The US Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded Mack Defense a 12-month contract for the initial development of a new Medium Tactical Truck (MTT) family featuring hybrid-electric drive (HED) technology, the company announced on 12 March 2024.
The new family of vehicles will replace the USMC’s Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) fleet, which includes cargo, dump, wrecker, tractor and resupply trucks supporting air-ground task force combat support missions.
The USMC’s initial requirements for the MTT fleet will focus on three cargo variants consisting of 10 ft, 15 ft and 20 ft (3.05 m, 4.57 m and 6.1 m) cargo bed configurations with HED technology for reduced fuel consumption, extended range and a reduced noise signature for silent-watch capabilities.
A 70% off-road/30% on-road mission profile will be supported by a 1.5 m deep fording capability. The vehicles will feature a 10 kW onboard power generator and will have the capacity to deliver 30 kW of external power.
Advanced driver safety and force protection systems will also be key features of the new fleet.
As part of the initial development phase Mack Defense will provide a detailed engineering technical data package for three MTT cargo variants. The company will incorporate an open systems architecture for the MTT in line with the US Department of Defense’s Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) strategy, ensuring the USMC can integrate future technological advancements into the MTT fleet.
“We were confident in our ability to meet the needs outlined by the US Marine Corps,” David Hartzell, Mack Defense president, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Being chosen for the initial development phase of the programme confirms that the US Marine Corps recognises Mack Defense has the proven experience in developing tactical vehicle platforms the incorporate the latest systems designs and technologies to meet the strict requirements outlined for the MTT.”
Mack Defense is currently in the testing phase of the Common Tactical Truck (CTT) programme for the US Army. Three prototype CTT vehicles based on the commercially available Mack Granite truck were recently delivered to the army for testing and soldier evaluations.
The CTT prototypes will be evaluated to determine final requirements to modernise the army’s fleet of 35,000 heavy tactical trucks.
The MTT programme leverages technology developed for the CTT programme, including HED technology, active safety features, the open systems approach, and the implementation of military-standard mobility.
