It is a commercial type conventional 6x4 rear wheel drive 14-ton semi-tractor designed for use on improved roads.

A powered front axle and other tactical equipment are not needed for this role, allowing a lighter and simpler truck.

[2] The more specialized trucks in the series are the M916 6x6 all wheel drive 14-Ton Light Equipment Transporter (LET) tractor with rear winch; M917 8x6 20-ton, 12 cubic yard Dump Truck; M918 6x6 22.5-ton, 1,500 gallon Bituminous Distributor; M919 8x6 22.5-ton, 8 cubic yard Concrete Mixer; and M920 8x6 20-ton Medium Equipment Transporter (MET) tractor with rear winch, all of which are employed in Engineer Combat Support and Construction units.

The M915 and follow on M915A1 were a Crane Carrier Company design based on CCC's Centaur commercial tractor, built under contract by AM General between 1978 and 1982.

The M915A2 had a 775 cu in (12.7 L) Detroit Diesel Series 60 DDEC II developing 400 hp (300 kW) at 2100rpm and 1,400 lbf⋅ft (1,898 N⋅m) of torque at 1200rpm.