AM General to accelerate deployment of Hawkeye 105mm howitzer.

American Defense Company AM General, on November 1, 2018, announced that it has made an investment in Mandus Group, an innovator of artillery solutions based on soft recoil technology, headquartered in Rock Island, Illinois. This investment will help to accelerate the deployment of the ultra-mobile Humvee Hawkeye 105mm self-propelled howitzer weapon system and further vehicle-mounted weapons systems structured around the soft recoil technology.

AM General Humvee Hawkeye 105mm at SOFEX Special Forces Operations Exhibition in Amman, Jordan. May 2018.  (Picture source Army Recognition)

Deepening its relationship with Mandus Group will expand AM General in its role as a prime integrator leveraging the technology and manufacturing capabilities centered in Rock Island, Ill., and the Quad Cities region. AM General’s partnership with Mandus Group builds upon its highly successful public-private partnership with the Rock Island Arsenal to jointly deliver new Humvee ambulances to the active duty Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve.

With its investment in Mandus Group, AM General expands its portfolio of integrated mission systems and further aligns its vehicle offerings with the US Army’s top priorities. The combination of Mandus’ technology development and AM General’s manufacturing expertise will deliver the new standard for light artillery firepower and tactical mobility.

“Investing in Mandus Group is part of AM General’s core mission to address our customer needs and deliver tactically integrated systems that deliver critical capabilities to our customer,” said Andy Hove, AM General President and CEO.

“The AM General investment in Mandus Group demonstrates our collective commitment to the Quad Cities region and greatly facilitates cost effective and rapid delivery of the next generation artillery system to the soldier,” said Kevin Jansen, Mandus Group President. “The marrying of our product capabilities with AM General’s global reach allows for an unprecedented leap forward in artillery technology.”

The groundbreaking self-propelled Humvee Hawkeye howitzer system incorporates soft recoil technology that reduces loads and the weight of stabilizing structures by as much as 50 percent compared to conventional recoil systems. The merging of the soft recoil 105mm weapon system with the iconic, rugged, and proven Humvee has resulted in a dynamic platform that not only provides faster and more accurate firing but also maximizes rapid deploy-and-redeploy, “shoot and scoot” capability, with a crew half the size of traditional towed artillery systems.