Oshkosh Bags $35m Contract From US Army

Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh, has received three awards valued at around $35m from the US army TACOM life cycle management command (LCMC) for MRAP all-terrain vehicle (M-ATV) upgrades and in-theater support.

The company said that it has received two awards for around 6,400 M-ATV self protection adaptive roller kits (SPARKS) upgraded interface brackets, and an award expanding Oshkosh Defense aftermarket support in-theater which will place 18 additional Oshkosh field service representatives (FSR) in Afghanistan and six in Iraq.

Oshkosh said that it makes contact with improvised explosive devices (IED) and causes it to detonate away from vehicle and crew. Oshkosh M-ATVs include an existing SPARKS interface.

According to Oshkosh, the SPARKS mine rollers have recently undergone revisions under the US government direction. The upgraded interface brackets will allow Oshkosh M-ATVs to be fitted with the upgraded SPARKS.

The upgrade kits will be shipped to defense distribution depot red river in Texarkana, Texas, in June 2010. The government will ship brackets to receiving units in theater for installation on Oshkosh M-ATVs. Oshkosh FSRs will support with installation as necessary, the company said.

Oshkosh FSRs support M-ATV and other vehicles in-theater, providing training and complete spectrum of service and support in Iraq and Afghanistan. It operates at theater forward base which would support M-ATV and that may require more access to Oshkosh than internal assets can provide.