Mack Defense presents U.S. Army with keys to first M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks.

Mack Defense celebrated the official handover of the first five Mack Granite model-based M917A3 heavy dump trucks (HDT) to the U.S. Army during a ceremony at the Mack Customer Center.

Mack Defense President David Hartzell (top left) officially presented the first five Mack Granite-based M917A3 heavy dump trucks (top right) to the U.S. Army during a ceremony at the Mack Customer Center (Picture source: Mack Defense)

Leadership from Mack Defense presented the keys to officials with the U.S. Army in front of attendees, including several representatives of local and state elected officials. Beginning in July, the trucks will enter up to 40 weeks of rigorous durability testing at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland.

“The Mack Defense M917A3 HDT embodies Mack’s core values of durability, reliability and application excellence, and we’re confident these vehicles will exceed the U.S. Army’s rigorous testing requirements,” said David Hartzell, president of Mack Defense. “We are proud of our efforts and collaboration with the U.S. Army to deliver a truck that will serve the men and women of our armed forces for years to come.”

The U.S. Army first solicited bids for the M917 HDT program in 2017, seeking to develop the next generation of HDTs with increased occupant protection levels, higher payload and improved mobility. Mack Defense was awarded the contract in May 2018 and will produce armor-capable or armored HDTs with deliveries through May 2025.

The Mack Defense M917A3 HDT is based on the civilian Mack Granite model, one of the top-selling construction trucks in North America. To meet the demanding needs of the U.S. Army, Mack Defense engineers added heavier-duty rear axles, all-wheel drive and increased suspension ride height.

The new trucks will help increase the U.S. Army’s operational effectiveness and readiness while supporting mobility, counter-mobility, survivability and sustainment operations for the Joint Force.