Versatile truck takes on role of tank in Iraq

The Charlotte Observer ^ | May. 13, 2004 | MARK WASHBURN

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Wounded soldiers say slow Army trucks left them exposed to attack

Their congressman, Rep. John Sweeney, is making his own inquiries into why the soldiers were not in an armored vehicle the day they were attacked.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Treadhead ping

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Treadhead ping

[Jalapeno]

I think the Humvee is the wrong vehicle for the job over there, and has contributed to the KIA count. They were not meant to survive such ambushes.

[Old Sarge]

"My Hummer ain't got no gun rack, it's got a gun mount!"
- Old First Sergeant of Sarge's Aquaintance

I like what the Hummer can do. I also like what the Stryker can do. Both vehicles can perform multiplpe missions, and I can't see losing the Hummer anytime soon - we had the old M151's in the inventory up until 1988, anywho.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The HMMWV is a highly successful family of vehicles. We could use a smaller, lighter vehicle in the 1/4-Ton class for many things we are using 1 1/4-Ton HMMWV's for. That is not economy of force. Note that the M-Gator is almost exactly the same size as the Willys Jeep.

The M1114 is an OK vehicle for some missions, suboptimal for other missions and a poor choice for far too many missions. Everything concerning Up Armored Humvees has become totally politicized. Political pressure has forced the Army to buy more, to the great benefit of the sole source contractor, O'Gara-Hess, while other, more capable vehicles without powerful patrons and well orchestrated media campaigns are ignored entirely or bought in small quantity.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Vest drive gets in gear

Humvees may already be 'up-armored'

OCALA - Law enforcement agencies from around Florida contributed Wednesday to a campaign spearheaded by Marion County Sheriff Ed Dean to collect used bullet-proof vests that Army Reserve troops in Iraq could use to pad Humvees against enemy fire.

Dean sent out an appeal for the vests after receiving a letter from 1st Sgt. Fred Chisholm, a member of the 351st Military Police Company. Chisholm, a Marion County deputy when not on military duty, asked Dean to send the Kevlar vests to help protect soldiers traveling in Humvee military vehicles.

The vests, while still usable, were slated to be retired from service because they were outside the manufacturer's five-year warranty period

Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, said such armor wasn't included in the Bush administration's $87 billion spending request for the Iraq war, nor in a $25 billion supplemental request.

"They didn't request the armor for the Humvees," she said. "We should not send our men and women into harm's way without the proper equipment that they need."

"The first sergeant had some ingenuity, like soldiers have had for generations, and they're trying to get some more protection,"

Now Corrine Brown and Teddy Kennedy and Evan Bayh and Dick Durbin are oh, so solicitous of our troops' well-being.

[Darksheare]

Only65?
According to the New York State Police, they clocked us towing a howitzer to the Kensico Dam Plaza doing 90.
Spc Carlson merely sped up until traffic wasn't passing us left and right anymore.
Since the speedo stops at 50 (55 can be guessed at) we have no idea what speed we were really going at.
But the Staties were yelling to us over our tire and engine noise that we were doing 90, and to have a nice day.
(I highly doubt we were doing 90. 67 maybe.)

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The M1114 is heavy. Your prime mover wasn't an M1114, was it?

[Darksheare]

Nope.
M1097.
(Still heavy, but it did get above 60 that I know of. I DOUBT that we really were doing 90 like the State Police said, well, yelled over to us.)

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Engineered Support Receives $10.6 Million in Additional Funding for Up-Armoring of Military Vehicles

Well, Corrine, what are we buying this with?

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The changing needs illustrate how the battlefield is evolving over time. Five months ago, troops wanted better protection for their Humvees and more body armor. But as the improvised explosive devices become more sophisticated and prevalent, forces started demanding armor to line the bottom of their vehicles instead of only the tops and sides.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

This is why a purpose-built armored vehicle with a V-shaped, blast deflecting hull is better than a flat bottomed armored limousine. The M1114 takes that right up through the floor boards.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

But the Staties were yelling to us over our tire and engine noise that we were doing 90, and to have a nice day.

Lol!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for staying on top of this hot political issue.

The DoD knows what's going on (did you hear the troops cheer for Gen. Myers when he praised the CinC's leadership today in Iraq?).

Pinging the crew to the latest spin, and informed FReeper commentary.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Darksheare]

Like I said to Cannoneer, I doubt we were doing above 67, maybe 73. (I'll buy 73, I was sitting in the back watching the howitzer we were towing wiggle left & right and hop on one wheel..)

I think the staties were messing with us.
But, if we really WERE doing 90, I'm impressed.

[SAMWolf]

HumVee bump

[ExSoldier]

Whatever happend to the old Gamma Goat vehicle? What a POS! I hated them with a passion. For convoy security, methinks a Stryker would be better served than a Humvee. Of course nothin' beats an Abrams, either!