On Tuesday, July 29, 2025, the U.S. Army Contracting Command (ACC) at Detroit Arsenal in Michigan announced the signing of a contract the previous day—on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense—with AM General LLC, valued at 126,531,778 USD. The contract covers the production of a new batch of M1165A1B3 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) in a Special Operations support configuration.
Photo: AM General LLC
This amendment brings the total cumulative value of the contract to 3,050,585,536 USD. The work will be carried out at AM General LLC’s facilities in South Bend, Indiana, with a scheduled completion date of August 28, 2027. The initial funding of 126,531,778 USD comes from the U.S. Army’s procurement budget under the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The previous contract for the production of new vehicles in the M1000 HMMWV family was signed on August 19, 2022. It was valued at 732,741,016 USD. It expired on December 31, 2024. Meanwhile, AM General LLC is currently supporting the in-service HMMWV fleet under a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense signed on May 17, 2024, worth 27,020,608 USD, which is valid until December 31, 2029. In parallel, the company is promoting a new-generation concept vehicle called the Future Driven HUMVEE, following the unsuccessful presentation of the NXT 360 concept back in 2018.
On July 20 of this year, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that it had signed a contract worth approximately 500 million ILS with AM General for the delivery of several hundred M1000 HMMWV family vehicles.
Overview
The M1165A1B3 HMMWV is a variant of the M1165 and part of the Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV) family. It is a special-purpose version developed primarily for the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), offering increased payload capacity, optional armor, and compatibility with a wide range of weapon systems.
It serves as a command, control, or general-purpose vehicle, especially in special operations missions, and provides high mobility in rugged terrain. It is powered by a 6.5-liter turbocharged V8 diesel engine, producing 190 hp at 3400 rpm and 515 Nm of torque at 1700 rpm. Paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and a two-speed transfer case, this engine delivers power to all four wheels, ensuring excellent off-road performance.
The B3 variant features factory-installed armor kits, including ballistic and blast protection, significantly enhancing crew safety compared to unarmored versions. It can be equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on a rotating roof turret, as well as up to three 7.62 mm machine guns mounted on the doors. Additionally, the rear section can be fitted with up to four weapon racks for crew firearms.
The M1165A1B3 is designed for a four-person crew (including the driver). It offers multiple cargo configurations, including ammunition storage, equipment shelves, and a spare wheel mount. The vehicle reaches a top speed of 113 km/h, has a range of up to 402 km, and is capable of fording water obstacles up to 0.76 m deep (or 1.52 m with a deep-water fording kit), climbing 40% gradients, and traversing 30% side slopes.
Its minimum turning radius is 7.62 meters, and ground clearance stands at 46.23 cm.
Optional features include air conditioning, enhanced suspension (independent, with dual A-arms and coil springs), and systems such as central tire inflation and an automatic fire suppression system.
Outside of USSOCOM, the M1165A1B3 has also been exported, including 50 units in 2013 to countries such as Jordan, Oman, and Libya. In addition, an unspecified number of M1165A1 Special Ops vehicles are in service with Poland’s GROM Special Forces Unit, and 22 cars are used by the 19th Commando Battalion in Peru.