Growler Manufacturing and Engineering, formerly American Growler, Inc., is an automotive manufacturing firm producing light tactical vehicles, originally based in Ocala, Florida, then in Robbins, North Carolina, and now in the HUBZone in

Star, North Carolina Star is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 876 at the 2010 census. Geography Star is known as the geographic center of North Carolina as measured via satellite, according to the Army Corps of Engineers ...

. For over ten years, it has built a line of

military light utility vehicle Military light utility vehicle, or simply light utility vehicle, (LUV), is a term used for the lightest weight class military vehicle category. A Jeep-like four-wheel drive vehicle for military use by definition lighter than other military trucks ...

s partly derived from drivetrains from M151 Jeeps. Versions range from $7,000 in price kit form, a $15,500 tactical dune buggy, and a $33,000 version sold to the Dominican Republic's military.

History

Growler Manufacturing and Engineering started as Utility Vehicles Inc. in 1999 who designed of new frames and bodies and remanufactured drive trains from military vehicles, primarily M151 jeeps, purchased through surplus sales. Through several acquisitions and renamings they ended up based in Star NC where they Growler produces light tactical vehicle and equipment trailers for the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

Light Strike Vehicle

Growler's most expensive model at over $100,000 each, is the Growler Light Strike vehicle. It was specially designed to be transported in the small cargo hold of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft along with the Expeditionary Fire Support System towed mortar.Mobile mortar system for Osprey delayed
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North County Times The ''North County Times'' was a local newspaper in San Diego's North County. It was headquartered in Escondido. The final publisher was Peter York. It was formed in 1995 from the merger of the ''North County Blade-Citizen'' of Oceanside (f ...

'' 4 January 2008 The V-22 cargo compartment is five feet wide, five feet tall and less than 17 feet in length. In 2005, the Marines planned to buy 400 of the vehicles in a contract that combined with the mortar system was expected to total $296 million.

Notes

{{Automotive industry in the United States Companies based in North Carolina Defense companies of the United States Truck manufacturers of the United States