The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) has awarded Oshkosh Defense and partner, Broshuis B.V., a contract to produce semitrailers for the Heavy Equipment Transporter in response to an Operational Needs Statement (ONS) from the U.S. Army Europe for a semitrailer that can deliver increased payload capability while gaining European road permissions.
The contract, initially awarded at $13.3M, has a maximum value of $109.8M and calls for 170 semitrailers to be delivered between FY20 and FY21.
The Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) was designed by Oshkosh Defense to provide rapid movement of mission-critical equipment including tanks, armored vehicles, and recovery vehicles, and the company has been producing HET for the U.S. Army since 1976.
Additionally, Oshkosh Defense partner Broshuis B.V., has over 130 years of experience in providing innovative semitrailers for specialized commercial and military transport.
“Oshkosh Defense and our partner, Broshuis B.V., each bring a unique set of skills and experiences to this program,” explained Pat Williams, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense.
“As the OEM of the HET, not only do we understand this vehicle inside and out, but we also have a proven record of success delivering critical vehicle accessories and upgrades that our troops rely on.
By combining our experience with the trailer expertise of our partner, Broshuis B.V., we were able to provide the U.S. Army with an efficient, durable semitrailer that can be relied upon to ensure heavy equipment arrives in mission-ready condition.”
The U.S. Army’s selection comes after two prototypes successfully completed a 3-month test and evaluation phase at Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland.
(The Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) is an 8 wheel drive beast of a vehicle originally used to transport Abrams M1 tanks for the military. The Oshkosh M1070 AO has 500 horsepower and 1500 ft.lbs. of torque. Courtesy of Elevation Transport and YouTube.)
The semitrailers were evaluated on their payload capacity, transportability, loading and unloading efficiency of operational and disabled vehicles, and overall logistics capability.
“We are proud that the U.S. Army has trusted us to produce the HET ONS semitrailer, and we look forward to getting these fielded with our Soldiers in Europe,” Williams continued.
Key Semitrailer Features Include:
- (8) hydraulically controlled power steered independent PL2 pendular axles
- Compensating hydraulic gooseneck for optimal weight distribution
- Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) provides independent power
- Provides storage for tractor and trailer Basic Issue Items (BII) and spare tires
Features of the HET Include:
- 700 Horsepower Caterpillar® C18 engine
- Allison® 4800SP transmission
- Single-speed Oshkosh 30000 transfer case
- Two 55,000 lbs. winches
(Learn More about Oshkosh Defense. Courtesy of Oshkosh Defense and YouTube. Posted on Mar 5, 2019.)
