This feature, along with its powerful 10.7 L Caterpillar diesel engine and four-wheel drive, made the MB-5 a staple of US military firefighting.

It could be seen on US aircraft carriers and airbases both during and after the Vietnam War, continuing service for almost a decade after production of the truck stopped in late 1971 (unconfirmed).

Design constraints stipulated that the vehicle was to function on aircraft carriers and shore stations, while also being similar in operation to its predecessor.

[1] Although the MB-5 was designed for use on aircraft carriers, it had many features that made it an ideal fire truck for shore-based airports.

The dry chemical system consisted of a hose reel (manufactured by Hannay), a large Purple-K (PKP) canister, and a nitrogen tank.

The dry chemical hose, much like the front handline, had an electric rewind system activated with a button mounted above the reel.

The compressed air would exit the PKP tank with the powder, and leave the end of the hose in a large white cloud.

Here is a complete list of standard items that would have been found on board: The Oshkosh MB-5 was built with a turbocharged Caterpillar 1673 diesel engine, which outputs to a Twin Disk TD-41-1112 4-speed "Power shift" Semi-automatic transmission.

The main difference was that the action of moving the stick out had no mechanical effect on the transmission, as the notches only served to prevent the operator from accidentally over-shifting if they weren't looking at the gear selector.

This allowed a selection to be made while the engine still gave power meaning drivers could shift without letting go of the gas.

[3] The truck had the ability to move from a dead stop while in fourth gear, given that it was not towing a load or was maneuvering with the pumps engaged.

The Marine Corps variants of the truck featured no-slip differentials on the front axle assembly as well.

The full floating axles sat on leaf spring suspension, mounted to both the front and rear of the frame.

[3] While unloaded, the truck's suspension was quite rigid; and there was even a noticeable tilt to the left side which compensated for the extra weight when the water tank was full.

Turning was achieved with a hydraulically boosted mechanical link from the steering column to the forward drive assembly.