Navistar gets $178 million contract for MRAP retrofit

WARRENVILLE -- Navistar Defense LLC received a $178 million contract Tuesday to retrofit more than 1,000 military trucks.

The deal involves retrofitting 1,222 International MaxxPro Dash Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles with the independent suspension. The order from the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command calls for the vehicles to be upgraded in theater with suspension kits.

"Today's war fighters require both high survivability protection and off-road mobility to complete their missions safely," said Navistar Defense President Archie Massicotte.

Under the contract, retrofits are scheduled to begin by the end of April with work to be completed by the end of March 2011.

Currently, the company has more than 275 field service representatives in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide in-theater vehicle support for the MaxxPro fleet.

"Our continued efforts to improve performance paired with our manufacturing capability allow us to deliver the most advanced equipment to those who need it most -- when they need it," said Bob Walsh, vice president, Navistar Defense.

The award follows the company's contract announced Feb. 16 to provide 1,050 enhanced MaxxPro Dash vehicles. To date, the company's total MaxxPro MRAP orders equate to 7,494 vehicles. Approximately 2,272 vehicles in the MaxxPro fleet will be enhanced with the DXM independent suspension solution.