Mine-protected Transports 2013 armada INTERNATIONAL: The trusted source for defence technology information since 1976 To bridge the gap between its Cobra light armoured vehicle and its IFVs Otokar of Turkey developed a mine-resistant vehicle named Kaya. (Otokar) MINE-PROTECTED TRANSPORTS: WHat LIES AHEAD? One of the unanswered questions for most military planners is what will happen after Afghanistan. The Second Gulf War, or to be more precise the “follow-on stabilisation effort”, had led to a new category of vehicle, namely the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or Mrap as it became universally known. As this definition is very much US-related we prefer that of “mine-protected vehicles”, which includes the notion of protection against improvised explosive devices, which became the main risk for troops moving in theatre. Paolo Valpolini raq’s main lines of communications protection and patrol missions, a role in surroundings, thus an upwards spiralling and flat desert tracks were a perfect which most widely produced military quickly started. setting for vehicles based on a vehicle in the American inventory showed of truck chassis carrying highly limitations in terms of survivability. In In the early days of the Afghan mission, Iprotected crew cells. These vehicles Iraq, dimensions and weights of those those vehicles initially seemed up to their started to replace the Humvees in convoy Mraps were not much limited by their new theatre of operations, but things armada Mine Protected Transports 1/2013 01 The motor pool of a US Marine Corps base in Afghanistan. The United States will soon have to decide how to cope with all the Mraps acquired in the last decade – more than 27,000 of them. (US Marine Corps) changed considerably when the nature will happen in 2014 when ISAF forces Those European countries that of their mission began to turn tactical, will be mostly withdrawn, leaving in acquired American-made Mraps requiring off-road running. Weight theatre only reduced contingents that (most of them were delivered directly and dimensions reductions on the one will be busy training and mentoring in Afghanistan) might have problems hand and increase in mobility on the local security forces? Until the results bringing them back: many were not other thus became a sine qua non that of a study being carried out by the US intended for export, and do not comply called for independent suspensions for Army Programme Executive Officer with European regulations and cannot new or refurbished Mraps alike (see for Combat Support and Combat be driven on the roads of the Old the “Independence Now” article in the Service Support are made available, it Continent. Modifying them might be current issue of Armada International). is clear that some of those vehicle will excessively expensive, thus leaving them Overall, the US Department of Defense remain downrange to be used by those behind to be used by national training acquired 27,740 vehicles in less than servicemen that will remain in theatre, units working alongside Afghan security three years, with over 24,000 fielded to while some of them will be transferred forces or giving them to the ANA or the warfighters in theatre. A ceremony at to the local forces, although the ANA ANP might be a solution. This does not the Pentagon on 1 October 2012 marked has an equipping programme that is obviously apply to MPVs of European the end of Mrap programme vehicle already running. Some will be scrapped origin. production, which does not necessarily if the cost of shipping them back exceeds mean that no further vehicles falling in the value of a heavily used vehicle, but Will the withdrawal from the Mrap category will be acquired. most of them will be brought back to Afghanistan put an end to the Mrap the United States and, according to saga? Definitely the numbers will not The US Army alone accounts for US Army sources, about 60% per cent be the same anymore, but this would over 20,000 of Mraps ordered (a grand of the existing Mraps will be put into have happened in any case since most total including the other US Services contingency sets, ready for use should armies are now equipping with MPVs. and the allied nations engaged in the the need arise, while around 10% will This does not mean that the roadside Afghan mission is not available). What be used for training. bomb has vanished. As asymmetric 02 armada Mine Protected Transports 1/2013 Following some problems with the vehicle it had selected, the Department of Defense called upon Navistar to provide the ambulance version of the MaxxPro Dash. (Navistar) much higher gross weight (23,4 tonnes compared to 19.7) and payload capacity (over 4.5 tonnes versus 1.65). A first order for 1,050 Dashs was obtained from the US Marine Corps in mid- February 2010. The new independent suspension design was also chosen by Navistar because it lent itself to be retrofitted the existing fleet of MaxxPro and 7000 Series. Navistar thus designed upgrade kits as well as rolling chassis to quickly retrofit those vehicles, the Mrap after-sales business considerably increasing while contracts for new vehicles declined in the last few years. In March 2010 a first contract to upgrade 1,222 Dash vehicles with warfare tools, improvised roadside the adoption of a set of coil spring DXM suspensions was placed by the bombs will maintain their importance. independent suspensions provided Marice Corps, and work was performed While attentions have been focused by Hendrickson, one of the leading downrange. The kit included not only on bombs planted by the Talibans and suspension companies in the America. the new suspensions, but also the insurgents, other continents have been The DXM suspension allows for a targeted for a number of years. The 370 mm travel and can support the Nearly 9,000 Navistar MaxxPros have threat in Africa and Asia is increasing, same weight as the original beam been acquired by the US services and and although not yet sophisticated as axle suspension. Slightly shorter and are in service in Afghanistan. The vehicle those in Afghanistan or in some Middle narrower compared to the MaxxPro has been submitted to continuous East areas, military and security forces Mrap, the Dash DXM has however a improvements. (Armada/Paolo Valpolini) are already paying a high toll to those explosive items. Indian police forces started to acquire MPVs while African armies are also equipping part of their units with such types. As scenarios increasingly turn Iraq-like, those MPVs are often based on truck chassis. As for first tier armies the question remains: will the Mrap concept survive, at least for some time, or will the lessons learned be integrated into new tactical vehicles designs? I United States As seen above, the shift from Iraq to Afghanistan led to the need of increased mobility led Navistar Defense – one of the major providers of Mraps since the early 2000s – to adapt its production to the new requirements. The adoption of independent suspensions was unveiled in early 2010 in the form of the MaxxPro Dash DXM, the latter acronym indicating armada Mine Protected Transports 1/2013 03 An Italian Army Buffalo; this Mrap is mostly used by route clearance To further decouple the operators from any possible threat GDLS has parties as its hydraulic arm allows to inspect the road sides and launched a new version of the Buffalo that in the medium term will culverts. (Armada/Paolo Valpolini) become a robot control platform. (Armada/Paolo Valpolini) new braking systems and larger tires. terrain. This has led the company to road. To counter the evolving IED threat The Marines’ move to standardise its introduce the MaxxPro Recovery a further version was developed, dubbed MaxxPro fleet led to a further contract Vehicle - Performance Kit (MRV-PK) Super Buffalo. Mechanical upgrades in January 2012 for 2,717 kits. These at AUSA 2012 featuring considerable come in the form of an enhanced front have been equipped with the new performance improvement. Engine axle to allow for an increased carrying rolling chassis that also features the power is increased by 20% and a DXM capacity at the front. This was called by new MaxxForce 9.3 six-cylinder engine independent suspension is fitted to the installation of a ground penetrating and a 570 A alternator (the old chassis the front wheels (an upgraded rear radar that provides the Buffalo with a could be reused with an armoured or wheel suspension being also adopted). multi-function capacity as it also retains unarmoured cab to produce a vehicle A central tyres inflation system is also its probing arm. In order to balance at a third of the acquisition price, adopted together with a six-channel weights the interrogation arm has been according to Navistar Defense). The anti-lock braking system to contribute moved to the rear. These upgrades are part latest contract aimed at the US Army to improving traction especially on soft of the Phase I Super Buffalo development. concerns protection: in mid-September terrain. Range is also increased thanks Phase II will transform the Super Buffalo 2012 the company received an order to the adoption of an auxiliary fuel into a robotic command and control for over 2,300 survivability upgrade tank. The MRV-PK is proposed both for platform, capable to control multiple kits to be installed in Afghanistan to new vehicles and for existing recovery robots. Notionally these will be 4x4 robots meet the incresing IED threat. Two vehicles. carrying a full-width GPR at the front and orders for over 2,300 RPG-net kits to an interrogation arm at the rear and will be installed downrange were also part General Dynamics Land Systems allow the operators to work at optimal of the continuous flow of upgrade entered the Mrap scene when it stand-off distance to further reduce risks.