The International MaxxPro MPV is an armored fighting vehicle designed by Navistar International's subsidiary International Military and Government LLC (IMG) along with Plasan Sasa. The vehicle was designed to take part in the US Military's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program, lead by the US Marine Corps, as well as a similar US Army lead program, the Medium Mine Protected Vehicle. Two variants are produced, a smaller Category 1 vehicle and the larger Category 2 MaxxPro XL. Both models share a common platform.
Operators
Two vehicles were delivered for testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in March 2007.
An order for 1200 MRAP Category 1 MaxxPro vehicles was placed by the US Marine Corps Systems Command on May 31, 2007 for delivery by February 2008. However as the Marine Corps is overseeing the entire MRAP program, it is unclear which branches of the US Armed Services will be receiving the vehicles, and in what numbers. The contract is worth over $623 million, making it the biggest MRAP contract to date. The US Marine Corps plans to replace all HMMWVs "outside the wire" in Iraq with MRAP vehicles.
A further order for 16 Category 2 versions (dubbed MaxxPro XL) was placed on June 19, 2007 for delivery by September 2007.
An additional 755 Category 1 MaxxPros were ordered on July 20, 2007, also for delivery by February 2008. As of July 2007, the MaxxPro is the primary MRAP vehicle, IMG holding 35% of the orders issued under the MRAP program.
Design
The MaxxPro utilizes a V-hull shaped crew capsule, mounted on an International WorkStar 7000 chassis. The V-hull deflects the blast of a land mine or IED away from the vehicle, protecting its occupants. As the chassis is mounted outside the armored crew capsule, there are concerns that it will likely be destroyed in the event of an ambush, leaving the soldiers inside stranded. However, according to Navistar spokesperson Roy Wiley, the MaxxPro "did extremely well during the tests, and we are extremely pleased.” This design may prove effective, as the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann ATF Dingo, which uses a similar design, mounting an armored capsule to a Unimog chassis, has survived a 7kg landmine blast with no injuries.
According to IMG, the vehicle is designed with operational readiness in mind and utilizing standardized easily available parts when available to ensure rapid repair and maintenance. The armored body is bolted together, rather than welded as other MRAPs, and this allows for easy repair in the field and is also a contributing factor to Navistar's production capacity of the MaxxPro.
