WARRENVILLE, Ill., March 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army has ordered vehicles and RPG protection nets from Navistar Defense LLC for U.S. and Afghan forces, the Illinois company announced.
The orders from the Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command are worth $97 million.
The orders encompass 265 general troop transport vehicles, 160 buses and 829 rocket propelled grenade net kits for International MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles currently in service.
Navistar said the general troop transport vehicles to be delivered are based on the International WorkStar, or 7000-MV, platform and will support Afghan National Police and Afghan army security missions. Buses will transport Afghan troops and equipment throughout the country while the RPG nets will be retrofitted onto MaxxPro units operating in theater with U.S. forces.
General troop transport vehicle production will be performed at Navistar's facility in Garland, Texas, and West Point, Miss. Bus production will occur in Tulsa, Okla.
The company said deliveries are scheduled to begin this fall and be completed by the fall of 2012.
RPG nets will be delivered by this summer.
"The key to success in Afghanistan is ensuring their security forces have the proper training, equipment and support and we are uniquely positioned to continue to provide these vehicles and support to the Afghan government," said Navistar Defense President Archie Massicotte. "Today, we have more than 11,000 of these vehicles operating in country and I believe that shows the strength of our Navistar proposition.
"We continue to respond quickly to the needs of both U.S. and allied forces and today that means providing RPG nets to arm our warfighters against evolving threats."
