Lighter MRAPs for the Troops in Afghanistan

Defense Update ^ | 9/7/08 | Tamir Eshel

[esheltamir]

Defense Update magazine has published a news story about a new Marine Corps contract awarded to Navistar Defense, for the development and production of a lighter version of the MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) under a $752 million contract awarded last week by the US Marine Corps. The corps is the program manager for the development and procurement of the MRAP vehicles, built under an urgent requirement to protect troops in Iraq and Afghanistan from ambushes, improvised explosive devices (IED), mines and roadside bombs. The full story is available: HERE

[esheltamir]

Under the new contract awarded by the US Marine Corps, Navistar will design a lighter, smaller and more mobile variant of its MaxxPro MRAP. Production will begin in October 2008 at the company’s West Point, Miss., plant with delivery of 822 units to be completed by February 2009. However, it is not clear yet weather the US Marines in Afghanistan will get this vehicle, since the MaxxPro was delivered primarily to the US Army while corps has sofar used primarily the Cougar version of MRAP.

[centurion316]

The MRAP program is a joint program, for all of the services. The Marine Corps acts as executive agent and runs the program office, which means that they procure MRAP vehicle for the Army as well as for the Navy and Air Force. Service requirements for vehicle variants and for numbers in each theater are developed by each service.

[big'ol_freeper]

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