Oshkosh Corp.’s [OSK] Defense division has received an approximately $161 million contract for its first order for amored, highly mobile Mine- Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) tactical ambulances.
The Dec. 1 award from TACOM Life Cycle Management Command is for 250 M-ATV ambulances, consisting of 246 production vehicles and four test vehicles, as well as ancillary and related requirements. The first deliveries are expected in the spring of 2011 and should be completed by May 31, 2012.
“The addition of this vehicle to the U.S. services’ fleets will allow the military to provide urgent medical care in landscapes that are too rugged for other tactical ambulances,” said Ken Juergens, vice president and general manager of Joint Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “We invested in the development of the M-ATV ambulance in response to the military’s need for additional patient recovery and ground transport capabilities. This vehicle expands the military’s M-ATV family of vehicles currently protecting troops and supporting operations in Afghanistan.”
Oshkosh product-design teams worked closely with the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) on the M-ATV tactical ambulance’s design and interior layout. The vehicle can transport two litter patients in a side-by-side layout, and can be configured to carry up to four ambulatory patients. It will be equipped with military-grade ambulance equipment needed to care for patients, including oxygen concentrators, on-board power for medical equipment and IV stabilization equipment.
“The designs allows two patients to be simultaneously loaded very quickly into the M-ATV tactical ambulance, thus significantly reducing the time the medics and patients are exposed to enemy fire and other threats in combat situations,” Juergens said.
Based on the M-ATV platform, the new tactical ambulance variant delivers the same mobility and MRAP-level protection for reaching military members in the field and transporting them safely back to medical facilities.
Oshkosh continues to explore new potential mission solutions for the M-ATV. Oshkosh has designed the M-ATV utility vehicle to support resupply operations and the M-ATV Multi- Mission Vehicle (MMV) to support reconnaissance, missile-carrier and command-and-control operations in unforgiving landscapes.
The Oshkosh M-ATV was designed to provide superior off-road mobility for harsh mountainous terrain and unimproved road networks in places like Afghanistan. Oshkosh has received awards to date for nearly 8,400 M-ATVs, as well as spare parts kits, upgrade kits and aftermarket support. The tactical ambulance joins the M-ATV base and Special Forces Vehicle (SFV) family of vehicles used by the military.
For example, on Nov. 30 the company was awarded a $27.9 million firm-fixed price contract for 46 MRAP-ATV Special Operations Command (SOCOM) variants with SOCOM-specific enhancements.