Oshkosh Defense, a unit of U.S. truckmaker Oshkosh Corp, will build hundreds of hulls for the Israeli armored personnel carrier called the Eitan.
According to a tweet from Israel’s Ministry of Defense, the deal between the procurement mission and “Oshkosh Defense” is estimated to be over 100 million dollars, financed by American aid funds.
“Once fully assembled, the APCs will be transferred for operational use,” the message added.
The Eitan is an eight-wheeled monster that can carry 12 soldiers and be developed due to the vulnerabilities in Israel’s aging M113s.
The new armored personnel carrier weighs up to 35 tonnes, has a 750 hp engine, and is able to reach speeds of up to 90 km/h on paved roads.
Each APC requires the production of approximately one million parts, including over 20 tons of steel, 30 kilometers of welding wire, six kilometers of power and communication cable, and about 70 liters of paint.
The APC variant will be able to carry 12 personnel, including the commander, driver, and gunner.
Israeli media reported that Eitan is the world’s best-protected armored personnel carrier.
