APPLETON, Wis. — Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE:OSK), received its first major non-tactical vehicle award from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). Valued at $9.85 million, this is a three-year contract with requirements to build 68 Pierce® mini-pumper fire emergency apparatus and has the potential to expand up to 156 vehicles. The first vehicles are scheduled for delivery in December 2008 to Kabul, Afghanistan, and will be used in Operation Enduring Freedom by the U.S. Army and the Afghan National Police. The Pierce mini-pumper is a high performance, compact vehicle for emergency medical services, fire response and rescue operations.
The Pierce mini-pumper is a custom-engineered vehicle with four-wheel antilock braking system, power steering, and front and rear axle stabilizer bars with shocks, allowing operators to safely maneuver over the arid and rugged terrain of Afghanistan. The vehicle’s 325-horsepower engine and electrical system are designed for extreme-duty operations, featuring a 135-amp alternator and two 750 CCA-rated batteries to assure power is available throughout long shifts.
“For our soldiers and the Afghan National Police, who are challenged in this rugged and mountainous terrain, we are providing the very best in firefighting performance and reliability,” said Wilson Jones, Pierce Manufacturing president. “We are honored to provide these vehicles to those supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.”
Each Pierce mini-pumper is built on a Ford Super Duty F550XL chassis and equipped with a side-mounted control panel that manages a powerful 250 gallons of water per minute pump. The welded aluminum body measures 95.5 inches by 111 inches, and offers more than 54 cubic feet of storage space, with solar-tinted glass, telescoping exterior side mirrors and a heavy-duty air conditioning system with four dash-mounted air registers for the arid climate.
For more information about Pierce mini-pumpers, visit www.piercemfg.com.
About Pierce Manufacturing
Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. Products include custom and commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, mini-pumpers, elliptical tankers, and homeland security apparatus. In addition, Pierce designs its own foam systems and was the first company to introduce frontal airbags and the Side Roll Protection system to fire apparatus. To learn more about Pierce, visit www.piercemfg.com.
