The next-generation ARFF vehicle provides off-road firefighting capabilities

OSHKOSH, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) company, today will begin the Production and Deployment Phase of the P-19 Replacement (P-19R) Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle program for the U.S. Marine Corps. Oshkosh was awarded the P-19R contract in May 2013 and has since successfully completed all required government development testing and evaluation and readiness reviews required to move the program through Milestone C approval and into Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP).

Oshkosh achieves another on-time, on-budget program for the U.S. Marine Corps with its P-19R ARFF vehicle. (Photo: Business Wire)

Oshkosh was awarded a delivery order under the P-19R contract to supply the first LRIP vehicles to support Production Verification Testing (PVT). Oshkosh will begin P-19R production this month with vehicles slated for delivery to PVT beginning in November 2015.

The P-19R contract awarded to Oshkosh extends through 2018 with the purpose of replacing the P-19A fleet, which was first fielded in 1984 and is reaching the end of its service life. The next-generation P-19R will give Marines greater off-road capability, speed and transportability for a full range of firefighting missions.

“The Oshkosh P-19R is backed by our company’s unique combination of industry leading off-road military vehicle and ARFF expertise, providing Marines with the latest innovative technology whether they’re at a military base or an expeditionary airfield,” said John Bryant, senior vice president of defense programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Consistent with our strong track record of delivering programs on-schedule and on-budget, we’re proud to deliver the new P-19R capabilities and safety that Marines need for future fire-emergency missions.”

The P-19R vehicle is the reliable, state-of-the-art solution built to help firefighting crews effectively respond and carry out the mission. The P-19R delivers unprecedented levels of performance and acceleration with its 600 horsepower engine that allows for speeds up to 70 mph. It is crucial that Marines have the ability to respond quickly to missions regardless of off-road or on-road environments.

The Oshkosh^® P-19R achieves “gold standard” performance in off-road environments with the Oshkosh’s TAK-4^® independent suspension system. This technology has been used on more than 20,000 military-class vehicles, and delivers 16 inches of independent wheel travel to provide greater all-terrain performance for off-runway emergencies. In addition, the TAK-4 system provides the payload capacity needed to carry 1,000 gallons of water, 130 gallons of foam agent, and 500 lbs of Halotron auxiliary firefighting agent. The roof and bumper turrets combined, will discharge up to 750 gallons per minute.

In addition to TAK-4, the Oshkosh P-19R is equipped with Oshkosh’s Command Zone™, an integrated control and diagnostics system. This fully-automated system provides access to vital vehicle information, and allows Marines to repair and troubleshoot vehicles, view real-time performance data and remotely access diagnostics information. The P-19R is also outfitted with advanced Striker^® firefighting systems from Oshkosh Airport Products Group, the industry-leading ARFF vehicle producer.

About Oshkosh Defense

Oshkosh Defense is a leading provider of tactical wheeled vehicles and life cycle sustainment services. For decades Oshkosh has been mobilizing military and security forces around the globe by offering a full portfolio of heavy, medium, light and highly protected military vehicles to support our customers’ missions. In addition, Oshkosh offers advanced technologies and vehicle components such as TAK-4^® independent suspension systems, TerraMax^® unmanned ground vehicle solutions, Command Zone™ integrated control and diagnostics system, and ProPulse^® diesel electric and on-board vehicle power solutions, to provide our customers with a technical edge as they fulfill their missions. Every Oshkosh vehicle is backed by a team of defense industry experts and complete range of sustainment and training services to optimize fleet readiness and performance. Oshkosh Defense, LLC is an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE: OSK).

To learn more about Oshkosh Defense, please visit us at www.oshkoshdefense.com.

About Oshkosh Corporation

Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency, military and specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corporation manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide by rental companies, concrete placement and refuse businesses, fire & emergency departments, municipal and airport services and defense forces, where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, visit www.oshkoshcorporation.com

®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that the Company believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project” or “plan” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the cyclical nature of the Company’s access equipment, commercial and fire & emergency markets, which are particularly impacted by the strength of U.S. and European economies; the strength of emerging market growth and projected adoption rates of work at height machinery; the expected level and timing of DoD and international defense customer procurement of products and services and funding thereof; risks related to reductions in government expenditures in light of U.S. defense budget pressures, sequestration and an uncertain DoD tactical wheeled vehicle strategy, including the Company’s ability to successfully manage the cost reductions required as a result of lower customer orders in the defense segment; the Company’s ability to win a U.S. Joint Light Tactical Vehicle production contract award and international defense contract awards; the Company’s ability to increase prices to raise margins or offset higher input costs; increasing commodity and other raw material costs, particularly in a sustained economic recovery; risks related to facilities expansion, consolidation and alignment, including the amounts of related costs and charges and that anticipated cost savings may not be achieved; global economic uncertainty, which could lead to additional impairment charges related to many of the Company’s intangible assets and/or a slower recovery in the Company’s cyclical businesses than Company or equity market expectations; risks related to the collectability of receivables, particularly for those businesses with exposure to construction markets; the cost of any warranty campaigns related to the Company’s products; risks related to production or shipment delays arising from quality or production issues; risks associated with international operations and sales, including foreign currency fluctuations and compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; the Company’s ability to comply with complex laws and regulations applicable to U.S. government contractors; the impact of severe weather or natural disasters that may affect the Company, its suppliers or its customers; cyber security risks and costs of defending against, mitigating and responding to a data security breach; and risks related to the Company’s ability to successfully execute on its strategic road map and meet its long-term financial goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this press release. Investors should be aware that the Company may not update such information until the Company’s next quarterly earnings conference call, if at all.

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Oshkosh Defense
Jennifer Christiansen, 920-966-5635
Vice President, Business Development
jchristiansen@defense.oshkoshcorp.com

Source: Oshkosh Defense