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The GMK4060HC cranes - HC for heavy crane – will be specifically engineered for military use. The contract is expected to be fulfilled in 2020.
Manitowoc said Army chose the cranes for their high capacity, strong load chart at long radii and the long reach of the Megaform boom.
The cranes are designed to US Army’s needs, including the ability to ford water up to 1.2m deep and to operate in harsh conditions. The cranes will also be painted with chemical agent resistant coatings (CARC). The military also asked that the cranes be outfitted to accept armoured cabs. In addition, the cranes are upfitted with military spec lighting that allows cranes to operate in a blackout light condition when using night-vision technologies.
“It’s a great honour to be able to provide cranes for the U.S. Army,” said Darryl Mellott, director of government marketing at Manitowoc. “Our first contract was signed in 2015, and we are glad to see that our cranes have performed well and serve the Army’s needs. We designed and built directly to the Army’s specifications and created the GMK4060HC, which is perfectly suited for its bridging and support operations around the world.”
Manitowoc said that the features on the cranes will enable the US Army to tackle projects on the most extreme sites, even working in high-pressure situations in war zones. The cranes will be deployed for constructing barriers, setting up areas of operation, bridge building and vehicle towing applications, among many other uses. Another benefit for the Army is that the cranes are light enough to be transported via C5 and C17 aircraft, as well as by trains and roads.
“These are very versatile cranes that will enable the Army to perform the lifts it needs for a wide variety of applications,” Mellott said.
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