LISLE, Ill., March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Navistar Defense, LLC received an award to conduct the installation work associated with its January order to upgrade 2,717 International® MaxxPro® Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles with a new vehicle chassis. The $21 million contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command is just one of Navistar's many reset offerings aimed at revitalizing existing defense assets for future missions.

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"We are focused on increasing the capabilities of our existing fleet with minimal impact to defense funding," said Archie Massicotte, president, Navistar Defense. "The vehicle reset line we established for this installation work can also be utilized to restore older vehicles to like-new condition. Therefore, we are poised and ready to reset vehicles returning from deployment – either here at our facility or overseas."

The installation contract retrofits vintage MaxxPro vehicles with a new rolling chassis. This chassis enhancement includes the addition of the DXM™ independent suspension, a MaxxForce® 9.3 engine, 570 amp alternator and driveline, while leaving a residual chassis with a beam axle that can be reused. The retrofits will be conducted in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed by the end of May 2012.

"Keeping constricting budgets in mind, we continue to anticipate tomorrow's needs and develop new solutions to use existing assets," said Massicotte. "In addition to being ready for reset work, we already have options available that reuse the leftover chassis from this body-swap."

Should the government be interested in reusing its remaining vehicle chassis, Navistar can add an armored cab to the chassis or return the vehicle to a commercial flatbed truck by adding a standard commercial cab for roughly a third of the cost of a new vehicle. Additional variants that can be produced on this building-block model include a recovery vehicle and a utility truck with an integrated capability for exportable power generation.

The company has fielded nearly 9,000 MaxxPro vehicles and continues to anticipate needed vehicle capabilities, enhancements, reset and reuse options for its entire fleet of 32,000 vehicles.

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco® RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. It also is a private-label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets. The company also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services.