JCB Lands Contract with U.S. Army

JCB Construction Equipment has been awarded a contract to supply the U.S. Army with a high-speed backhoe loader for military engineering tasks.

The contract is expected to be worth up to $140 million, according to a press release from the company.

The High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) vehicle has been designed to meet the requirements specified by U.S. Army TACOM for a backhoe loader capable of speeds up to 57 mph.

The award of the contract by TACOM, the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, follows a three-year program of design, development and testing to produce a military machine to meet stringent performance criteria. Following the approval of test machines during 2006, full production will begin in 2007 at JCB in Savannah, Ga. Deliveries are expected to continue until 2012.

The objective of the HMEE concept is to have a machine capable of traveling at military convoy speed without the need of transportation by truck and low-loader trailer. A fully armored version is being discussed.

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More information is available at www.jcb.com.