Following its initial development contract last year, Mack Defense has secured a follow-on award to produce two prototype vehicles for the next phase of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Medium Tactical Truck (MTT) program. The total value of Mack Defense’s agreement is $16 million. The prototypes will be based on the Mack Granite platform, but modified extensively to meet the Marine Corps’ stringent performance and operational requirements.
Meanwhile, ND Defense (formerly Navistar Defense) was awarded a $17.2 million contract in January 2025 to build its own prototype vehicle for Phase II of the program. Combined with the initial Phase I contract, the ceiling value has been raised to $24.2 million for their awards. ND Defense’s design is derived from its existing ATLAS vehicle platform.
The Marine Corps selected both Mack Defense and ND Defense in early 2024 to participate in Phase I of the MTT program. This initial phase focused on vehicle design concepts and project planning aligned with top-level service requirements.
The MTT program aims to replace the current Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) fleet, which includes a wide range of tactical support trucks such as cargo, dump, wrecker, tractor, and resupply variants. The program’s current focus is on the cargo variant, which will play a central role in expeditionary logistics operations.
The Marine Corps outlined specific requirements for the new MTT family, emphasizing flexibility, energy efficiency, and enhanced off-road performance. Key specifications include:
- Three cargo bed lengths: 10-foot, 15-foot, and 20-foot configurations
- Hybrid-electric technology to reduce fuel consumption, extend operational range, and enable silent watch operations
- 60-inch fording capability to navigate deep water environments typical of Marine Corps missions
- A 70% off-road / 30% on-road mission profile
Program Timeline
According to the Department of Defense, prototype construction for both contractors is scheduled for completion by May 2026. This will be followed by Phase III, an eight-month testing period that will extend into early fiscal year 2027. Performance during this phase will be critical in determining which platform is selected for full-rate production.
The MTVR program previously covered the procurement of more than 11,000 vehicles, with a value exceeding $3 billion. If the MTT follows a similar scale, the final program value could be in the high hundreds of millions to multi-billion dollar range.
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A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
