Steadyjohn
Armored Vehicles Baghdad
The photos in this set were made by my nephew who works for an American company training Iraqi police .According to my correspondent these are the new MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles. He says..."The black box at the front sends off a very large heat signature to help delay or hopefully prevent any enemy detonation of radio controlled explosives in the roadway......"
There is a very complete article about this truck and related vehicles at Wikipedia. These trucks are being rushed to theater at great expense under an emergency budget allocation. It costs $750,000 to airlift one MRAP to theater and the military have even contracted with Russia for use of their huge Antonov AN 124 cargo planes to expedite delivery. Sadly, due to the deterioration of our industrial infrastructure there are only two steel mills in the United States capable of producing the special armored steel needed for these vehicles. There is no question, however, that these new trucks have saved scores, if not hundreds of lives, as they are extremely well designed to withstand attack by IED and ambush. ( Photo showing an MRAP hit by a large IED; all the crew survived)
Armored Vehicles Baghdad
The photos in this set were made by my nephew who works for an American company training Iraqi police .According to my correspondent these are the new MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles. He says..."The black box at the front sends off a very large heat signature to help delay or hopefully prevent any enemy detonation of radio controlled explosives in the roadway......"
There is a very complete article about this truck and related vehicles at Wikipedia. These trucks are being rushed to theater at great expense under an emergency budget allocation. It costs $750,000 to airlift one MRAP to theater and the military have even contracted with Russia for use of their huge Antonov AN 124 cargo planes to expedite delivery. Sadly, due to the deterioration of our industrial infrastructure there are only two steel mills in the United States capable of producing the special armored steel needed for these vehicles. There is no question, however, that these new trucks have saved scores, if not hundreds of lives, as they are extremely well designed to withstand attack by IED and ambush. ( Photo showing an MRAP hit by a large IED; all the crew survived)