BRP has been awarded a $10m contract from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) for its Evinrude multi-fuel engines (MFE). The Evinrude 55 MFE engines with an impeller equipped jet model pump will repower their fleet of F470 Zodiac boats / Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) used during small craft operations.
The strict procurement requirements of the USMC to secure non-gasoline burning outboard engines led directly to BRP. In accordance with the Department of Defense mandates, these engines must be able to operate using available battlefield fuels and to operate from naval shipping without the need for gasoline.
According to the USMC, the Evinrude MFE outboards are at the forefront of multi-fuel technology and BRP is the only manufacturer providing all the technical specifications required by the Department of Defense. The procurement for the Evinrude MFE was awarded as a commercial product directly from the existing Federal schedule (General Services Administration). Since the MFE technology is commercially available through BRP, the Marine Corps is able to utilize the outboards for their small craft operations.
Evinrude MFE engines, built on the Evinrude E-TEC technology, are designed for flexible use of multiple fuels in harsh demanding mission applications and are capable of running on kerosene, aviation fuels (JP-4, JP-5, JP-8, Jet-A and Jet-B) and standard gasoline. The engine's fuel selection can be changed with the simple flip of a switch, without compromising performance. In addition to the impeller equipped pump jet model, it is also available in a conventional propeller ready gearcase.
The pump jet version provides propulsion without a propeller, affording additional safety and performance targets for a wider variety of applications. Built to specific military specifications, the pump jet is a large impeller unit attached to a full gearcase that provides superior thrust and performance when compared to conventional jet pumps.
The delivery of engines began early October, 2009 and will be completed by the end of January, 2010. BRP's Evinrude E-TEC engine line-up now includes 110 engine models from 25- to 300-horsepower. All engines, including the MFE models, are available at Evinrude dealerships worldwide.
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