OSHKOSH, Wis. (Sept. 27, 2010) – Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), will debut enhancements for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) at Modern Day Marine 2010, Sept. 28-30 in Quantico, Va. Oshkosh will feature the HMMWV with the company’s TAK-4® independent suspension system and vee-shaped underside armor. Together, these enhancements expand the vehicle’s mission capabilities for Marines Ð including improved off-road mobility, ground clearance, ride quality and survivability against underbody IED blasts.
“Our TAK-4 independent suspension system will significantly improve HMMWV mobility and speed on the severe terrain that Marines encounter in their tactical, combat and expeditionary missions,” said John Bryant, Oshkosh Defense vice president and general manager, Marine Corps Programs. “We continue to see vehicles equipped with the TAK-4 thrive in places like Afghanistan – where unimproved roads and rocky, rugged terrain make up the battlefields. We’ve also integrated our vee-shaped under-vehicle armor on the HMMWV, which is proven to mitigate the effects of IED blasts more effectively than flat bottom vehicles.”
Current U.S. Marine Corps operational protection requirements call for add-on armor to improve the vehicle’s survivability (i.e., the Up-armored HMMWV, M1151A1 with B1 armor kit). With this up-armoring, the vehicle weighs in more than 1.5 tons above its originally designed Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and experiences performance, ride quality and mobility degradations.
“Oshkosh offers a new way forward for the Marine Corps’ light vehicle fleet, and does so using its proprietary TAK-4 suspension, which has been proven in theater on multiple vehicle classes,” Bryant added. “The HMMWV with the TAK-4 system improves vehicle ride height and performance, ride quality and restores the original vehicle payload capability Ð allowing for additional under-vehicle armor protection for improved survivability.”
Equipping the TAK-4 suspension on HMMWVs provides numerous benefits, including:
« A 70 percent off-road profile capability and 14 inches of independent wheel travel to overcome obstacles and navigate rugged, mountainous environments
« Ground clearance increased to 17 inches to improve mobility and occupant visibility while also helping to counter underbody blasts, such as IEDs, by enabling more stand-off distance
« A 40 percent increase in the vehicle’s maximum speed and a 46 percent improvement in braking
« Restoring a 2,500-pound vehicle payload capacity when the crew is embarked with all current add-on armor installed, which allows for consideration of an under-vehicle armor vee-shaped panel solution to further improve survivability
« Improved ride quality, with a reduction in suspension vibration and harshness for less crew fatigue
The Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspension system is a proven, mobility-enhancing technology. It has been used on more than 10,000 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR), which Oshkosh designed and produces for the Marine Corps and Navy Seabees. It also is a vital component on the Oshkosh MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), allowing the vehicle to drive 70 percent off-road and take on additional armor while maintaining its 4,000-pound payload capacity. The TAK-4 system has undergone more than 500,000 miles of government durability testing.
Oshkosh also will have an MTVR 4×4 and M-ATV Troop Carrier at Modern Day Marine. Oshkosh will be exhibiting at booth #2525 at the show, which is taking place Sept. 28-30 at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico.
About Oshkosh Defense
Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons. Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection. For more information, visit oshkoshdefense.com.
About Oshkosh Corporation
Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corporation manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Medtec®, Jerr-Dan®, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline™, SMIT™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, visit www.oshkoshcorporation.com.
®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that the Company believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this presentation, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project” or “plan” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the impact on revenues and margins of the projected decrease in M-ATV production rates; the cost of any warranty campaigns related to the Company’s products; the cyclical nature of the Company’s access equipment, commercial and fire & emergency markets, especially during periods of global economic weakness and tight credit markets; the duration of the ongoing global economic weakness, which could lead to additional impairment charges related to many of the Company’s intangible assets and/or a slower recovery in the Company’s cyclical businesses than equity market expectations; the expected level and timing of U.S. DoD procurement of products and services and funding thereof; risks related to reductions in government expenditures in light of U.S. defense budget pressures and an uncertain DoD tactical wheeled vehicle strategy; the potential for the U.S. government to competitively bid the Company’s Army and Marine Corps contracts; the Company’s ability to start production under the FMTV contract at targeted margins; the consequences of financial leverage associated with the JLG acquisition, which could limit the Company’s ability to pursue various opportunities; risks related to the collectability of receivables, particularly for those businesses with exposure to construction markets; risks related to production delays as a result of the economy’s impact on the Company’s suppliers; the potential for commodity costs to rise sharply, particularly in a future economic recovery; risks related to costs and charges as a result of facilities consolidation and alignment; risks associated with international operations and sales, including foreign currency fluctuations and compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; risks related to disruptions in the Company’s distribution networks; and the potential for increased costs relating to compliance with changes in laws and regulations. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any obligation to update such forward-looking statements. All operating results included in this press release reflect results from continuing operations only. The operating results of Geesink B.V., Geesink Norba Limited and Norba A.B., (collectively, Geesink), which comprised the Company’s former European RCV business, and of the Company’s former European fire apparatus business, BAI Brescia Antincendi International S.r.l. (BAI), have been reclassified for all periods presented to discontinued operations due to the Company’s sale of these businesses in July 2009 and October 2009, respectively.
