OSHKOSH, WIS., U.S. (June 14, 2002) – Oshkosh Truck Corporation [Nasdaq: OTRKB], a leading manufacturer of medium- and heavy-payload defense trucks, announced that its newest defense truck model, a cab-forward version of the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR), will be displayed at Eurosatory, June 17 – 21, in Paris, France (Booth #A02-51). The company will also exhibit a HEMTT with Load Handling System in the U.S. Department of Defense outdoor exhibit area. In addition, Oshkosh will have experts on hand to discuss its revolutionary ProPulse™ electric hybrid drive technology.
Oshkosh designed the six-wheel-drive MTVR to meet the requirements of modern military forces worldwide – high mobility over rough terrain, rapid deployability by air and sea, and low life cycle costs. The cab-forward MTVR is fully air transportable by C130, C141, C17 and C15 aircraft, and meets the configuration preferences of many defense customers throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In addition, it features a corrosion-resistance package developed by Oshkosh to provide for more than 20 years of corrosion protection.
“The MTVR has exceeded all our expectations in terms of mobility, performance, and reliability. Oshkosh has now extended that remarkable performance into this new model, giving defense forces worldwide a selection of cab-forward and bonneted designs in the MTVR line,” said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh’s chairman, president and chief executive officer.
The MTVR’s off-road capabilities are incredible for a rubber-tired vehicle. This cab-forward model is equipped with Oshkosh’s TAK-4™ independent suspension, capable of 40 cm (16 inches) of vertical wheel travel, to dramatically improve comfort, traction, upright stability and off-road mobility. Inside, the cab provides tremendous visibility in all directions and seating for four.
The MTVR can climb and descend a 60-percent grade, a grade so steep it is difficult for humans to stand on. It can ford 152 cm (five feet) of water and run over rock-strewn paths or through sand and mud, all the while carrying more cargo at faster speeds than ever before. The cab-forward MTVR can carry 13.6 tonne on-road and 6.4 tonne cross-country.
The cab-forward model also features an Eaton central tire inflation system that uses sensors and an on-board computer to automatically assess the tire pressure based on terrain, the vehicle’s speed and payload.
Visitors to Eurosatory will also be able to learn more about Oshkosh’s revolutionary ProPulse™ electric hybrid drive technology. Oshkosh was the first to build a heavy-payload defense truck with an electric hybrid drive system. The company’s ProPulse system can improve fuel economy up to 40%, reduce emissions, improve life cycle costs, and serve as an on-board AC generator with enough output to power an entire airfield. Members of Oshkosh’s engineering development team will be on hand to answer questions.
Oshkosh was founded in 1917 and has been building defence trucks since World War II. Today, the company is the premier manufacturer of medium- and heavy-payload tactical trucks in the world. Oshkosh vehicles have proven their value and performance for the U.S. Department of Defense and many other governments in military operations across the globe, including Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Middle East, the Far East and the United States. In 2001, the company was selected to build the new fleet of tank transporters for the British Army. The first unit is currently in approval testing, and deliveries are scheduled to begin later this year.
Oshkosh Truck Corporation is a leading manufacturer of specialty trucks and truck bodies for the defence, fire and emergency, concrete placement and refuse hauling markets. Oshkosh Truck is a Fortune 1000 company with products marketed under the Oshkosh, Pierce, McNeilus, Medtec, Geesink and Norba brand names. The company is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, with major operations in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden and Mexico. Annual turnover was $1.45 billion in fiscal 2001.
