The U.S. Army
also awarded Oshkosh a separate $28 million contract on
Dec. 3 to procure 46 M-ATV variants designed specifically
for U.S. Special Operations Command.
Oshkosh also
has proposed cargo and reconnaissance variants of the
M-ATV, and has shown prototypes of them at trade shows.
The development
of the M-ATV began after the Pentagon decided that a lighter
and more mobile MRAP vehicle was needed by U.S. forces
in Afghanistan. MRAPs originally were developed for U.S.
troops in Iraq to counter roadside bombs.
After an open
competition, the first M-ATV contract was awarded to Oshkosh
on June 30, 2009.
The Wisconsin
manufacturer is wrapping up the last of its deliveries
of the 8,108 of the original M-ATVs ordered by the Pentagon.
However, the government's indefinite delivery/indefinite
quantity contract allows DoD's joint program office to
buy up to 10,000 of the vehicles without going through
a new source selection process.
