JCB Unveils Two Innovative Military Trucks

JCB recently unveiled 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 organizations 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) made their debuts at the United Kingdom’s Defense Vehicle
Dynamics exhibition on June 28-29.

John Patterson, managing director and CEO of 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 U.S. Army with the High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE). The new
machines share the HMEE’s all-important capability to travel at high speeds.

The HMVRT combines 50-mph speed with an ability to lift 12,000 lbs; the
machine has a reach of 27 ft. The operator can efficiently stuff and de-stuff
standard 20-ft 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 common components. The HMVRT was developed in only three months,
which is in stark contrast to the industry’s reputation for slow design and
development of many military products.

JCB’s HMUV was developed around the military requirement for vehicles capable
of transporting 4-ton 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 10,000 lbs in addition to
its own payload. Its top speed is an impressive 68 mph.