Polaris' RZR side-by-side is a wunderkind through and through. Not only is it capable of surmounting just about every obstacle you can throw at it, but it can do so at about a billion miles an hour. The UTV is fast, strong-like-bull, and depending on the setup, seats up to five for family adventures at Mach Jesus.
It's a do-it-all platform, and one that's captivated the United States' military branches for years, as it's the sort of light tactical vehicle that regular and special forces types require for a host of situations. Hence, why the MRZR, the militarized version of the side-by-side, exists.
And the UTV's existence will continue well into the future, or at least for the next five years, as the U.S. Marines just inked a new contract with Polaris' government arm for a whopping $98 million-worth of MRZRs, as the vehicle's "meet the evolving demands of expeditionary forces."
Oorah.
According to Polaris Government and Defense's press release, "The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded Polaris Government and Defense a sole-source contract to continue production and delivery of the MRZR Alpha Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicle (ULTV)," adding, "The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded through Program Acquisition Executive Marine Corps (PAE-MC) is valued at up to $98M, with an order period of up to five years. The MRZR Alpha is Polaris’ most advanced light tactical vehicle, engineered to meet the evolving demands of expeditionary forces."
And $98 million-worth of MRZRs can go a long way in supplying the USMC, as these aren't the pricier methods of travel, such as the F-35, MV-75 Tiltrotor, or even the GM-based ISV-U. They're also more easily scalable comparatively, as the core of these machines is still very production-based.
The MRZRs in question support a host of operations, including the aforementioned expeditionary forces, as well as "logistics platform, infantry maneuver, MEDEVAC, counter-drone, communications command and control and ground refueling for aircraft." A new model is also being introduced in this latest award, with the new MRZR Alpha 5kW, which offers the Corps an "exportable power variant
Speaking on the award, Polaris Government and Defense's program manager, Erin Telander, stated, "Marines are known for adapting quickly – Any Clime and Place – and expect the same level of performance from the MRZR Alpha ULTV. This new contract enables us to continue leveraging our off-road engineering expertise to meet their evolving operational needs, whether that’s an increase in exportable power, towing capacity or payload. Polaris has been solving mobility challenges for its military customers worldwide for decades – with a significant number of those advancements made in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps over the last 10 years."
I still want to drive one.
