The Oshkosh Truck Corporation in Llantrisant near Cardiff has been named the preferred bidder for a �160m 10-year contract with the Ministry of Defence to supply military support vehicles.

The move will create 180 jobs new jobs and safeguard 160 more at the factory.

This will give our forces one of the most advanced wheeled tanker fleets in the world while ensuring the British taxpayer gets the best possible value for money Lord Bach

The Ministry of Defence is ordering 348 tanker trucks to carry fuel and water along roads to frontline troops.

Oshkosh employs 128 people at its refuse truck assembly plant but has been keen to expand manufacturing there to boost commercial and military product sales in Europe.

The defence procurement minister, Lord Bach, visited Llantrisant with Wales Office minister Don Touhig on Friday to make the announcement.

He said: "This will give our forces one of the most advanced wheeled tanker fleets in the world while ensuring the British taxpayer gets the best possible value for money.

"These tankers will give our troops a much improved capability for transporting vital supplies while on deployed operations.

They are far more capable than their predecessors and will have cross country capabilities and the ability to be fitted with blast-proof armour."

'It's our duty'

Oshkosh was chosen over UK firm Marshalls for the contract, a decision Lord Bach defended by saying the MoD had to ensure the best equipment and value for money.

Earlier this year, Welsh Assembly Economic Development Minister Andrew Davies met the company's management during a visit to its US headquarters in Wisconsin.

Oshkosh put in a bid for the valuable MoD contract last summer as part of expansion plans for commercial and military product sales throughout Europe.

Company chairman, president and chief executive Robert Bohn was also in Llanstrisant to hear the news.

He said: "The army can count on us. We are here for the long term, we are committed to the MoD and the UK.

"We have built defence trucks since the UK and the US teamed so successfully during the Second World War.

"You will have nothing less than 110% support from us - it is our job and our duty."

Specialty

The company designs and manufactures a range of specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies for worldwide defence, emergency, refuse and construction markets.

It is one of the world's leading defence vehicle manufacturers.

The company makes all of the heavy-payload trucks used by the US Army, which have been the backbone of military operations in the Gulf, Bosnia and Afghanistan.

Oshkosh is also manufacturing up to 8,100 medium-payload, high-mobility trucks for the US Marine Corps.