Defense Secretary To Visit Oshkosh

OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates says a Wisconsin-based maker of advanced military trucks has the gratitude of countless U.S. troops and their families.

Gates on Thursday visited Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp., which produces mine-resistant trucks, specially designed to handle Afghanistan's terrain.

He says troops love the trucks and commanders sleep better knowing their soldiers have them.

Hundreds of employees gathered for Gates' speech. Many nodded when he said the work they do saves American lives.

The Pentagon has ordered about 6,200 of the vehicles from the Oshkosh, Wis.-based company. The contracts are worth more than $3.2 billion.

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That is expensive 11/12/2009 5:46:00 PM The Willy's Jeep in 1942 cost $648, equivalent buying power today of $8595. No one can deny that the mine resistant trucks are much superior to the WWII Jeep but at $512,000 each those are phenomenally expensive trucks.
Expensive military trucks 11/13/2009 10:36:00 AM Maybe the cost comes from all the imported steel we need to put in them?
Seriously heavy duty trucks 11/13/2009 2:15:00 PM Oshkosh has always made super heavy duty trucks, from the mammoth airport crash trucks to jumbo cement mixers and crane carriers. At 25,000 pounds, there is plenty of steel in these new vehicles, and I'm sure no other manufacturer has the existing experience and technology to build and design them as well. The 68 year old Jeep price is an interesting aside. Of course, you also need to consider that you would have been working for less than a dollar an hour then, and been proud of it! I winder what the comparison in cost per pound would be?
If you think trucks are expensive 11/13/2009 5:28:00 PM You should look at the relative cost of a soldier now compared to WWII.
Expensive 11/16/2009 6:35:00 AM But not built in China! And how many more would die in the truck as cheap as the Willies. Our boy's lives are worth the price.

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