The initial production contract for the Army’s program to field new heavy tactical trucks may be worth $5.1 billion and cover over 7,000 vehicles, according to a Jan. 24 notice to industry.

The Army is planning to open the Common Tactical Truck (CTT) program with a multi-phased prototyping effort, to include awarding up to five deals with each vendor responsible for delivering three test vehicles.

FORT McCOY, Wis. – A heavy expanded mobility tactical truck (HEMTT) prepares to recover another vehicle that has been immobilized by a mock improvised explosive device during a combat support training exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis., Aug. 21, 2016. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Clinton Massey, 206th Broadcast Operations Detachment)

“The goal of the CTT prototyping effort is a [Family of Vehicles] that provides the U.S. Army with required capabilities while incorporating as much commonality between mission roles and with commercial industry as possible. Aligning CTT with industry research and development enables rapid and continuous integration of future technologies that reduce obsolescence issues,” the Army wrote in the notice.

Additional details for the CTT program, formerly called Next Generation Future Truck, were included in a new notice posted along with the previously released Request for Information (RFI) to industry.

The RFI, sent out last July, detailed the Army’s plans to field new heavy tactical trucks that will leverage new autonomy and vehicle electrification technologies and getting after improved fuel efficiency through “smart electronic strategies such as engine off at idle and electrification of hydraulic, cooling fans, and other subsystems” (Defense Daily, July 9, 2021). 

CTT is intended to replace the Army’s Palletized Load System A1 and Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck A4 and M915 and M1088 Tractors, with new variants that utilize a common chassis and “a common power plant, transmission, cab, and navigational systems reducing the need for complex supply chains,” according to the RFI. 

The eventual common chassis for CTT is expected to support five vehicle configurations: a “wrecker” variant capable of recovering Strykers and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, a Load Handling System-Heavy version with a crane, a tractor variant capable of handling payloads up to 40 tons, a tanker variant with an objective payload of up to 2,500 gallons and a cargo bed variant with a crane.

The prototyping effort will cover an initial research and development period to work on designs, followed by prototype delivery to the Army and then a final testing phase, according to the new notice.

Army officials noted the prototyping program is also aimed at leveraging industry’s advancements in the following areas: river safety systems, cyber security, artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomy, improved fuel economy, vehicle electrification, off-road mobility, and predictive maintenance.

“The CTT will leverage industry R&D investments and allow the U.S. Army to modernize at the pace of commercial industry, integrating new technologies with minimal cost. The CTT FoV is envisioned to include modular designs and interchangeable repair parts across the fleet, resulting in streamlined supply chains and reduced total lifecycle costs,” the Army wrote. 

Following the open competition for the CTT prototyping program, the Army said it may award the initial production contract “without the use of competitive procedures, so long as the participants in this transaction successfully complete the prototype project.”