Michelin North America Inc. reports BFGoodrich brand tires has been selected for use on the commercial variant of the U.S. Army's SmarTruck III multi-purpose vehicle, designed for missions including homeland security.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO tires (size 37/12.50R20) will outfit the commercial version of the four-wheel-drive vehicle.
The latest version, named SmarTruck III, was unveiled at the Society of Automotive Engineers' national convention being held in Detroit, Mich., from March 8-11. The new truck, built on an International medium-duty truck platform, was designed in two different configurations, a commercial version and a military-specific model.
Thom Peebles, brand director for BFGoodrich tires, said, "The SmarTruck III not only addresses a need on the battlefield, the commercial version focuses on urban warfare." The fully loaded SmarTruck III is designed to provide law enforcement with the latest advances in technology to ensure secure transportation of dignitaries and diplomats.
The SmarTruck III features a remote controlled 50-caliber machine gun, a 360-degree camera, a pan-and-tilt night vision camera with laser range finder, a hydraulic assist system to help the vehicle during acceleration and a regenerative braking system, which captures breaking energy and makes the vehicle more fuel efficient.
"The new 20-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/AKO tire being used on the commercial version of the SmarTruck III is the same tire that will available to consumers at their local tire dealer in April," said Gary Enterline, light-truck category manager for BFGoodrich tires.
The next three commercial variants of the SmarTruck III will be delivered to the Air Force; other potential users are the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service.
For more information on SmarTruck III, visit the Web site www.smartruck3.com.
