Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency has supplied 154 Chinese-made Great Wall Wingle 5 pickup trucks to the armed forces.
The fleet’s order was made through Kyiv’s newly-established state electronic procurement system Prozorro, the country’s defense ministry revealed.
The decision to acquire the vehicle was based on a previous technical requirements validation made on the vehicle and its recent approval for military use, which involved comparison to a similar chassis currently in service in various active services.
“In the current setting, mobility is a key factor in the successful completion of combat missions,” Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Dmytro Klimenkov stated.
“Pickup trucks for the military are an integral part of this strategic approach. Efficient road transport is indispensable for the functioning of mobile groups, delivery of cargo and ammunition, and the evacuation of the injured.”
Kyiv’s press release wrote that eleven bidders participated in the effort. An unnamed supplier was then selected through their proposal of 996,000 Ukrainian hryvnias ($24,172.2) per vehicle, including value-added tax.
The entire contract amounted to 153 million hryvnias ($3.7 million), about 40 million ($970,774) of which will be returned to the state budget in the form of taxes, fees, and associated work.
“When acquiring pickup trucks, it was essential for us to ensure that the vehicles satisfy all the requirements set by the military while also promoting strong competition and the most efficient use of every hryvnia,” Ukrainian Defence Procurement Agency Director Maryna Bezrukova explained.
Great Wall Motor Wingle 5
Developed by Baoding-based Great Wall Motor, the Wingle 5 is a 4×2 utility vehicle measuring 5 meters (16.5 feet) long with a 1.52-meter (4.9-foot) cargo space.
It has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 122 horsepower for speeds of more than 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) per hour.
The Wingle 5 incorporates hydraulic power steering, remote control door locks, and small interior compartments.
For Ukraine’s order, the vehicle is modified with a Euro 4-compliant 2-liter diesel engine that generates 143 horsepower and has a six-speed transmission.
The platform can accommodate up to five people with a 1-ton (1,000-kilogram) payload while towing a 0,85-ton (820-kilogram) trailer.
The Wingle can reduce capacity down to four personnel to integrate additional equipment or weapons in its cargo bed.
