From a military automotive turned commercial
at the request of a film star to massive trucks able to withstand over 30 pounds of explosives,
today we look at Incredible Vehicles Of The US Army. Number 14. Medium Tactical Vehicles
Forming the backbone of the United States Army are the FMTV, or family of Medium Tactical
Vehicles. These great load-bearing trucks are an essential
element in keeping the military running smoothly due to their role in transporting all the
various cargo of the U.S. Army. Originally composed of 17 different variants,
these trucks share a common chassis, but are altered to fulfill a wide variety of purposes
and payloads. Today there are dozens of different Medium
Tactical Vehicles, equipped with different tools, seats, and carrying capacities ranging
from 2.5 to 10 tons. Number 13. MQ-1C Gray Eagle
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is an unmanned aircraft
designed for medium-altitude, long-endurance combat missions. It was originally created to compete in the
U.S. Army's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle competition in 2002, with General Atomics hoping to win
a government contract as a result of their demonstration. They beat out their only competitor in the
Northrop Grumman Hunter II, and as of 2013 General Atomics have developed more than 75
individual models for the U.S. Army, with 152 more in the works. More than 4.7 billion dollars have been spent
on the MQ-1C Gray Eagle project so far, and the U.S. Army has put this investment into
great use, deploying Gray Eagles on missions since Afghanistan in 2010. Number 12. Humvees
Made popular by the civilian versions that entered mainstream rotation following the
first purchase by famous actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1992, the HUMVEE
has actually served the U.S. Army since 1983. These broad vehicles were initially made to
replace the use of jeeps and other lightweight tactical vehicles ranging from a quarter to
1.25 tons. The term Humvee derives from the vehicles
full name as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, a terminology referencing
its role as a "jack-of-all-trades" vehicle capable of handling the tasks of many of its
predecessors. Over 281 thousand of these vehicles have been
made to date and they continue to be employed on a regular basis. Since 2011, just one of these Humvees with
current armor specifications fetches a price tag of 220 thousand dollars. Number 11. MH-6 Little Bird
Specializing in observation, patrol insertion and extraction, deep air support and forward
air control, the MH-6 Little Bird is a crucial part of the U.S. Army's aerial squadron. The MH-6 was created to replace the OH-6,
another light observation helicopter that entered service in 1960. By 1963, the Army was ready to test out modified
prototypes, upgrading the engine of the OH-6 for greater speed and maneuverability. This upgraded model, which featured an Allison
T63-A-5A engine, caught on and beat out other prototypes, and by 1965 the U.S. Army was
ready to order 1,300 individual helicopters. These unarmed choppers, along with their gunship
counterpart the AH-6, have been used in most every major militaristic endeavor since their
inception. They have since spawned over a dozen different
versions, outfitted with all different means of weaponry and tactical equipment. Number 10. CH-47 Chinook
The CH-47 Chinook , developed first by rotorcraft company Vertol before being acquired by Boeing
in 1960, is one of the heaviest lifting helicopters to come out of the Western world. This helicopter named after the Native American
tribe of modern day Washington weighs over 24 thousand pounds with no payload and has
a maximum takeoff weight of 50 thousand pounds! It can speed through the sky at a top speed
of 170 knots, the equivalent of 196 miles per hour, and is among the fastest helicopters
in the U.S. Army. Over 1,200 of these aircraft have been built
to serve in America as well as the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force at a cost of more
than 38 million dollars per unit. Number 9. M-ATV
The Oshkosh M-ATV was built to combine the protective capabilities of Mine Resistant
Ambush Protected vehicles like the Cougar or Buffalo with the mobility of Humvees. The 27,500-pound vehicle entered production
in 2009, and nearly 10 thousand have been built to date at a price tag of 470 thousand
dollars each. The M-ATV is meant to carry one driver, three
passengers and one gunner, and can haul a maximum payload of 4 thousand pounds. The roof-mounted armament is designed to where
it can be operated remotely or manually, depending on the situation. Manual use gives gunners access to arms like
the MILAN anti-tank guided missile launcher and M240 machine gun, while the remote option
uses a device called CROWS, which stands for Common Remotely Operated Weapons System. Number 8. M1117 Guardian
Also known as the COMMANDO family of vehicles, the M1117 Guardian is an Armored Security
Vehicle meant to protect personnel in combative environments. Mounted with an Mk 19 grenade launcher, M2HB
Browning machine gun, and M240H Medium Machine Gun, this heavily-plated land rover was used
prominently by U.S. military police and convoy security while serving in Afghanistan and
Iraq. This hulking vehicle weighs approximately
29,560 pounds and can carry a crew of 5 on operations up to 475 miles in travel distance. The Guardian can handle fire from small arms,
mines, and improvised explosive devices, and can even push forward after taking a hit from
rocket-propelled grenades, many times deflecting them all together thanks to the vehicles slanting,
armored surface. Number 7. UH-60 Black Hawk
Named after the historical Sauk American warrior-leader, the Black Hawk has played a major part in
U.S. Army operations since coming into service in 1979. This Sikorsky Aircraft-made helicopter has
seen action on behalf of American forces in countries like Afghanistan, Grenada, Iraq,
and Somalia. Around 4 thousand of these vehicles have been
built to date, and in addition to the U.S. Army, the UH-60 Black Hawk is used by the
Japan Self Defense Forces, Colombian Armed Forces, and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Each of these twin-engine, four blade aircrafts
costs an average of 21.3 million dollars to purchase. Dozens of variant Black Hawks have been made
to accommodate Sikorsky's growing international customer base as well as different U.S. Army
specialization requirements. Number 6. Stryker
The Stryker family of vehicles are a series of eight-wheeled fighting vehicles fitted
in over 5 thousand pounds of slat armor, a specialized layer meant to guard against anti-tank,
rocket-propelled grenade attacks. These heavy duty vehicles originally cost
3 million dollars per unit to produce in 2002 by the Canadian division of General Dynamics
Land Systems. Costs were able to be reduced to 1.42 million
dollars per vehicle the following year, but as of 2012, these massive troop transporters
cost 4.9 million dollars a piece. Strykers weigh 18 to 20 tons and can be driven
in 4 wheel or 8 wheel drive, pushing through a variety of terrain and obstacles. For defensive capabilities, these vehicles
are fitted with a variety of machine guns and other weapons such as the 105 millimeter
M68A2 gun, 40 millimeter Mk 19 grenade launcher, 30 millimeter Mk44 Bushmaster II gun, or 7.62
millimeter M240 machine guns. Number 5. Cougar
Not quite as large as its cousin the Buffalo, this Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle
is an infantry transport vehicle specialized in protecting against explosives and small
arms. The Cougar is a 475 thousand-dollar landcraft
built to withstand blasts of up to 30 pounds of TNT under the wheels and 15 pounds of TNT
under the vehicle's undercarriage. Since the U.S. Army began incorporating the
Cougar in their operations in 2004, fatalities due to improvised explosive devices, or IEDs,
dropped considerably. In addition to features benefitting the Cougar
in combat, this vehicle is outfitted with dual air-conditioners to assist in hauling
passengers, an important inclusion given troops in Iraq risk overheating as they operate while
heavily dressed in 100 degree heat. Thousands of Cougars serve the U.S. and British
Armies, with many variants available in 4 by 4 and 6 by 6 models. Number 4. The Buffalo
Built to withstand mines and protected against ambushes, The Buffalo is a heavyweight behemoth
among the U.S. Army's armada of vehicles. Operating on 6-wheels with a large articulated
arm utilized for the disposal of explosive devices, this monstrous vehicle weighs in
at over 45 thousand pounds and can carry a maximum load of up to 56 thousand pounds. The Buffalo incorporates a V-shaped monohull
chassis, an innovation specifically designed to direct the blast force of explosives away
from vehicle occupants. Unlike some of the other vehicles on this
list, there are only a short number in used by the Army. In June of 2008, the 200th Buffalo was delivered
to U.S. Military, coming in handy as hazards such as IEDs became a growing problem in the
Army's efforts abroad. Number 3. AH-64 Apache
While the AH-64 Apache has become a staple of the U.S. Army, this prized attack helicopter
has become the primary choice for many other nations as well, including Israel, Greeze,
Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. This helicopter has been produced by a number
of manufacturers over the years, first being developed by Hughes Helicopters in 1975 before
McDonnel Douglas took over operations in 1984. The Apache wasn't introduced into service
until 1986, and by 1997, Boeing Defense, Space & Security took over production of the chopper. This helicopter is notable for its twin-turboshafts,
tailwheel-style landing gear, a mounted nose-sensor that aids in target acquisition and night
vision systems, and weaponry like 30 mm M230 chain guns, Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70
rocket pods. Number 2. M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Developed in response to Soviet BMP tanks, the U.S. Army began using the M2 and M3 Bradley
Fighting Vehicles in 1981. The two distinct variants of this land roving
vehicle differ mainly in cargo. While both versions carry a 3-person crew
in the roles of commander, gunner, and driver, the M2 is built to carry an additional 6 soldiers
while the M3 can carry additional two, devoting space to BGM-71 missiles instead. These 2 variants of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle,
along with all other minor variants, are made to transport personnel under armor protection,
along with providing cover fire and suppressing enemy tanks. These weaponized machines were crafted to
keep up with the M12 Abrams so as to keep up with formations as a cavalry vehicle. Number 1. M1 Abrams Tank
One of the heaviest tanks in service of the U.S. Army at 68 short tons is the M1 Abrams
third generation battle tank. Designed by General Dynamics Land Systems,
formerly known as Chrysler Defense, this tank was built to dominate in armored ground combat. The M1 Abrams is outfitted with innovative
tools such as a computer fire control system, complex Chobham composite armor, a multi-fuel
turbine engine, and protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons for on-board
soldiers.
