OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – Oshkosh Defense, a global leader in the design, production, and sustainment of best-in-class military vehicles was awarded a massive contract with the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armament Command (TACOM) to produce military equipment.

According to a release, Oshkosh Defense will produce Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transporter System (EHETS) trailers for the U.S. Army after being awarded a five-year contract valued at $263.2 million.

That money will produce an estimated 466 trailers and associated logistics products and support services for the U.S. Army.

“One of Oshkosh’s core competencies is partnering with our customers to develop and deliver vehicles and trailers specifically designed to meet stringent military requirements and survive the rigors of modern combat,” said Pat Williams, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense.

Under the first delivery order, Oshkosh Defense will produce five test trailers for Product Verification Testing (PVT), Operational Testing (OT), Logistics Development, and Engineering Development, along with 68 production trailers.

Oshkosh Defense designed the EHETS trailer to be pulled by the Oshkosh Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) A1, which is currently in service with the U.S. Army.

The combined HET A1 and EHETS trailer system is designed to self-load and unload and can haul a payload of up to 90 tons, allowing it to transport the heaviest Army tracked vehicles, including current and future versions of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), while also obtaining European road permissions at required payloads.

“The EHETS trailer is one such example of our commitment to meeting our customers’ mission requirements. We are proud that the U.S. Army has once again called on us to produce another mission-critical trailer,” added Williams.