Polaris Defense reached an important early milestone in October 2010 when it was selected to supply utility side-by-sides to the Army National Guard under a five-year contract valued at up to $67 million.
The competitively awarded contract covered the Polaris RANGER CREW 800 and Polaris RANGER 6×6 800, along with accessories and operator training. The vehicles were intended to support National Guard homeland-security and disaster-response missions.
Commercial RANGER Models Selected for Military Support
Unlike the purpose-built tactical vehicles Polaris would introduce later, the machines included in this award were based on production RANGER utility side-by-sides. Their passenger capacity, cargo space and off-road mobility made them suitable for moving personnel and equipment through terrain that could be difficult for conventional trucks.
The RANGER CREW 800 offered seating for multiple occupants, while the RANGER 6×6 800 combined three-person seating with six-wheel traction and additional cargo capacity. Both were powered by Polaris’ 800cc EFI twin-cylinder engine and equipped with On-Demand all-wheel drive.
Polaris said the vehicles would be manufactured at its Spirit Lake, Iowa, facility. At the time of the announcement, the company reported that the plant had recently added more than 270 full-time and seasonal positions to help meet increased demand.
“We are excited to have our Polaris RANGER utility vehicles selected by the National Guard to help with their homeland security and disaster relief missions,” Polaris CEO Scott Wine said when the award was announced.
An Early Chapter in Polaris Defense History
The 2010 National Guard award helped demonstrate how commercially developed side-by-sides could provide affordable, highly mobile transportation for military and government operations. These RANGER models were utility vehicles adapted to serve government missions rather than dedicated combat platforms.
Polaris subsequently expanded its defense operations and introduced the MRZR platform in 2012. The MRZR was developed as a purpose-built light tactical vehicle with features such as military-specific payload configurations and internal transportability aboard certain aircraft.
That development path continues today under Polaris Government and Defense. In 2026, the company received a separate five-year U.S. Marine Corps contract worth up to $98 million for continued production of the MRZR Alpha Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicle.
The National Guard contract announced in 2010 has long since reached the end of its original five-year period. However, it remains a notable part of the history connecting Polaris’ consumer utility side-by-sides with the company’s modern military mobility business.
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