The U.S. Department of Defence announced on 24 September that the U.S. Army had signed a modification to contract for High Mobility Engineer Excavator Type-1 vehicles. JCB Inc. was awarded a $72,7 million modification to contract W56HZV-14-D-0066 for this type of engineer vehicle. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 28, 2019.

High Mobility Engineer Excavator Type-1 (Picture source: JCB)

Previously, the U.S. Army has reportedly ordered 98 High Mobility Engineer Excavator Type-I vehicles with a total cost of $36,9 million. According to the JCB, the High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) Type-1 vehicle was originally engineered and built for the US Army and NATO aligned forces.

HMEE offers full crew protection, compliant with STANAG blast and ballistic standards. Its 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel steering systems along with a differential lock deliver exceptional off-road performance. Full suspension and ABS brakes provide controlled and safe travel, while the high torque, turbocharged diesel engine can run on military fuels like JP8 and F34 with minimal engine degradation. The cab is fully air-conditioned, comfortable and ergonomically designed for low operator fatigue and maximum productivity.

The HMEE comes in in 3 configurations:
1: CAB – A-KIT
Basic machine with fixings for appliqué armor.
2: CAB – B-KIT
Fully protected machine with appliqué armor and ballistic glazing.
3: CAB – TES
Enhanced fully protected machine with appliqué armor, ballistic glazing, a blast mitigating belly plate, internal spall liner, blast attenuating seat, bar armor, roof hatch, foot plate, provision for electronic communications and counter measures, as well as Night and Thermal Imaging systems.