Rep. Mackenzie announces $47M in funding for Allentown-built military trucks, supporting local economy | Allentown Area

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie announced Friday that Mack Defense will receive $47 million in federal funding to produce up to 450 M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks, known as HDTs, for the U.S. military.

More than 625 of the military vehicles have already been built in Allentown according to Mack Defense President David Hartzell.

“It’s a great heavy-duty vehicle for hauling materials in a military situation,” Mackenzie said. The funding is expected to continue production of the trucks, which are built locally before being delivered to the U.S. military.

Mack Defense President David Hartzell said the vehicles are designed to operate in some of the toughest environments around the world while protecting the soldiers who use them.

“You can see it has a special paint system on it that the Army requires. They call it chemical agent resistant coating,” Hartzell said. “There’s also other military features, up to including a full armor cab that we had to provide for the U.S. Army as well.”

The trucks feature military-specific modifications, including armored protection and specialized coatings designed to withstand harsh operating conditions.

“We try to put the best, safest vehicles on the road that we can,” Hartzell said. “A lot of our vehicles feature a lot of the newest technology in commercial vehicle platforms to help protect drivers and keep them safe.”

Before leaving the facility, each truck is tested on Mack’s proving grounds in Allentown. The vehicles undergo a series of evaluations designed to ensure they meet military performance standards.

According to Hartzell, the Army’s long-term goal is to add more than 1,000 of the vehicles to its inventory. The company has already produced more than 625 trucks and hopes the new funding will help it continue toward that objective.

Mackenzie said the contract’s impact extends beyond military readiness.

“For every person that you’re employing in a good-paying position like this, you’re supporting additional people in the economy,” he said.

Mackenzie says the continued production will help sustain manufacturing operations and jobs in the Lehigh Valley while supplying the Army with specialized heavy-duty vehicles.