After the Bundeswehr was formed in 1955, it submitted a requirement for a new 3-ton truck. Five companies competed for the contract, with Ford making the lowest bid.

The G398 was introduced in 1957, with 6,000 vehicles delivered through 1961. Unfortunately, the vehicle - which was powered by an obsolete 3.9l V-8 engine - performed very poorly and was viewed as a complete failure. It was nicknamed the "NATO goat" because of the bleating noise made by the engine.