The U.S. military has placed another order for heavy duty trucks being built in the Lehigh Valley.
Mack Defense, a subsidiary of Mack Trucks, said Wednesday that the military has ordered an additional 135 of its M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks.
A company release said the additional vehicles are part of a previously-announced, firm-fixed price contract worth $296 million over seven years, which the U.S. Army awarded Mack Defense in 2018.
The company said 60 HDTs were purchased by the U.S. Army Reserve, 74 were being funded by the presidential budget, and one will go to the U.S. Navy.
The Army previously ordered an additional 144 M917A3s in August 2022, which were also part of the same contract.
Mack Defense says with the new order, 446 HDs have been ordered to date. The vehicles are used in construction and maintenance missions for infrastructure assets like airfields, roadways, landing strips, supply facilities, and motor pools.
“The U.S. military puts these trucks through the paces every day, and each subsequent requisition shows that the Mack HDT is meeting the military’s demanding requirements,” said Mack Defense president David Hartzell in the release.
The HDT is based off of Mack’s commercial Granite model, with heavier-duty real axles, all-wheel drive, increased suspension ride height and other ruggedized features.
The trucks are being produced at the Mack Experience Center in Allentown. Production began in early 2021, following a $6.5 million investment to create a dedicated HDT line at the facility.
Earlier this year, Mack Defense also announced that it has received a contract to design, build, and deliver prototype vehicles for the U.S. Army’s Common Tactical Truck program.
Mack said these vehicles, an on-road tractor, an off-road tractor, and a load-handling system truck, will be delivered to the Army in January 2024 for testing and evaluation.
The Army will evaluate the prototypes to determine the final requirements for the next generation of trucks that will eventually supplant its current fleet of around 35,000 heavy tactical trucks.
(Original air-date: 8/24/23)
