The US Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded a contract to Oshkosh Defense to supply a new fleet of P-19 replacement aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicles.
Under the $192m firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract, Oshkosh will deliver P-19R ARFF vehicles, as well as support and sustainment, to replace the USMC’s current ageing fleet of A/S32 P-19A aircraft rescue/structural firefighting vehicle.
The USMC will deploy the next-generation P-19R for more advanced on-road and off-road firefighting capabilities in aircraft fire emergencies at military bases and expeditionary airfields.
Oshkosh Corporation executive vice-president and Oshkosh Defense president John Urias said: "The Oshkosh P-19R delivers a modern, expeditionary platform with advanced firefighting capabilities for the highly volatile situations marines might face."
Based on the Oshkosh logistics vehicle system replacement (LVSR) platform and Striker firefighting systems from Oshkosh Airport Products, the new vehicle features TAK-4 independent suspension system to provide exceptional mobility for off-runway response situations.
Oshkosh Defense’s integrated product support capabilities intend to provide organic lifecycle sustainment support such as training, part supply and in-theatre support.
A Command Zone integrated diagnostics and automation system is also integrated on to the Oshkosh P-19R to increase situational awareness and help the crew to conduct firefighting missions.
In addition, the vehicle reduces sustainment costs, minimise provisioning and inventory requirements, and increases training efficiencies due to its commonality with other fielded Oshkosh vehicles.
Scheduled to be completed by May 2018, work will be carried out at Oshkosh facility in Wisconsin, US, beginning in June 2013, while the Marine Corps Systems Command will serve as the contracting activity.
Image: Illustration of Oshkosh P-19R vehicle. Photo: courtesy of Oshkosh Corporation.
