of
vehicle. Oshkosh recently received a contract to equip more than 1,500
MRAPs with TAK-4 suspension and continues to work with the military to
evaluate using it on additional MRAP models. The advanced suspension
system, which has undergone more than 400,000 miles of government
testing, is also featured on the U.S. Army’s Palletized Load System (PLS
A1) and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR).
The Oshkosh M-ATV is delivered with the survivability, mobility,
mission-proven and production-ready solutions required for Afghanistan.
