MDM 2011: Oshkosh unveils Heavy Recovery System

Oshkosh Defense unveiled its new Heavy Recovery System (HRS) prototype at Modern Day Marine on 27 September soon after completion of the vehicle.

The new system is based on the company's Logistics Vehicle Replacement System (LVRS), which has already been fielded by the USMC for the transportation of heavy payloads, such as munitions, fuel, water and heavy equipment. The new HRS prototype also integrates wrecker technology from another Oshkosh company, Jerr-Dan.

'Oshkosh has been aware of the increasing threat of IEDs to MRAPs and other heavy vehicles in theatre,' explained John Bryant, VP and GM Marine Corps Programs. 'There have been challenges recovering these vehicles and getting them back to base for repair,' he added.

'We believe this combination goes a long way to solving that problem with a solution that has everything at a very high technology readiness level,’ he continued.

The vehicle also offers a high level of crew survivability. The HRS features a new underbelly for improved crew survivability and also has the ability to accept add-on armour kits to increase protection for troops in high-tempo operations across expansive and varied terrain. The new underbelly kit, which could also be fitted to the LVRS fleet, doubles the existing protection level.

HRS has a Jerr-Dan 50-ton rotating boom, dual 50,000 lb boom winches, and dual 40,000 lb constant pull drag winches. This allows it to retrieve 'both Class I and Class II MRAPs, and even the largest military wheeled vehicles'. According to Oshkosh, the system can rescue overturned vehicles and drag severely damaged vehicles to the recovery vehicle for hook-up and return to base.

The HRS offers a spading capability, along with the ability to operate all four winches simultaneously to enable vehicle recovery in a mire or ravine. Four-axle steering capability delivers a tight turning radius, and superior mobility is delivered through the use of Oshkosh’s TAK-4 independent suspension system across all five axles.

HRS will enter corporate testing following Modern Day Marine and the company will also be demonstrating the vehicle to potential customers in the US Marine Corps and US Army.