Oshkosh to modernize U.S. Army heavy vehicles in $146.8M contract

May 3 (UPI) -- Contractor Oshkosh Defense announced a three-year extension of its contract with the U.S. Army on Monday to build heavy vehicles, valued at $146.8 million.

The extension calls for modernization of vehicles in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle, also known as FHTV, fleets, which include 354 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, or HEMTT, and Palletized Load System, or PLS, trucks, as well as the construction of new PLS trailers.

The FHTV fleet is designed to accommodate many mission packages, allowing it to support multi-domain operations as the battlefield continues to evolve, according to the company.

Since 1995, Oshkosh has "recapitalized," or modernized, over 13,700 HEMTTs and 3,400 PLS trailers for the U.S. Army.

"For decades we've worked closely with the U.S. Army to modernize the FHTV fleet, and we are honored that they've called on us to continue to provide our soldiers with these mission critical vehicles," Pat Williams, vice president and and general manager U.S. Army and Marine Corps programs at Oshkosh, said Monday in a statement.

The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles is a series of large, armored tactical cargo trucks.

Variants of the platform are used for troop and equipment transport, vehicle recovery and other tasks in a utility role. The cabs of the trucks are fully armored with bullet and shrapnel-resistant plates, with and windshields and windows of ballistic glass.

Variants include a five-ton tractor, a 10-ton dump truck, a five-ton wrecker, a four- or six-wheel drive cargo hauler and an 8.8-ton "load hauler" with crane.

Oshkosh has been the recipient of numerous government contracts for the FHTV series, including a $346.4 million contract announced in March to modernize elements of the Army's fleet.

Built by various contractors, FHTV are currently in use by 18 militaries around the world.

Israel first purchased six Oshkosh vehicles in 2017, and ordered additional vehicles in a $159.1 million Foreign Military Sales contract in 2019.