The 1 1/4-ton, 4×4, Kaiser Jeep M715, sometimes called the "Five quarter (ton)", for its 1 1/4 (or 5/4) ton payload rating, is an American light military truck, based on the civilian Jeep Gladiator (SJ). Design and development for the M715 began in 1965, intended to replace the Dodge M37. In a departure from its purpose-built predecessor, the M715 was the first "M"-series U.S. tactical vehicle to use primarily commercial components; the first in a series of militarized commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) vehicle procurements.[1]
Variants
Aside from the basic M715 cargo/troop carrier, the M715 series included the M724 bare cab and chassis, usually combined with a contact maintenance utility tool body, M725 ambulance, and M726 telephone maintenance utility tool body variants, all 1 1/4-ton, 4×4. From 1967 to 1969, between 30,500 and 33,000[1] trucks were produced at the Toledo, Ohio, plant. The M-715 family saw service in the Vietnam War, but was considered underpowered and fragile, compared to the purpose-built Dodge M37 tactical trucks it was intended to replace.[1] From 1976 onwards, the U.S. military replaced the M715 series with the Dodge M880 series, again a 1 1/4-ton militarized COTS truck.