AM General Enlists Jeep Gladiator for Military Use

AM General and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Jeep brand introduce the Jeep Gladiator Extreme Military-Grade Truck (XMT) concept at the annual meeting and exposition of the Association of the U.S. Army.

AM General, which also manufactures Humvee military vehicles and Hummer civilian vehicles, calls the all-new ’20 Gladiator the ideal platform on which to develop the XMT concept.

The midsize, Wrangler-derived Gladiator, with 7,650 lbs. (3,473 kg) of towing capacity, up to 1,600 lbs. (726 kg) of payload capacity and established off-road capability, has been customized to meet global customers’ needs for a lightweight military truck, AM General says.

“The Jeep brand has an important military heritage, so we couldn't be happier that AM General expressed interest in creating the Gladiator XMT,” Jim Morrison, head of Jeep brand-North America, says in a news release.

“The all-new Jeep Gladiator boasts unmatched functionality, versatility and especially capability – including two advanced 4x4 systems, locking differentials, skid plates, tow hooks and incredible approach, breakover and departure angles – the perfect foundation for this ultra-capable military concept vehicle.”

The Jeep Gladiator XMT has been fitted by AM General with both custom-built and commercially available military-grade parts to create a truck that can meet varied military customer requirements, including tactical communications, personnel transport and command and control, the company says.

As with the Humvee, AM General says it also can apply its manufacturing and engineering expertise to convert the Gladiator XMT into a mission-specific and purposeful lightweight tactical truck based on customer requirements.

“Pending feedback and interest in the military marketplace, production could begin in the second half of 2020,” AM General says.