JCB Unveils Two Innovative Military Trucks
20 June 2006 11:04
JCB today unveils two, highly innovative high-speed military trucks as the company moves beyond its traditional construction equipment market to build on its sales success to military organisations worldwide.
It is the first time in JCB's history that the company has developed a truck designed for use as a military people carrier.
Both the High Mobility Variable Reach Truck (HMVRT) and High Mobility Utility Vehicle (HMUV) will make their debuts at the UK's Defence Vehicle Dynamics exhibition on 28/29 June.
John Patterson, Managing Director and CEO, JCB, said: "These two innovative military trucks represent a bold step for JCB and show our tremendous ability to meet the needs of the military. We understand the ever-changing demands of modern armies and we react with urgency because it has always been part of the JCB ethos."
These machines are part of the world's first high speed, high mobility and logistically compatible family of military vehicles. Last October JCB announced the biggest order in its history when it secured a $140 million contract to supply the US Army with the High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE). The new machines share the HMEE's all-important capability to travel at high speed.
As military organisations increasingly focus on the need for logistics vehicles to be capable of convoy speeds of over 50mph, JCB has been able to put to use years of experience with the Fastrac tractor, which was the first agricultural tractor to be capable of road speeds of more than 50mph due to its advanced full suspension design and anti-lock braking system.
The HMVRT combines 50mph speed with an ability to lift 4,500kg; the machine has a reach of 8.5m. The operator can efficiently stuff and de-stuff standard 20ft ISO containers either on the ground or while mounted on trucks.
The four-wheel drive machine is air transportable in a Hercules C-130 aircraft. Because the HMVRT is based on the HMEE, providing technical support is eased by the commonality of components. The HMVRT has been developed in only three months in stark contrast to industry's reputation for slow design and development of many military products.
JCB's HMUV has been developed around the military requirement for vehicles capable of transporting four tonne payloads or a combination of payload and personnel. This makes the HMUV a completely new type of vehicle for JCB.
Underlining the capability of the HMUV, it is capable of towing up to 4,000kg in addition to its own payload. Its top speed is an impressive 68mph. The final concept of will be determined in conjunction with the MOD.
The new machines join an impressive military machine line-up from JCB. This week the first six HMEE production machines were delivered from JCB's USA plant in Savannah, Georgia, for validation tests. Full production will commence in 2007 and deliveries are scheduled to continue until 2012.
In addition, the JCB range includes the High Mobility Rough Terrain Forklift (HMRTF), the world's first high speed, high mobility telescopic handler. It is based on the same basic platform as the High Mobility Fastrac (HMF), HMVRT and HMEE and shares the capability to travel at more than 50mph due to its full suspension. The HMRTF has a lift capacity of 2,300kg to a height of 5.3m and has an average rack time of two minutes, making it one of the most efficient material handlers.
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JCB - Military Construction Vehicles and Equipment
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