WASHINGTON — US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is making a sole-source purchase of 2,000 light tactical all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) from Polaris Industries, according to a Monday announcement.
The contract, to be awarded in June, includes 1,750 of the Medina, Minnesota-based company's four-seat MRZR-4 and 300 of its two-seat MRZR-2.
SOCOM indicated it selected the vehicles because they can be transported inside the V-Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, Boeing MH-47 special operations helicopter and Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low, and that they can be dropped from the air.
The contract supersedes a five-year blanket purchase agreement SOCOM and Polaris signed in 2013 which had an estimated value of $9.5 million per year.
Polaris, whose core business is recreational vehicles, has several ATVs modified for military operations. It unveiled its first purpose-built military vehicle last year, the DAGOR, which has the capability to can transport a nine-person infantry squad or carry 3,250 pounds of payload.
Paul McLeary contributed to this report.
Email: jgould@defensenews.com
Twitter: @reporterjoe
Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.
