New Vehicles Being Built to Meet Afghan Terrain's ChallengesFebruary 04, 2009

 

mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle

The Pentagon plans to introduce an all-terrain vehicle later this year in Afghanistan to provide its troops with off-road maneuverability and armor to deflect the growing number of roadside bombs used by the Taliban, according to a report in USA Today.

The Department of Defense could buy up to 10,000 vehicles that combine the maneuverability of a Humvee and the protection of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) troop carrier. Commanders in the region have been requesting a vehicle with the combined qualities.

The Pentagon says it will buy at least 2,080 of the new MRAPs as it doubles the number of American soldiers over the next few years in Afghanistan. The Pentagon declined to provide a cost estimate for the vehicle, but the base price for a current MRAP is about $500,000 and an armored Humvee costs about $200,000, according the USA Today article.

The new MRAPs need to be lighter than the current ones, which tend to get bogged down in the country's rutted roads, farm fields and mountain passes. On the other hand, lighter vehicles can be more susceptible to explosives. A Pentagon spokesman said he is confident the new vehicles will reach the right balance.

(U.S. Navy photo/Released)