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Background – Medium Support Vehicle
– Navistar 7400 SFA Truck |
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MSVS MilCOTS – Medium Support Vehicle System (Civilian Pattern)
On 9 Jan 2009, MND Peter McKay announced a $274 M contract award to Navistar Defence for up to 1300 militarized,
civilian-pattern medium trucks. This order is to satisfy the MilCOTS (Militarized Commercial-off-the-Shelf)
component of the Medium Support Vehicle System. Navistar International will manufacture all 1300 CF medium suport
vehicles in their Garland, Texas plant. This choice to build trucks outside of Canada became
controversial
when, days after the DND contract award, 500 of the 700 Canadian workers at the Navistar
Canada plant in Chatham, ON were given lay- off notices. The union points out that Canada invested $30M+ in
Navistar's plant to maintain Ontario jobs and that this facility could handle MSVS with "little or no adjustment."
The firm claims otherwise, saying that the MSVS trucks didn't suit an assembly line for big-rig
tractors.
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An announcement of MLVW replacements (at least for domestic use) should have been good news but,
politically, the damage was done. Nothing about the MSVS MilCOTS has been smooth sailing. When the Request for
Proposals was issued, there was only a single bidder – Navistar. Then that bid was deemed non-compliant.
Meanwhile, the MLVWs situation is cascading. In Canada, civilian Sterling trucks stand in but, in
Afghanistan, HLVWs are being worn-out.
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Thus far, details on the winning MSVS MilCOTS are sparse. The base vehicle is the Navistar 6x6 7400 SFA Set
Forward Axle truck. Like the civilian WorkStar/ProStar series, these trucks come with a range
of engine types. Presumably, DND would choose a diesel Caterpillar for commonality. MSVS MilCOTS
roles are: transport cargo and troops, carry 'Special Equipment Vehicle' kits, support domestic
operations, tow in-service trailers and field guns within the rated capacity of the vehicle. Armour
protection kits are not planned since vehicles won't deploy outside of North America.[1]
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SEVs and MilCOTS Specialty Vehicles
The SEV "shelters" will be based on ISO container dimensions (meaning that any vehicle with a palletized loading
system (PLS) with container handling unit could become an SEV. 'Off-the-shelf' specialty role 7400 Series
trucks include recovery/ hoist vehicles and tankers. However, the CF will likely customize MilCOTS trucks to
its own specifications. Peter MacKay said that MilCOTS "will be the logistics backbone of the army". Navistar
will deliver the trucks over 18 months beginning this summer.
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MSVS MilCOTS – Navistar Defense
6x6 7400 SFA – Specifications
| Names: |
Medium Tactical Vehicle, International 7400, Navistar
ProStar |
Powerplant
options: |
330-390 hp MaxxForce 11 L-6, 410-475 hp
MaxxForce 13 V-8,
385-525 hp Cummins ISX L-6, 380-470 hp Caterpillar C13 L-6 |
| Trans.: |
10-spd Eaton Fuller UltraShift
fully-automated manual trans. |
Crew cabs: |
Short, crew, or extended cab
options (+ tractor tug sleeper ) |
Protection: |
no armour protection kits for MSVS MilCOTS
variants |
| Equipment: |
front winch, some with PLS, SEV 'shelters', cargo
hoists, etc. |
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[1] Observers will note that this assurance was also given for the Militia's Grizzly, Cougar, and
Husky AVGPs, as well as the Bison ISCs.
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