M-ATVs Arrive for Military Evaluation

OSHKOSH: Three production-representative MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) from Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, have arrived at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland today for military evaluation.

The Oshkosh M-ATV is designed to meet the U.S. Armed Services’ urgent need requirement for a well-protected vehicle than can thrive in operations on Afghanistan’s rugged and mountainous off-road terrain. In addition to meeting these mobility demands, theOshkosh M-ATV provides the superior crew protection that military forces need by incorporating an armor system from Plasan North America, which developed the armor system in use on more than 5,000 current MRAP vehicles and for the Armored Cab Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR) in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The vehicles we delivered today meet the urgent need requirement for a well-armored vehicle that excels in moving our soldiers and Marines forward in Afghanistan’s harsh environments and dangerous operations,” said Andy Hove,Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Defense. “The Oshkosh M-ATV is ideal and unique in this competition because it boasts MRAP-level protection on a mobile and proven vehicle chassis.”

The Oshkosh M-ATV’s superior mobility is achieved with the integration of the company’s TAK-4 independent suspension system. The same system is used on more than 10,000 MTVRs, which are renowned for their advanced crew-protection capabilities and unmatched mobility in off-road operations, including those in Afghanistan.Oshkosh recently was awarded a contract to integrate the TAK-4 system onto MRAPs in the field to improve mobility.

Oshkosh Defense delivers the M-ATV with the survivability, mobility, mission-proven and production-ready solutions required for Afghanistan. The vehicle is based on the combat-provenOshkosh MTVR chassis, which has been successfully operating for many years in the most difficult off-road missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.

Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons.

More from Oshkosh Corporation

INGAPORE: British soldiers in Afghanistan will be receiving better protection against mines, increased operational mobility, and higher payload when the Warthog All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) enter service.

ST Kinetics, the land systems arm of ST Engineering, today unveiled the Warthog - an agile, versatile and armoured ‘beast of a vehicle’ that will be delivered on schedule to the UK Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) from the end of the year.

“We are proud to roll out the first Warthog ATV within UK MOD’s demanding delivery schedule and rigorous requirements. This is possible because of the close and productive relationship we have forged with the UK MOD from day one. Being flexible and attentive to their strict requirements and standards has been the key to our hugely successful collaboration to date, and a major differentiator for ST Kinetics among the world’s engineering community,” said SEW Chee Jhuen, President, ST Kinetics.

“ST Kinetics have worked extremely hard and demonstrated a very open and pro-active way of working, giving MOD confidence going forward in delivering this project within the required timescales. The WARTHOG itself has proven itself to be a very capable vehicle in tests and trials. I am impressed by the high standards of engineering applied to this vehicle and the quality of the support package; providing our deployed forces with the higher levels of protection and mobility,” said Brigadier Ian Simpson, DE&S Head of Combat Wheels Group, UK MOD.

More than 100 vehicles worth over £150m (about S$330m) have been bought by the UK MOD in response to an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR). The UK MOD identified survivability and payload capacity as key operational requirements in the UOR programme.

Anticipating a demanding timeline, ST Kinetics had on its own accord procured production materials and components ahead of the Warthog contract award. To ascertain the vehicle’s performance in extreme heat and dust conditions, the company had put a 19 tonne Warthog test-bed vehicle through desert trials in U.A.E. this summer.

A highly agile vehicle that can manoeuvre across difficult terrain, roll across trenches, tackle vertical obstacles, power-up steep gradients and even cling to slopes, the Warthog is based on ST Kinetics' Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC). The Bronco ATTC is a robust, reliable and proven articulated platform in operation since 2001. The Warthog will come in four variants - Troop Carrier, Ambulance, Command, and Repair & Recovery. Vehicle - and deliveries will commence end 2009, with the majority to be delivered in 2010.

Twelve UK Armed Forces trainers have already begun operation and maintenance training in Singapore to allow them to start bringing the vehicles into service shortly after delivery.

ST Kinetics (Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd) is the land systems and specialty vehicles arm of ST Engineering. It delivers integrated land systems, specialty vehicles and their related through life support for defence, homeland security and commercial applications. ST Engineering (Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd) is an integrated engineering group providing solutions and services in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. Headquartered in Singapore, the Group reported audited revenue of S$5.34b in FY2008 and has more than 20,000 employees worldwide, and over 100 subsidiaries and associated companies in 24 countries and 42 cities.