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A JCB military handler built for the US.
British industrial and agricultural machinery manufacturer JCB has won a £152 million (NZ$348m) military contract with the US Marine Corps as part of the Tractor, Rubber Tired, Articulated-Steering Multi-Purpose (TRAM) vehicle programme.
The contract calls for 535 militarised versions of JCB’s 437HT wheeled loader to be supplied to the USMC over the next decade.
The contract is the third signed by the USMC, that five months ago placed a $NZ$75m order for a militarised version of JCB’s 4CX backhoe loader. In 2024, followed a NZ$65m deal for militarised versions of the JCB Teleskid compact tracked loader.
A spokesman for JCB’s Government & Defence Department said: “We are delighted to have secured our third contract from the USMC, as it’s testament to the reliability, robustness and suitability of JCB machines in military applications worldwide.”
Initially, JCB will supply several test machines later this year, with an anticipation that full production will begin in 2027. This latest contract with the USMC, which was secured after an extensive evaluation period, is part of JCB’s long-standing support of defence organisations around the world, the manufacturer explained.
JCB’s defence business has grown significantly over the past decade, with almost 10,000 machines sold to militaries around the world.
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