Manufacturer catalog

Navistar Defense

Navistar Defense was Navistar's military-vehicle business and now operates as ND Defense, a U.S. tactical-vehicle and defense-manufacturing company focused on MRAP platforms, military truck upfitting, contract manufacturing, and fleet lifecycle support from Madison Heights, Michigan.

3 weapons

Navistar Defense grew out of Navistar's commercial-truck base and became one of the most visible U.S. MRAP producers during the Iraq and Afghanistan procurement surge. Its MaxxPro family used International truck architecture with protected capsules and evolved into Dash, long-wheelbase, ambulance, recovery, and mission-kit configurations. Older International Motors releases also connect the company to the International MXT vehicle family, including the U.K. Husky Tactical Support Vehicle.

The company now markets itself as ND Defense. Its current public material emphasizes tactical land solutions, MaxxPro reset and upgrade work, vehicle upfitting, contract manufacturing, and lifecycle support services that include parts, field service, training, technical manuals, supply-chain oversight, and warranty coverage. ND Defense also lists a West Point, Mississippi assembly plant in addition to its Madison Heights world headquarters.

Navistar International completed the sale of a 70 percent equity interest in Navistar Defense to a Cerberus Capital Management affiliate on December 31, 2018. The SEC filing for the transaction also described an exclusive long-term agreement for Navistar to supply commercial parts and chassis to Navistar Defense, which explains why the legacy Navistar name remains important in older vehicle and contract sources.

Tactical wheeled vehiclesMRAP platformsContract manufacturingLife cycle supportVehicle upfitting

Notable Systems

International MaxxPro, Mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle family, Armored Vehicles

International MaxxPro

Mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle family

ND Defense still markets MaxxPro as a core MRAP family and describes reset, upgrade, ambulance, recovery, and mission-kit work for previously fielded vehicles.

Sources: ND Defense MaxxPro
Husky TSV, 4x4 protected tactical support vehicle, Armored Vehicles

Husky TSV

4x4 protected tactical support vehicle

International Motors releases identify Husky as the U.K. Tactical Support Vehicle medium variant, based on the International MXT platform and ordered in patrol, ambulance, command, and utility-related configurations.

Sources: Navistar Husky Debut, Navistar Finalizes UK Husky Deal
International MXT-MV, 4x4 infantry mobility and protected support vehicle family, Armored Vehicles

International MXT-MV

4x4 infantry mobility and protected support vehicle family

The MXT-MV family underpinned Husky and other MXT cargo, armored personnel carrier, and recovery concepts shown by Navistar Defense for military customers.

Sources: Navistar MXT Recovery Variant, Navistar Defense opens office in Michigan

Manufacturer History

  1. Original MaxxPro MRAP contract era begins

    Navistar later described its original International MaxxPro MRAP contract as starting in May 2007, after which the company became a major MRAP supplier and fielded thousands of protected vehicles.

    Sources: Navistar Defense opens office in Michigan, Navistar Defense to Field 471 MaxxPro

  2. U.K. Husky TSV deal finalized

    Navistar Defense announced a U.K. Ministry of Defence deal for 262 International MXT-based Husky Tactical Support Vehicles, with assembly at the West Point, Mississippi plant and integration support from Dytecna and Plasan.

    Sources: Navistar Finalizes UK Husky Deal

  3. Madison Heights office opens

    Navistar Defense opened a Madison Heights, Michigan office with more than 180 employees and said its engineering team would support MaxxPro MRAP vehicles and other product lines.

    Sources: Navistar Defense opens office in Michigan

  4. Cerberus announces majority interest deal

    Cerberus announced a definitive agreement to acquire a 70% interest in Navistar's defense business, describing Navistar Defense as a tactical wheeled vehicle OEM with lifecycle support services.

    Sources: Cerberus to Acquire Majority Interest in Navistar Defense

  5. 70 percent equity sale closes

    Navistar International reported to the SEC that it completed the sale of a 70 percent equity interest in Navistar Defense to a Cerberus affiliate and entered a long-term commercial parts and chassis supply agreement with the defense business.

    Sources: Navistar 8-K on defense business sale

  6. Navistar Defense becomes ND Defense

    European Security & Defence reported that Navistar Defense had been renamed ND Defense LLC and that the company had appointed Imtiaz Uddin as CEO.

    Sources: Navistar Defense rebrands to ND Defense

Successors
ND Defense LLC
Website links
Official websiteContact and headquartersMaxxPro product pageLand solutionsSEC 8-K on Cerberus transaction

Current company materials use ND Defense branding, while older International Motors releases, U.S. filings, and contract notices use Navistar Defense.

Manufacturer Sources

  • ND Defense homePublisher: ND Defense | Note: Supports the current company overview, tactical wheeled vehicle focus, contract manufacturing, and lifecycle support context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • ND Defense contact pagePublisher: ND Defense | Note: Supports the Madison Heights headquarters address and the current company location listing. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • ND Defense land solutionsPublisher: ND Defense | Note: Supports current land-systems, vehicle upfitting, lifecycle support, and contract-manufacturing capability descriptions. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • ND Defense MaxxProPublisher: ND Defense | Note: Supports the MaxxPro family as a current land-systems product line and source for MaxxPro reset and upgrade context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar Finalizes UK Husky DealPublisher: International Motors | Note: Supports the 2009 U.K. Ministry of Defence order for 262 MXT-based Husky TSV vehicles, the West Point assembly location, and the Dytecna and Plasan integration context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar Husky DebutPublisher: International Motors | Note: Supports Husky TSV as the U.K. medium Tactical Support Vehicle variant and describes patrol, ambulance, and command configurations. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar MXT Recovery VariantPublisher: International Motors | Note: Supports the International MXT vehicle line context, including MXT-RV, MXT-APC, MXT-Cargo, and the Husky connection. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar Defense opens office in MichiganPublisher: International Motors | Note: Supports the 2011 Madison Heights office opening and the company's statement that the engineering team supported MaxxPro MRAP vehicles and other product lines. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar Defense to Field 471 MaxxProPublisher: International Motors | Note: Supports the scale of MaxxPro production, MaxxPro Dash and ambulance orders, and the company's broader fielded vehicle count as of 2011. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Cerberus to Acquire Majority Interest in Navistar DefensePublisher: Cerberus Capital Management | Note: Supports the 2018 70% interest announcement and the tactical wheeled vehicle and lifecycle support description of Navistar Defense. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar 8-K on defense business salePublisher: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission | Note: Supports the December 31, 2018 closing of the 70 percent equity sale to a Cerberus affiliate and the long-term Navistar parts and chassis supply agreement. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Navistar Defense rebrands to ND DefensePublisher: European Security & Defence | Note: Supports the 2024 rename from Navistar Defense to ND Defense LLC and the leadership transition that accompanied the rebrand. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Wikimedia Commons MaxxPro in IraqPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain reuse for a MaxxPro photo. | Accessed: 2026-06-21

Produced weapons

Category

Armored Vehicles

Troop carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and protected mobility.

3/3
International MXT-MV, 4x4 infantry mobility and protected support vehicle family, Armored Vehicles2001 War in Afghanistan, 2014 Russia-Ukraine WarInternational MXT-MV4x4 infantry mobility and protected support vehicle familyBuilt in: United StatesThe International MXT-MV is Navistar Defense's military 4x4 MXT family, spanning unarmored utility, armored MXT-MVA, cargo, recovery, armored personnel carrier, and U.K. Husky TSV configurations. Its strongest documented combat record comes through the Husky variant: British forces used Huskies in Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom later donated Husky vehicles to Ukraine for protected mobility during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
Husky TSV, 4x4 protected tactical support vehicle, Armored Vehicles2001 War in Afghanistan, 2014 Russia-Ukraine WarHusky TSV4x4 protected tactical support vehicleBuilt in: United States / United KingdomHusky TSV is the British Army's Navistar-built 4x4 Tactical Support Vehicle, a protected mobility and load-carrying platform derived from the International MXT family for Afghanistan-era patrol, command, ambulance, heavy-weapon, recovery, and support tasks. The record links its original British use in Afghanistan with later Ukrainian service, where supplied Huskies have been documented in frontline mobility and evacuation roles.