Oshkosh Defense will add more than 6,000 upgraded vehicles to the U.S. Army's Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) fleet under a new three-year contract from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM).

The vehicles include increased horsepower and performance features due to power-train and suspension upgrades. The first order is valued at $1.2 billion and delivery will start in November.

The FHTV III program will be awarded in increments and calls for Oshkosh to manufacture and deliver more than 6,000 of the upgraded and more-powerful variants of heavy tactical vehicles and accompanying trailers.

This includes the Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT), Palletized Load Systems (PLS) and PLS trailers (PLST), and Heavy Equipment Transporters (HET).

As part of the contract, Oshkosh Defense will supply the U.S. Army with the next-generation HEMTT, the HEMTT A4, and will soon introduce the A1 models of the PLS and HET. Available to Army forces worldwide, these new next-generation vehicles will feature increased horsepower and performance features due to power-train and suspension upgrades.

In addition, all three vehicle families will be Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS) compliant and come off the assembly line fitted with upgraded suspensions and integral composite ("A" kit) armor. They also will be ready to receive an add-on ("B" kit) armor applique.

"No other manufacturer makes heavy tactical vehicles like Oshkosh. And the announcement confirms the strong confidence the U.S. Army has in our Oshkosh Defense battle-tested and mission-ready fleet of vehicles and their capabilities to meet the in-field demands of tomorrow," said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh Corporation chairman and chief executive officer.

"The vehicle enhancements are designed to improve troop safety for our brave men and women serving in the military, and boost vehicle performance on the battlefield."