2006 Special Operations Tactical Vehicle Review
Written by Mickey McCarter
Small teams, inserted covertly in the middle of the night is still a hallmark of special operations forces worldwide. However, the need to have some element of tactical mobility has always been there. That need has been highlighted by the use of wheeled vehicles in a variety of forms by special forces of the U.S. and coalition partners in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Some mission needs require extraordinarily small vehicles, while others, still with a need for small, require a vehicle with more hauling capacity, off-road capability or sheer speed—and in many cases a balanced requirement for all three. While mission needs drives the design, shape and style of the vehicle, so too does the preferred method of tactical insertion. In some cases, special forces can drive from the line of departure to their mission area, however, in other cases the teams and their vehicles have to be airlifted and landed or some cases, like with U.S. Special Forces in northern Iraq, airdropped into their mission area. Size can matter.
Special Operations Technology looks at just a few of the options available to motor SOF on the battlefield.
GMV
Within the U.S. SOF world, three vehicles lead the way: the Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV), the ground resupply vehicle and the interim fast attack vehicle.
The extremely adaptable, tried-and-true HMMWV, manufactured by AM General, South Bend, Ind., forms the backbone of Special Forces ground mobility. Craig MacNabb, AM General’s director of public relations, told SOTECH that the Special Forces GMV is the basic HMMWV modified to fit the mission profile of Special Forces teams.
“It has an upper body configured to suit the Special Forces warriors,” MacNabb said. “So there’s a lot of talk today, for example, about armor on Humvees for improvised explosive devices and adding more armor. But the Ground Mobility Vehicle that the Special Forces people use is not an armored vehicle as a general rule.”
That’s because Special Forces place a high value on mobility, flexibility and carrying as many weapons as possible. Too much armor would weigh the vehicle down and diminish its capacity to carry personnel, weapons and supplies.
“In fact, most of the vehicles don’t have any glass in the windshield because they want to be able to fire weapons out through the front where the windshield would be,” MacNabb noted. “The vehicles tend to bristle with weapons mounts.”
An HMMWV typically might have a weapons mount on its turret for a .50 or a 7.62 mm machine gun, but the GMV has the ability to carry four or five weapons—including .50 caliber machine guns, anti-materiel rifles, automatic grenade launchers and 7.62 machine guns—around its perimeter on mounts that swing out from its door posts.
The Ground Mobility Vehicle also usually has a satellite radio antenna mounted on it, MacNabb added. It carries camouflage nets and water and fuel cans not normally found on an HMMWV. A variety of other racks are fitted to hold weapons such as the AT-4 or Javelin as well as ammunition, food and supplies to operate independently for several days at a time if necessary.
While the GMV is a darling of Special Forces, special operators weren’t certain they would like the vehicle when they first entered Afghanistan and Iraq for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. “There was a time a few years’ back that Special Forces weren’t sure that they were too fond of Humvees,” MacNabb said.
“They thought they were too big and noisy and distinct. They wanted something smaller and less obtrusive. But discovered in Afghanistan and especially in the campaigns they fought in northern Iraq during the combat phase of the war just what they could accomplish with a Humvee.”
Following the lead of Army Special Forces, the Rangers, SEALS and Air Force Special Operations Command have acquired their own GMVs, each slightly modified to meet their own specific operational needs.
War Pig
Since the Long Range Desert Group of World War II fame, special operations patrols have needed a mother ship of sorts to keep the smaller tactical vehicles supplied with fuel, rations and ammunition. That need still exists today.
Before going into Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. Army Special Forces 5th Group at Fort Bragg modified several Stewart & Stevenson LMTVs to act as mother ships. In some circles called the ground resupply vehicle but commonly known as the War Pig, the trucks had the cabs cut down and the rear deck altered to handle an average load of 36-40 fuel cans, 20-24 water cans, four GMV tires, plus various racks for ammunition. When deployed, typically a sheet of plywood would be put on top of the fuel/water cans and have personal gear, MREs and other supply items secured on top. A crane was mounted on the left side of the rear deck for, among other things, lifting 55-gallon drums of fuel aboard. A standard cargo trailer was also modified with an 18-inch tongue for better swing capability to increase the overall carrying capacity. Lethality was not sacrificed—after all it is a Special Forces truck—with several swing arm mounts up front and a pintle mount on the rear deck for a .50 caliber or MK 19.
As the GMV has evolved, so too has the War Pig. While the original War Pig was converted by backyard mechanics and wood, PVC and fittings from Home Depot, Letterkenney Army Depot has just sent out the first prototype of the new and improved War Pig for test and evaluation.
Some of the enhancements include, a space frame cab with half door armor and a roof turret; improved ammunition and modular racks for fuel, water, rations, and personal gear; space for four GMV spare tires; a multiposition electric crane for handling tires and 55-gallon drums; DC to AC power conversion; slide-out trays and racks in frame assembly; a ballistic windshield; armor protection for key components such as the battery, fuel tanks and engine; compressed air tanks relocated and equipped with retractable hose for use on tools and tires; an improved communications and intercom system; and a diesel auxiliary power unit.
IFAV
The U.S. Marine Corps uses a G-Class vehicle, manufactured by Advanced Vehicle Systems (AVS) of Jacksonville, N.C., as its Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV). But the “G” in G-Class represents the Geländewagen, a 4x4 manufactured by automobile giant DaimlerChrysler.
Kevin Shusko, AVS vice president of training and logistics, told Special Operations Technology that the IFAV project began in 1999. The Marine Corps needed a replacement for its M151 Fast Attack Vehicle, so Marine Corps System Command contracted for a commercial off-the-shelf replacement for the vehicle until a new one could be developed. “So our company looked at all of the various off-road vehicles that met the operational requirements, and we felt that the Geländewagen had the best chance of fulfilling all of the requirements,” Shusko said. “We worked with Mercedes Benz, and we made a lot of different modifications to the vehicle to support the Marine Corps mission.”
The AVS integrated Mercedes-Benz G-Class base vehicle exhibits power, agility, durability and safety—a rare but valuable combination, according to AVS. The G-Class can travel at 96 mph, and it can tackle terrain with a grade of 80 percent or less. Currently, more than 50,000 of them are in service under NATO, according to AVS.
“It has a lot of advantages, such as the sustainability of the vehicle,” Shusko said. “The vehicle gets 18 to 22 miles per the gallon, in comparison to a lot of other tactical vehicles that only get 12. So your fuel legs on the vehicle are about 500 miles.”
In addition, the vehicle has a turbo-charged five-cylinder engine that generates 156 horsepower, making its performance comparable to many eight-cylinder engines, Shusko said. The vehicle has the additional advantage of being a true four-wheel drive vehicle. “With a lot of your off-road vehicles, you might call it a four-wheel drive, but you can’t lock in every wheel, you can only lock in the differentials. This vehicle here you can lock in hydraulically each wheel, so you have four wheels either pulling or pushing,” Shusko said.
The G-Class base was originally developed in 1979, Shusko said. The vehicle is much narrower than a Humvee, which allows it to fit in helicopters and be deployed into areas that are difficult to reach, such as mountainous terrain.
Advanced Light Strike Vehicle
Chenowth Racing Products Inc., El Cajon, Calif., knows a lot about speed. For more than 30 years, the company has specialized in the design and manufacture of highperformance, off-road vehicles, including racecars and recreational dune buggies.
But the company also has developed vehicles for the U.S. military since 1978, noted Chenowth President Mike Thomas. “We made the first rendition of our fast attack vehicle in 1981 for the Army, and that initial delivery was 120 vehicles,” Thomas said.
The company’s Light Strike Vehicle, or Desert Patrol Vehicle, makes use of proven designs used for tough off-road competitions and have proven themselves in combat situations. Weapons on the vehicle include either an M2 .50 caliber machine gun or a MK19 grenade launcher, along with two light machine guns.
Chenowth also manufactures the Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV), which has major advancements in firepower and mobility, according to the company. Its weapons station covers 360 degrees and can make use of remote control and stabilized platforms to increase the accuracy of fire.
“The Navy SEALS and the Marine Corps force-recon guys used them in Desert Storm. Most recently, the Navy SEAL teams used them both in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Thomas said. “Middle Eastern countries have the vehicles, and so do NATO countries and Central American countries.”
The ALSV fulfills requirements in missions that include attack or deep strike, surveillance and target acquisition, reconnaissance and scouting, command and control, search and rescue, and peacekeeping, according to Chenowth. “They run very fast,” Thomas said. “You can do anything you can do in a Hummer but you can do it twice as fast.”
Although the company does not disclose exactly how fast the vehicle is, they do say that the original Desert Patrol Vehicle wins “prestigious offroad races such as the Baja 100.” Also noting that during Desert Storm, the vehicles “raced ahead of U.S. troops to scout out territory and darted behind enemy lines to assess the size and position of enemy forces.”
Al-Thalab
U.K. manufacturer Jankel Armoring is building the Al-Thalab Long Range Patrol Vehicle (LRPV), which is manufactured in partnership with the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) of Jordan. The partnership dates back to 1999, said Lorne Stoddart, Jankel sales and marketing manager.
“KADDB was developing an armored troop carrier for internal requirements based on the Ford F-450 and, in line with KADDB policy, looked to established defense manufacturers for potential teaming agreements,” Stoddart explained. “We were supplying similar vehicles based on Chevrolet and Ford trucks and there was an obvious synergy.”
After production of the Al-Jawad armored troop carrier, Jankel and KADDB formed the Jordan Light Vehicle Manufacturing LLC in 2003, Stoddart added. The company’s production facilities took over production of the Al-Jawad and armored 105 and 78 series Toyota Land Cruisers, transferring them from Jankel’s U.K. facilities. “Production of Al-Thalab began in June 2005 in the U.K. to fulfill orders from African and European customers,” Stoddart said. “It is intended that production will continue in the U.K. to cater for specialist versions of Al-Thalab.”
Transfer of the production of the Al-Thalab to Jordan for the Jordanian Armed Forces is expected to occur throughout 2006, he added, with the first vehicles expected to be complete in the third quarter.
The Al-Thalab was developed for operations in desert and mountainous environments, but it is also suited for urban operations. The vehicle’s primary role in urban operations is to provide access into the upper levels of tall buildings for troops by using urban combat access systems. The LRPV is designed to carry a driver, a team commander and two crewmembers.
The Al-Thalab has a payload of about 1,700 kilograms (kg) and includes ammunition and equipment lockers. It can travel about 1,500 kilometers (km) without resupply and can move relatively quickly over challenging terrain. The vehicle is designed for operations at high altitudes and at -15 to 55 degrees Celsius at a relative humidity of 90 percent. Noting the simplicity of its mechanical design and its standard Toyota components, the LPRV is relatively easy to repair and maintain. The vehicle is based on a Toyota 1979 4x4 chassis, used in the Toyota Land Cruiser pickup, with a six-cylinder turbocharged engine and a five-speed manual transmission.
The Al-Thalab has both front and rear weapons mounts. The rear weapon ring platform carries the main armament, which could include up to a 12.7 mm machine gun or 30 mm automatic grenade launcher. The front weapon mount, in the form of a swing-arm, could carry a 7.62 mm machine gun.
“The joint venture in Jordan has considerable resources at its disposal and as such offers the customer well-engineered vehicles, tailored to their needs, on a cost-effective basis with rapid rates of delivery,” Stoddart said.
Desert Iris
Desert Iris was initiated to meet an operational requirement identified by the Jordan Armed Forces for a cost-effective, lightweight and affordable utility vehicle. The Desert Iris is an off-road 4x4 nonarmored vehicle with excellent heavy-duty specifications.
Built around Toyota automotive components and a 2.8 liter fourcylinder Toyota engine, the Desert Iris is a low profile fast attack platform capable of an operational range of 600 km on paved surfaces and 400 km off-road. The independent double wishbone with coilover- shock suspension in the front and independent training arms in the rear give the Desert Iris tremendous stability and off-road mobility. Designed by SHP MotorSport of the U.K., the driveline and suspension setup is in line with rally car principles to provide excellent off-road performance and handling, and it can be described as fast, agile and highly mobile.
“The Desert Iris has outstanding off-road capability,” said Mohammad Ajlouni, managing director of Jordan Specialized Vehicle Manufacturing (JSVM). “JSVM works under KADDB and produces the Desert Iris and the Desert Ranger (a special operations motorcycle). Desert Iris carries three to four soldiers and can be used as a platform for a number of machine guns and launchers. Its high offroad mobility, stability and maneuverability makes [sic] it a reasonably good vehicle for special operations deployment.”
The vehicle includes a weapon frame and ring mount directly behind the driver/commander seats that permits the vehicle to carry a variety of weapons based on the mission profile. Some include a basic 12.7 mm machine gun up to and including a TOW launcher. This flexibility allows the Desert Iris to perform a variety of special operations-type missions as well as other ground force roles. The Desert Iris is currently in service with the Jordanian Armed Forces and has seen service on deployments in support of peacekeeping missions in several locations. “We have also exported the Desert Iris to Libya, Saudi Arabia, UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain,” Ajlouni said.
Pinzgauer
A vehicle made for easy transport within a CH-47 or MH-53 is the Pinzgauer from U.K. company Automotive Technik Ltd. The Pizgauer is highly configurable as well, with variants including the weapons platform, command-andcontrol and an ambulance variant.
“The Pinzgauer first entered service in the early 1970s with the Swiss Army followed by the Austrians and Yugoslavia. Sales quickly spread to over 26 different customers worldwide, including Oman, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela,” Bill Waddell, sales and marketing manager at Automotive Technik, told SOTECH.
The British Army also uses the Pinzgauer, which has been a favorite of the U.K. Rapid Response Forces, particularly the Royal Marines and airborne brigades. The Royal Navy and Air Force also use the vehicle. British armed forces have deployed more than 1,200 Pinzgauers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Sierra Leone, according to Waddell.
“The Pinzgauer has been introduced to the United States under Advanced Vehicle Systems Incorporated representation,” Waddell noted. “The Pinzgauer, while demonstrating superior off-road performances, has also been recognized for its unique dimensions, higher payloads than the Humvee but with a smaller footprint, critically important when assessing deployability onboard ships and for tactical internal helicopter transportation. ”
U.S. Special Forces are evaluating the Pinzgauer as a commandand- control vehicle. In addition to fitting onboard the MH-53E, the V-22 could airlift the vehicle, Waddell pointed out, even though the vehicle carries in the neighborhood of 4,000 pounds of payload, adding to its versatility, Waddell said.
The typical Pinzgauer can carry up to 14 fully armed men, two standard NATO pallets or a mix of other equipment and personnel. The U.S. military is also examining the Pinzgauer’s usefulness as a mothership, supporting long-range reconnaissance by other vehicles, and as a heavy weapons platform. Both the Pinzgauer 4x4 and 6x6 have a common chassis with design configurations in the variants coming in the form of body modifications.
For much of its life, the Pinzgauer was made by Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch. Canadian company Magna acquired Steyr in the late 1990s and transferred production to Automotive Technik, which was purchased by Stewart & Stevenson in April 2005.
Flyer Defense
USSOCOM’s joint operational requirements document specifies the need for an internally transportable vehicle (ITV) for use with the V-22 and helicopters such as the CH-53 and the CH-47. The Marvin Group, based in Inglewood, Calif., has been working on a solution through its Flyer Defense unit.
Oded Nechushtan, director of Flyer Defense, told Special Operations Technology that the Flyer ITV is the best solution available to meet the USSOCOM requirement.
“Basically, it’s for missions where transportability is required inside a helicopter or V-22, and where on the ground you need the special high mobility similar or higher to what a Humvee can provide,” Nechushtan said. The Marvin Group initiated its own development of the Flyer ITV in 1997 and has matched the changing requirements of the Osprey step for step, Nechushtan said. The ITV is now in spiral development with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab as the Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV).
“The Flyer is a combination of a very lightweight and high payload and high volume, because payload is not enough, with the ability to be internally transportable,” Nechushtan said. “That’s a big challenge because of axle load, G forces, egress, dimension and size. It’s a complicated requirement. We meet those requirements. It has the mobility and cost unmatched by any other tactical vehicle currently in service.”
GlobalSecurity.org notes that “only the World War II vintage M-151 jeep can fit in the V-22 cargo area—the HMMWV and the Chenowth Corporation’s Fast Attack Vehicle are too large.” But Nechushtan said recently that his company’s vehicle would be on the ground and ready to roll within months. The company has had to deal with additional requirements such as the recent demand for more armored protection on vehicles.
“The original requirement did not include protection, but it has become obvious that protection is a necessity,” Nechushtan said. “That’s a little bit of a challenge for a light vehicle. A light vehicle must be light, but when you add protection it becomes less light. You need a vehicle that has the capabilities to maintain its performance and remain light when you add the armor.”
Hunter
Many global companies have taken a particular interest in designing or modifying their vehicles to fit onboard the V-22 and traditional cargo planes. The armed forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have developed a requirement for a fast attack vehicle, and estimates indicate that the nation will initially require between 60 and 90 of them for its soldiers. To meet the anticipated demands of this requirement, ADCOM Military Industries, based in the UAE, has developed its ADCOM Hunter, a second-generation fast attack vehicle.
“The UAE requirement evolved during trials, the original requirement calling for a 4x2 gasoline-powered dune-buggy-type design. The vehicle has successfully completed summer trials in Kuwait and the UAE,” Ausama Abadi, ADCOM’s Hunter project manger, told Special Operations Technology.
The main frame of the Hunter has been built from 44.5 millimeters of mild steel tubing, which enables very quick mobility and makes the Hunter very easy to repair, Abadi said. The Hunter can carry two 5.56 mm Minimis guns to defend itself as well as eight 66 mm smoke grenade launchers and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The Hunter’s anti-tank missile launcher, the Russian Kornet-E, uses laser-guided trajectories to achieve ranges of 5,500 meters during the day and 3,500 meters during the night. The Hunter can carry eight missile reloads.
The latest version of Hunter is powered by a Cummins six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, giving it with 300 horsepower. The engine can utilize JP-8 fuel also, but it will suffer some loss of performance, Abadi said. The Hunter’s maximum sustained speed is around 150 km/hr, and it can go from zero to 100 km/hr in less than 10 seconds, he added. The Hunter can normally cruise for 565 kilometers, but that capacity can be extended to 900 km with an optional long-range fuel tank.
“In addition to local production, the Hunter is offered for export, being available in kit form or for local production if ordered in sufficient numbers,” Abadi said. “It’s available in a variety of configurations, and the vehicle has been displayed prominently in an anti-armor harassment configuration. Its relatively small size, stealthiness, speed and agility ensure it remains difficult to locate and target.”
Mungo
The Germany Army recently turned to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co., based in Munich, for a new personnel transport vehicle. But in today’s world, such a vehicle must travel well by air, which is why the Mungo is designed to be stripped down for loading into a transport helicopter or equipped for use afterwards in about five minutes, according to the company.
“The German Army has ordered 388 Mungo vehicles in a first batch, with the first vehicle delivered in early 2005. Since then serial production has fully ramped up,” Christoph Mueller, director of strategy and communications for Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co., told SOTECH. Mungo can travel cross-country carrying 10 fully equipped soldiers, Mueller added. It weights a total of 5.3 tons and can achieve top speeds of 90 km/hr. The vehicle can load onboard a range of aircraft including CH-53, CH-47, C-130, C-160 and A-400M.
“At the same time, it offers an extremely high level of protection against anti-personnel mines as well as standard and armor-piercing ammunition,” Mueller said. “The Mungo’s superb mobility is assured by the commercial off-the-shelf MULTICAR chassis with all-wheel drive, differential locks, electronic traction control, anti-lock brake system, runflat tires and creep speed, especially on rough ground.”
The basic version of the vehicle can carry personnel or materiel and quickly convert to use for one or both of those purposes. Two other variants are in development, Mueller added.
“One possesses a flexible hydraulic transportation system for cargo containers, while the driver compartment is still highly protected against [ballistic hazards] and mine protection DM31,” he explained. “The latest variant is currently being developed with an extended all-protected group compartment. It allows universal applications in a wide variety of service branches, while still being air-deployable in a CH-53 helicopter.”
The third version of the Mungo would have 360-degree protection against ballistic threats, as well as an air conditioning and a nuclear, biological and chemical protection system, making it suitable for use in command and control, reconnaissance, detecting weapons of mass destruction, medical missions, and other operations.
Singapore Spider
Singapore Technologies Kinetics (ST Kinetics), headquartered in Singapore, has also developed a light strike vehicle (LSV) known as Spider, first shown in 2004.
ST Kinetics redesigned a previous LSV to create the Spider, which has a frame that can collapse for rapid air deployment. Military forces can stack two Spider vehicles to fit a total of six in a C-130.
Natalie Mah, assistant vice president of corporate communications at ST Kinetics, told Special Operations Technology that the Spider is a versatile and highly deployable platform that can be configured for a variety of missions to enable an air mechanised fighting force. “We have recently unveiled a Spider configured with our 120 mm super rapid advanced mortar system. The vehicle’s ability to carry such payloads means that the infantry soldier can now be equipped with artillery firepower like never before,” Mah said. The Spider is designed for off-road missions like desert terrain. Its four-wheel design, with improved independent suspensions, absorbs shock and provides greater crew comfort than the previous LSV model. Its six seats permit more crewmembers to travel, expanding the range of operations that the Spider can tackle.
The Spider also can handle inclines of 60 percent and climb side slopes up to 50 percent. Top speed is 120 km/hr, which “makes it ideal in providing close-fire support for infantry troops and special operations forces,” according to ST Kinetics.
Special forces can modify the frame, which consists of a collapsible rollcage design, to optimize the Spider for a variety of missions, such as attack, surveillance, reconnaissance, ambulance, emergency and combat support. The adaptability of the Spider lends it to supporting missions as well as carrying them out. For example, the Spider can be configured for unmanned operations, where it can protect troops that are conducting surveillance in a battle space. This capability for configuring the vehicle effectively makes it the base for a “family of vehicles,” according to ST Kinetics. Users of the vehicle can outfit it with capsulized armor to protect against small-arms fire of up to 7.62 mm.
The Spider can use a hybrid electric and motor unit for power in addition to a conventional engine. When using electric power, the Spider moves in a silent mode that makes it more difficult to detect it. The company can also explore modifying the Spider to include a retractable wheel system, which would enable it to be transported onboard the V-22.
Prowler
Because tough vehicles must be easily transportable, ATV Corp., based in Orange, Calif., manufacturers the Prowler, an all-terrain vehicle that can carry up to 1,000 pounds plus crew and tow up to 2,250 pounds. The multi-mission Prowler is both rugged and rapidly deployable.
“The Prowler is purpose built as a light tactical mobility platform. It is not a recreational vehicle modified for military use,” ATV Corp. CEO Amos Deacon told Special Operations Technology. “As such, the Prowler provides more rugged agility, power, stability and operator protection than any vehicle in its class, and its physical dimensions allow its deployment by limited cargo vehicles and aircraft.”
These aircraft include the CH-46/47/53/60-series helicopters and the V-22. The Prowler’s low center of gravity contributes to its operational stability and its automotive-style controls enables an operator to drive the Prowler like a car. The Prowler comes with an automatic all wheel drive transmission and rack-and-pinion steering. Its controls are far simple than any other all-terrain vehicles and its construction is far more durable, Deacon said, which inspires him to call it a rugged terrain vehicle rather than an all-terrain vehicle.
The Prowler’s top speed is 63 mph, and it has a 9.5 gallon fuel tank, although it can come with an optional in-line spare tank. Its ground clearance is 12.5 inches and it weighs about 1,100 pounds when its third seat option is included.
The Prowler is currently in use by the U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Navy Special Warfare Command, U.S. Air Force Mobility and the U.S. Marine Corps 1st Force Reconnaissance.
Incorporating military feedback has strengthened the Prowler over the last several years, leading to upgrades in its strength, durability and, in particular, ease of access to critical parts for maintenance, making the Prowler truly “GI proof,” in the words of one Army report. Most significant, there have bee no vehicle related injuries in its deployment to date.
Super Supacat
Supacat Ltd., based in Devon England, calls its Supacat 6x6 MK III an all-terrain mobile platform due to the flexibility of configuring the vehicle for different missions, according to Graham Weller, Supacat commercial director.
“The MK III is in service with both the British Army and the Royal Marines,” Weller told Special Operations Technology. “Its capability makes it suitable for use by airborne and rapid reaction forces. It is used by other organizations for crash-rescue and recovery, as well as firefighting and bulk fluid deployment, e.g. fuel and water, and it has been exported to countries such as the USA, Canada and Malaysia, where small numbers are in service. A total of around 200 have been sold worldwide.”
The six-wheel drive includes four front wheels along two axles that use a rotating handlebar for conventional steering. The handlebars also operate the steering brakes.
The Supacat’s steel hollow section chassis fame, encased in aluminum, enables the vehicle to float and provides protection for its mechanical parts. The underbelly of the vehicle is protected by hardened aluminum, and an additional steel front plate can be added.
The Supacat has a Volkswagen 1,900 cc turbocharged engine. The vehicle uses diesel fuel and has a 14-gallon tank. It has a maximum speed of about 40 mph. The Supacat weighs more than 3,800 pounds. It is capable of carrying a maximum payload of 3,200 pounds and towing about 4,800 pounds.
Military forces can transport the Supacat long distances on a pallet for airdrop. The Supacat can deploy rapidly after an airdrop, according to its manufacturer. The vehicle also can float with the use of a special kit. Even while floating, it can carry troops and equipment. Possible modifications to the waterborne Supacat include the addition of an outboard motor affixed to the rear tailgate of the vehicle. The vehicle actually can move through water with the use of thrusters.
The Fuel Cat, a variant of the Supacat, can refuel fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The Fuel Cat can load internally onboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. It carries 1,000 liters of fuel, which it can pump into an aircraft in environments where other refueling vehicles may encounter difficulty. The Fuel Cat can carry more fuel by towing a portable fuel container.
Panhard
Panhard General Defense, headquartered in Paris, France, has developed several lines of vehicles for the support of French special forces. The newest of these is the VPS, for use by French Special Operations Command, Charles Maisonneuve, head of marketing and communications at Panhard General Defense, told Special Operations Technology.
“Forty vehicles have been ordered and will be delivered between April and September,” Maisonneuve said. “This vehicle was developed on a G Mercedes chassis, and it looks like the USMC special forces vehicle. The French version has an anti-mine protection on the floor made by Ares.”
The VPS weighs 2,800 kgs, and it can hold four men and a payload of 1,200 kg. Top speed is 120 km/hr.
Panhard also offers the Panhard A3 VCA, used by the French airborne brigade, which has 250 of them.
“The French parachutists do not directly belong to Special Forces,” Maisonneuve explained. “However, they are considered reserve forces for special operations.”
The Panhard A3 series was first produced commercially in 1988 as a durable light vehicle, and the French military began buying them that year. The A3 VCA is also in use with the army of Saudi Arabia and the marines of Indonesia, Maisonneuve added.
The armored variant of the vehicle can carry a payload of only 915 kg and its own gross weight is 3,000 kg. The four-cylinder Peugeot XUD 9 TF turbocharged engine generates enough power to propel the armored vehicle along at a top speed of 130 km/hr.
The A3 is a versatile vehicle with a range of configurations. For example, a helicopter can lift an A3MH variant, while an A3 Gendarmerie comes with a longer wheelbase and a hardtop. Other variants of the vehicle are better suited for carrying armaments: the A3-SL can be armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun, and the A3-L can carry anti-tank missiles. ♦