GAO-NSIAD-99-82-B-282071
MILITARY SAFETY
Army M939 5-Ton Truck Accident History and Planned Modifications
APRIL 1999
GAO-NSIAD-99-82-B-282071 - Page 13 of 23
B-282071
system, while not an industry standard or required by law, would better
protect M939 occupants in the event of a rollover.
Ongoing or Scheduled
M939 Modifications
According to
TACOM
officials, the scheduled M939 modifications will cost
around $234 million. The Army estimates that tire upgrades, brake
proportioning, and anti-lock brake system improvements will cost about
$120 million or about $3,800 per truck; adding cab rollover protection and
modifying the A2’s accelerator linkage will cost another $114 million or an
additional $3,600 per truck. With respect to the current schedule for
completing M939 modifications, brake proportioning and accelerator
linkage equipment modifications will be completed by the end of fiscal
year 1999; all remaining modifications, except for cab replacement, are
scheduled for completion around 2005. Because the truck cabs will be
replaced as they wear out, a precise schedule for completing this
modification cannot be estimated at this time.
Even though some of the M939s have been in service for 15 years, the
decision to spend $234 million on modifications and equipment upgrades
is based on the need to improve the vehicles’ safety because the Army
expects these trucks to be in service for at least 30 years. According to
TACOM
, the June 1998, M939 inventory was around 31,800 trucks. All M939s
will be equipped with radial tires, brake reproportioning, anti-lock brake
kits installation, and reinforced cab replacements. However, the
accelerator linkage improvements are needed only on the 16,800 A2
variant of the trucks. Table 1 shows the schedule for the planned
modifications.
Table 1: Scheduled M939
Modifications, Costs, and Completion
Dates
Dollars in millions
Scheduled action
Estimated cost
Completion date
(fiscal year)
Upgrade tires
$39.5
2003
Realign brake proportioning
3.5
1999
Install anti-lock brake kits
77.4
2005
Add rollover crush protection cabs
112.0
2005
a
Modify accelerator linkage
2.0
1999
Total
$234.4
a
Replacement of all M939 cabs may not be completed by the end of fiscal year 2005 because
they are being replaced when they wear out.
Source: Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command.
GAO/NSIAD-99-82 Military Safety
Page 12
Back to Top
