SOFINS 2019: Haulotte unveils HUTP vehicle

French company Haulotte debuted its Haulotte Ultra-light Tactical Platform-Reconnaissance (HUTP) family of vehicles at the Special Operations Forces Innovation Network Seminar (SOFINS) exhibition, held at Camp de Souge, south of Bordeaux, on 2–4 April.

Haulotte showcased its Haulotte HUTP family of vehicles for the first time at the SOFINS exhibition, held at Camp de Souge, south of Bordeaux, on 2–4 April. (IHS Markit/Erwan de Cherisey)

Christophe Dwernicki, vice-president for military business development at Haulotte, said the HUTP is designed to fill a capability gap between tactical/special operations vehicles such as the Polaris MZR series and larger platforms such as the Polaris Dagor.

Haulotte intends to offer a better balance between all-up weight and payload than larger vehicles by offering the HUTP, which is air transportable in smaller aircraft.

At SOFINS, Haulotte showcased the HUTP-Reconnaissance (HUTP-R), intended to be the first of three HUTP variants. The others are the HUTP-Logistic (HUTP-L) and the HUTP Xtra-Logistic (HUTP-XL), Dwernicki explained.

The HUTP-R has an all-up weight of 2,800 kg with a payload of 1,200 kg. It has a four-wheel drive design with room for four passengers and is equipped with an overhead weapon station for a .50 calibre heavy machine gun and a pintle mount for a light machine gun operated by the front passenger seated on the right-hand side of the driver. The HUTP-R features a roll-over protection system, and its floor has STANAG Level 1 armour. Its maximum speed is 150 km/h, its endurance 1,300 km, and it is able to climb slopes with a 60% incline, according to Haulotte’s official specifications. The vehicle’s compactness enables up to three to be loaded onto a Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft.