Founded in 1784, the German MAN Group includes MAN SE (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg), formerly MAN AG, who manufacturer trucks, primarily for the commercial sector but have also developed and manufacturer high-mobility off-road logistic trucks.
During the late 1970’s / early 80’s MAN SE developed the MAN KAT1 family of military high-mobility off-road trucks. These then evolved into The German MAN SX Military Truck Family.
MAN claims the SX range is the most mobile and reliable truck on earth and in October 2004 the UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) invested in that reputation and selected the MAN ERF UK Ltd to manufacturer and supply 5,165 vehicles (and a possible 2,077 option) as well as 69 recovery trailers as part of the UK Support Vehicle contract, which is to see the replacement of the ageing Foden & Leyland DROPS as well other Leyland and Bedford trucks currently in service.
The British Army The German MAN SX Military Truck Family variants being introduced:
4×4 6 Tonne (Medium Mobility)
6×6 9 Tonne (Medium Mobility & Improved Medium Mobility)
8×8 15 Tonne (Medium Mobility)
Unit Support Tanker (Medium Mobility & Improved Medium Mobility)
Recovery Vehicle (314 ordered, now 288)
Recovery trailers
The recovery trailers were the first vehicles to enter British Army service in early 2007, with the first cargo versions entering service in June 2007. Production is expected to continue until 2013 for the rest of the vehicles. By early 2011, around 5,000 vehicles had been delivered to the British Army.
The contract also includes 1,098 appliqué protection kits for the Famous MAN module cab which the SX range uses and has been deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq.
The 4x4s are powered by the D08 6.9-litre engine rated at 326hp; the rest feature the D20 10.5-litre engine rated at 440hp. These are the MOD’s first Euro-4 vehicles; they all come with MAN’s automated MAN TipMatic gearbox.