Buffalo MRAP
The introduction of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the Afghanistan conflict came as something of a surprise to the US Army and Marines: though IEDs, along with mines and RPG rocket launchers were extensively used in Vietnam, the US armed forces of the 1980s-1990s was more configured towards conventional warfare. As a result, the Department of Defense began quickly looking for vehicles that were designed to operate in such an environment, turning to a nation with long experience in counterinsurgency warfare: South Africa.
During the apartheid era, South Africa had developed the Casspir, built on a 4x4 truck chassis. The Casspir could carry a squad of troops with firing ports inside the vehicle, over rough ground, but was designed from the start to resist IED explosions. This was done by the vehicle's high profile, which meant most of the blast effect would not be immediately transferred to the Casspir; the vehicle hull was V-shaped, which would tend to channel the blast further away from the Casspir. The vehicle was highly successful for the South African military, and Force Protection, an American manufacturer of mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, developed the Buffalo as essentially an advanced, upscaled Casspir.
Unlike the Casspir, however, the Buffalo was built on a 6x6 chassis, though it used a similar hull design; it carried a smaller crew, but was faster and better armored--the Buffalo was given fiberglass armor to resist both blast effect and small arm fire. To find IEDs before they were detonated, the Buffalo was equipped with infrared sensors, along with a remotely-controlled arm to reach out and dispose of IEDs without risking the vehicle if they went off. Both the Army and Marines quickly adopted the Buffalo, which entered service in Iraq in 2004.
In combat, the Buffalo proved itself, able to survive heavy damage and still operate; one Buffalo was hit by four IEDs and still returned to base, with no injuries to the crew. Production quickly ramped up, and in 2009 Force Protection switched to the slightly larger and upgraded Buffalo A2. Both remain in service; about 650 have been produced.
The Pima Air and Space Museum is planning on opening the Tucson Military Museum later in 2022, and have begun amassing about a hundred military vehicles for display. Most are in Pima's restoration yard (and, unfortunately, out of easy picture range of the public), but two vehicles have been placed on display at Pima's front gate as advertisements: a former Iraqi T-72, and this Buffalo MRAP. Details are a bit scarce (for now), but this Buffalo is an Iraq War veteran, though which unit it served with is unknown.
I didn't get quite all of the Buffalo in the shot, unfortunately--it's a lot bigger than it looks.
Buffalo MRAP
The introduction of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the Afghanistan conflict came as something of a surprise to the US Army and Marines: though IEDs, along with mines and RPG rocket launchers were extensively used in Vietnam, the US armed forces of the 1980s-1990s was more configured towards conventional warfare. As a result, the Department of Defense began quickly looking for vehicles that were designed to operate in such an environment, turning to a nation with long experience in counterinsurgency warfare: South Africa.
During the apartheid era, South Africa had developed the Casspir, built on a 4x4 truck chassis. The Casspir could carry a squad of troops with firing ports inside the vehicle, over rough ground, but was designed from the start to resist IED explosions. This was done by the vehicle's high profile, which meant most of the blast effect would not be immediately transferred to the Casspir; the vehicle hull was V-shaped, which would tend to channel the blast further away from the Casspir. The vehicle was highly successful for the South African military, and Force Protection, an American manufacturer of mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, developed the Buffalo as essentially an advanced, upscaled Casspir.
Unlike the Casspir, however, the Buffalo was built on a 6x6 chassis, though it used a similar hull design; it carried a smaller crew, but was faster and better armored--the Buffalo was given fiberglass armor to resist both blast effect and small arm fire. To find IEDs before they were detonated, the Buffalo was equipped with infrared sensors, along with a remotely-controlled arm to reach out and dispose of IEDs without risking the vehicle if they went off. Both the Army and Marines quickly adopted the Buffalo, which entered service in Iraq in 2004.
In combat, the Buffalo proved itself, able to survive heavy damage and still operate; one Buffalo was hit by four IEDs and still returned to base, with no injuries to the crew. Production quickly ramped up, and in 2009 Force Protection switched to the slightly larger and upgraded Buffalo A2. Both remain in service; about 650 have been produced.
The Pima Air and Space Museum is planning on opening the Tucson Military Museum later in 2022, and have begun amassing about a hundred military vehicles for display. Most are in Pima's restoration yard (and, unfortunately, out of easy picture range of the public), but two vehicles have been placed on display at Pima's front gate as advertisements: a former Iraqi T-72, and this Buffalo MRAP. Details are a bit scarce (for now), but this Buffalo is an Iraq War veteran, though which unit it served with is unknown.
I didn't get quite all of the Buffalo in the shot, unfortunately--it's a lot bigger than it looks.