Twister High Mobility Test Vehicle.

In the early 1960s, Lockheed looked at expanding beyond designing and building aircraft and spacecraft. The Missiles and Space Company’s Ground Vehicles Systems line of business was started in 1964 to respond to the US Army’s interest in a highly mobile, off-road, wheeled vehicle. The basic design was a fully articulated, two bodied vehicle that could be driven at high speed over rough terrain. This eight-wheel test vehicle, called Twister, was built in 1965. A military-specific variant was tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1970. Ultimately, the Army opted for a tracked vehicle and the design of a significantly upgraded twisting vehicle called Dragon Wagon was sold to Oshkosh Truck Corporation in 1979.