Stewart & Stevenson Services announced on December 15 that its medium-tactical vehicles unit, Stewart & Stevenson Tactical Vehicle Systems LP, has landed an exclusive agreement with DaimlerChrysler to market Mercedes-Benz Gelaendewagen military vehicles to the United States government. The vehicle configurations covered by the deal include an open car, van, station wagon, light 4x4 tactical wheeled vehicle, and a chassis-cab. Smaller and lighter than the standard Humvee (the military does not call them Hummers), the Gelaendewagen is already in use by the U.S. Marine Corps. as a fast attack vehicle and has seen action in Afghanistan and Iraq. Designed for rapid deployment, the G-wagen can be transported as an external load below a helicopter or as an internal load for aircraft, including the U.S. Marine Corps. V-22 Osprey. It can also be air-dropped by parachute. In use with the German Army since 1979, more than 60,000 Gelaendewagens have been sold to military customers worldwide.