The Defence Forces are to receive 120 new 4x4 troop carrying vehicles.

The acting Minister of State for Defence, Paul Kehoe, has awarded the contract to Westward Scania.

The cost of the contract will be €24.6m including VAT. The new vehicle type to be supplied is the P370 B4x4.

The new trucks will replace the current fleet, which entered service between 1998 and 2003.

Awarding the contract Mr Kehoe said: "The purchase of the vehicles is in line with the commitment given in the white paper and the National Development Plan Project 2040 to continue investment in modern equipment for Defence Forces personnel and the obligations of the State to provide appropriate support and assets to our Defence Forces personnel."

Members of the Defence Forces Artillery Corps | Image: Irish Defence Forces

The principal role of trucks is troop transport, as well as artillery gun-towing and carriage of stores.

The vehicles can also be deployed to help with civil authority activities during flooding, extreme weather events or other emergencies.

The award of the contract follows a detailed open tender competition, which started in 2019 and ended earlier this year.

The first trucks are scheduled for delivery in 2020, with delivery of all 120 vehicles by 2023.

Westward Scania is based in Strokestown, Co Roscommon.