LandWarfareIntl
SGA2012: AM General launches right-hand drive HMMWV
US Manufacturer AM General has used the Singapore Airshow to unveil a right-hand drive version of its popular High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The company sees a large potential market for a right-hand drive HMMWV in the local region with a number of countries driving on the left. Singapore is an obvious target, but according to Gerritt Beck, a company spokesperson, there are some 73 countries that are right-hand drive including Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand. 'Of course India is the big elephant in the room,' Beck stated. 'But they're a make/buy deal. We're looking for a local partner, but we're not there yet,' he added. Beck added that the company was happy to look at both direct commercial sales and foreign military sales for the new version of the HMMWV. 'Its up to the customer how they want to buy it,' he said. In terms of the redesign, the main elements have been moving the steering box and the battery box. The right-hand drive has gone through a full engineering development phase and it is as capable as the left-hand drive version. Beck said that the company would be offering the right-hand drive variant in all the configurations currently available. The company is continuing to manufacture some 400 vehicles a month for both US and international left-hand drive customers. Some 58 countries have bought the HMMWV to date. Beck said that scale of production allowed the company to offer a full support service. 'You don't just get a vehicle, with us you get a partner and a whole logistics package,' he asserted. The right-hand drive will be the most up to date configuration of a vehicle that has been constantly upgraded since its introduction in to service in 1985. 'The vehicle looks similar, but it has been completely re-engineered over that period,' Beck said. The International 205 version of the HMMWV has a 6,396kg gross vehicle weight. The vehicle's engine produces 3,400rpm and has a state of the art transmission and suspension. Beck said that as well as targeting local militaries, the company was also looking at the vehicle for a number of para-public roles, such as fire services. ''It's the type of vehicle that would be great in natural disaster relief,' he concluded.
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