The Pentagon has given truck-builder Oshkosh a $6.75 billion contract to build a successor to the famous Humvee, the ubiquitous work-horse of the massive U.S. military. Tuesday's announcement meant competitors Lockheed and AM General lost out. The selection process for the "Joint Light Tactical Vehicle" was conducted by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, the Army said. Production is to begin in the first quarter of 2016, and the U.S. Army and Marines must buy at least 17,000 of the transports in the first phase of the contract. The Pentagon will have to confirm a new contract in 2018. In total the Army plans to buy nearly 50,000 of the vehicles before 2040, while the Marines want 5,500, the statement said. Oshkosh is a U.S.-based civil and military manufacturer from the town of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.