An industry team led by Protected Vehicles, Inc. (PVI) received last week an initial $37.4 million order for the delivery of 60 Golan type Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Category II vehicles, following the selection of the company among nine finalists for the $2 billion 4,100 vehicle USMC acquisition program. The team is led by North Charleston S.C. based PVI includes Rafael Armament Development Authority of Haifa, Israel, Oshkosh Truck corp. from Oshkosh, WI, and Battelle Memorial Institute of Ohio. Additionally, PVI will serve as a subcontractor to Oshkosh Truck Corporation (NYSE: OSK) for 100 MRAP Category I vehicles. The two selected MRAP vehicles are the PVI-ALPHA and GOLAN, created and refined by Garth Barrett and PVI over the past 14 months.
“We have been able to provide to the Marines two levels of crew survivability, mobility, and lethality that are timely to meet current and emerging threats. Our vehicles are new designs which reduce casualties and increase survivability for Marines and Soldiers subjected to mine explosions, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonations, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and Small Arms Fire (SAF). The PVI-ALPHA design supports Urban Combat Operations, Mounted Combat Patrols and transport missions. The GOLAN supports multiple missions, to include convoy operations, troop transport missions, ambulance missions, Combat Engineer and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) missions for maneuver units, as well as close-in Urban Combat Operations,” said Michael Sandusky, Executive Director for Program Management.
Earlier in February the team was awarded an initial order for four vehicles corresponding to Category I (mine resistant utility vehicle designed for urban combat) and II (heavier, counter EOD, convoy protection and patrol vehicle) have been delivered and tested by the USMC. 60 additional vehicles are on order, to be delivered for by June. The first delivery order slates MRAP vehicles, Category I & II, to be tested at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in March. The Israeli version of the Golan MRAP produced at RAFAEL is currently undergoing testing by the Israeli Defense Force. Protected Vehicles, Inc. designs and manufactures mine and ballistic protected vehicles using advanced U.S. technology; technology derived from Rhodesian and South African vehicle development programs carried out from 1970 through 1994; and U.S. DoD technology developments.
