TRUCK PURCHASES * USA - Pentagon nears award on new trucks for Afghanistan

To buy 5,244 vehicles for $12 billion in fiscal 2009 and 2010

Washington,DC,USA -Reuters, by Andrea Shalal-Esa -June 25, 2009: -- The Pentagon is nearing a contract award to one of four teams bidding to build thousands of armored off-road vehicles for use in Afghanistan, a program potentially worth billions of dollars to the winner... BAE Systems, Oshkosh Corp., Navistar International Corp. and Force Dynamics LLC, a joint venture between Force Protection Inc. and General Dynamics, are competing for the lucrative contract... The Pentagon appears likely to meet its goal of awarding a contract by the end of June, said defense consultant Jim McAleese. He said the Pentagon expected to buy 5,244 vehicles for $12 billion in fiscal 2009 and 2010... (Image from 1.bp.blogspot: Vehicle Concept-Experimental Large)