Army Vehicles

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army's purchase of engines for its 2-1/2-ton truck, specifically the: (1) Army's plans for a new family of medium tactical vehicles; (2) Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) position on the Army's adherence to federal pollution standards for the engines; and (3) status of the Army's plans to replace the current engines.

GAO found that the: (1) Army has used the same basic truck engine since 1960 and has awarded contracts to the same engine producer since 1969; (2) engines did not meet 1988 emission standards, since the contractor based the engines on old technical data; (3) Army initiated a plan to acquire new vehicles that would address the aging fleet problem and reduce existing shortages; (4) new vehicles would consist of commercially manufactured trucks modified for military use with engines that would meet EPA emission standards in effect during the first year of engine manufacture; (5) Army requested that EPA approve an exemption from the Clean Air Act for the engines currently under production until implementation of its new plan; and (6) Army decided that it would install new replacement engines as current ones failed and repair the salvageable ones in order to meet an EPA requirement that it not procure the current engine after 1991.