Mack Defense has been awarded a contract to design, build, and deliver trucks for the prototype and testing phase of the U.S. Army’s Common Tactical Truck (CTT) program. The prototypes will be tested and evaluated to determine the final requirements for the next generation of trucks to ultimately begin modernization and replacement of the Army’s fleet of approximately 35,000 heavy tactical trucks which perform a wide range of combat logistics, support, and service support missions.

The U.S. Army’s requirements for the CTT program dictate a modern, scalable commercial-based platform with advanced safety technologies, increased off-road mobility, advanced cybersecurity, open systems architecture, improved fuel efficiency and commonality across truck variants to promote enhanced sustainability.

“We were confident in our ability to meet the needs outlined by the U.S. Army when we submitted our initial bid,” said David Hartzell, president of Mack Defense. “Being chosen for the prototype phase of this program confirms that the Army recognizes Mack Defense has the experience in adapting our commercial based products, technologies and global value chain needed to meet the strict requirements outlined for the CTT.”

Mack Defense will provide three prototype vehicles to the U.S. Army by January 2024 to be tested by the Army in a myriad of situations to evaluate vehicle performance, efficiency, and durability.

According to Jack Terefinko, CTT Program Manager at Mack Defense, “the vehicles include an on-road tractor, an off-road tractor, and a load-handling system (LHS) truck each based off our commercial-based vehicle platforms and technologies modified to meet the strict requirements of CTT."

Upon completion of the prototype evaluations and testing in 2025 the Army is expected to launch a separate competition which will lead to production contract for the modernization of the heavy tactical vehicle fleet. Army has stated that an initial production contract could be over 7,000 trucks valued at more than $5.1 billion.

Getting to Know Mack Defense 

Mack Defense is currently performing two major defense programs of record, each with a scope that directly aligns with the CTT. Both projects use modified, commercial-based vehicles from the extensive global Volvo Group network.

The first is the U.S. Army’s M917A3 Heavy Duty Dump Truck (HDT). The M917A3 HDT is based on the commercial Mack Granite model. Mack Defense was awarded the contract in 2018 after extensive testing and validation. Serial production began in 2021 and continues today in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The second active defense program is the Canadian Medium Support Vehicle System - Standard Military Pattern (MSVS-SMP). For the MSVS-SMP program, Mack Defense chose to use the Renault Kerax 8x8 truck, which was used to create 5 different logistics support vehicle platforms for the Canadian military.

Mack Defense brought together expertise from the U.S., Canada, and France to successfully deliver 1,587 vehicles during a five-year production contract from June 2015 to June 2020 and is currently in the third year of a sustainment contract for the MSVS which includes parts, field service, maintenance, and repair.

As a part of the Volvo Group, Mack Defense is part of a global truck brand network, including Mack Trucks, Volvo Trucks, and Renault Trucks, with manufacturing facilities in 19 countries, operations in 36 countries, and servicing customers worldwide through its global parts and service-logistics capabilities. The Volvo Group is also a leader in advanced vehicle safety technologies, diesel engine design, and advanced powertrains such as battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell.

This effort was sponsored by the U.S. Government under Other Transaction Authority number W15QKN-17-9-1025 with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation herein. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government.

More U.S. Army News

In August 2022, Mack Defense received an order for 144 additional trucks from the U.S. Army. The additional vehicles are part of the firm-fixed price $296 million contract to be fulfilled over seven years that the Army awarded Mack Defense in 2018.

More recently, GM Defense announced that it will leverage the GMC Hummer EV to meet the U.S. Army’s requirement for a light- to heavy-duty battery-electric vehicle to support reduced reliance on fossil fuels.