Mack Defense has delivered six armored Mack® Granite®-based M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks (HDT) to the U.S. Army for the Production Vehicle Testing (PVT) phase of its $296 million contract. The trucks will now enter 40 weeks of rigorous durability testing at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Test Center.
“Over the past several years, our teams have worked incredibly hard in partnership with the U.S. Army to develop, engineer and begin building these next generation trucks. We’re confident the armored version will provide the operator protection levels required by the U.S. Army,” said David Hartzell, President of Mack Defense.
The PVT phase of the contract includes a number of vehicle tests to evaluate the trucks against U.S. Army performance and durability. In addition, the trucks will undergo live-fire testing to determine occupant survivability. Non-armored Mack Defense M917A3 trucks entered the PVT phase in 2019.
“Throughout the PVT phase of the contract, the U.S. Army will provide feedback on how the trucks are performing. That will allow us to continue to fine tune the program and ensure we’re meeting all requirements,” said Jack Terefinko, HDT Program Manager for Mack Defense.
The U.S. Army began soliciting bids for a new generation of HDTs in June 2017, seeking to offer increased protection levels, as well as higher payload capacity and improved mobility. Mack Defense was awarded the contract in May 2018, which allows for Mack Defense to produce armor-capable or armored HDTs with deliveries through May 2025.
Based on the civilian Mack Granite model, Mack Defense engineered the M917A3 HDT to meet the current needs of the U.S. Army, while also allowing for evolving requirements and future growth. With heavier-duty rear axles, all-wheel drive and increased suspension ride height, the M917A3 is capable of meeting the demanding payload and mobility requirements set by the U.S. Army HDT program.
Mack Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mack Trucks, is responsible for the sale of heavy-duty trucks to federal- and ministerial-level customers globally.
Mack Defense, LLC, is part of the Volvo Group, which is driving prosperity through transport solutions by offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase customer uptime and productivity.
Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs 104,000 people and serves customers in more than 190 markets. In 2019, net sales amounted to about $45.7 billion. Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
