By KATE BRANNEN – Oshkosh’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected-All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) is receiving “considerable international interest” here in Paris, company officials say.

Oshkosh is wrapping up an 8,000-vehicle order for the U.S. Army.

The U.S. Army is showing off one of the vehicles at its display in the U.S. pavilion; foreign militaries have made direct inquiries to the Army about the vehicle, said Andy Hove, president of defense for Oshkosh.

The company will wrap up an 8,000-vehicle production run for the Army this fall, said Ronald Ziebell, vice president for international programs at Oshkosh.

“Our understanding from the customer is that for the time being they have what they need,” said Hove of the Army. “We have plenty of capacity to handle any additional U.S. orders and any international orders that we get.”

The Army is constantly adapting as operations in Afghanistan evolve. To respond, Oshkosh has developed two additional variants of the M-ATV: an ambulance and a cargo carrier. Hove said the Army has expressed interest in the new variants, but has not issued a production contract.

Oshkosh was also displaying a new version of its SandCat Mine-Protected Light Patrol Vehicle. The new vehicle is still built on a commercial chassis, but offers more protection than older versions. Government and private security forces use the SandCat for facility security and border patrol operations.

“They don’t face the survivability requirements that an M-ATV does, but they are facing heightened requirements,” said Ziebell.