Wheeled vehicles

Army, Oct 2002

The John Deere Military Gator (M-- Gator) is a commercial off-the-shelf, small tactical/utility vehicle. Based on an Army requirement, the diesel (and JP8) powered M-Gator provides a highly mobile, air drop and sling-certified platform that can be easily transported in fixed- and rotarywing cargo aircraft (including the V-22 Osprey). The M-Gator has been extensively tested by and fielded to the Army Special Operations Command and the Air Force and has established a proven track record as a force multiplier in Operation Enduring Freedom.

With an optimized payload-to-weight ratio of 1,400 pounds/1,450 pounds, M-- Gator provides an immediate and affordable advantage to military and quasi-military operations where the size of larger tactical vehicles could result in a strategic compromise. Following the purchase of a small number of prototypes between November 1996 and August 2000, M-Gator began entering the Army inventory in significant numbers in August 2000. There are approximately 700 M-Gators fielded with the XVIII Airborne Corps with additional quantities in use by elements of Army Special Operations Command.

The ubiquitous High-Mobility, Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee) provides a common, light tactical vehicle capability. In Army inventories, the Humvee has replaced the quarter-ton jeep, M718A1 ambulance, half-ton Mule, 1.25-ton Gamma Goat and M792 ambulance.

Originally fielded in 1985, the Humvee is produced in several configurations to support weapon systems; command and control systems; field ambulances; and ammunition, troop and general cargo transport. It is equipped with a high-performance diesel engine, automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, is air transportable, and can be dropped from a variety of aircraft. The Humvee can be equipped with a self-recovery hydraulic winch capable of up to 10,500-pound 1-1 ratio line pull capacity, and it can support payloads from 2,300 to 5,100 pounds (including crew and pintle loads), depending on the model.

The Al model, which entered production in 1994, introduced a reinforced frame, cross members, lifting shackles, heavyduty rear springs, shocks, reinforced control arms, heavy-duty tires and rims, and a high-ratio transfer and differential.

The subsequent introduction of the A2 configuration brought with it a new 6.5-- liter, naturally aspirated diesel engine; an electronically controlled, four-speed automatic transmission; and a redesigned emissions system that met 1995 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Other features focused on user comfort, vehicle maintainability and performance. The design can accept a central tire inflation system (CTIS) as a field-installed item.

Further expansion of Humvee payload capacity has led to the development and introduction of the up-armor (UA) configuration that protects the crew from small-- arms fire and mines. The UA vehicle provides complete crew protection for the driver and three crew members from 7.62-- mm NATO armor-piercing rounds, fragmentation protection from artillery shells and underbody protection from up to 12 pounds (front) and four pounds (rear) antipersonnel/antitank mines. It has a rooftop weapon station to accommodate the M60 machine gun, M2 machine gun, Mkl9 grenade launcher and the M82A1 .50-caliber rifle.

One example of a new Humvee application can be found in the M707 Striker. Based on an M1025A2 Humvee chassis, Striker is a fire-support command and control platform employed to perform 24-- hour surveillance, target acquisition and location, and mission execution in support of maneuver brigade operations. This vehicle will be fielded to all combat observation lasing teams (COLTs), both heavy and light, in the total force. In addition, Striker will be fielded to heavy Army National Guard units at the company fire-support team (FIST) level in lieu of the Bradley fire-- support team (BFIST)-based targeting platform for COLTs in both heavy and light direct-support field artillery battalions.

Striker characteristics include integration of the BFIST vehicle fire-support mission equipment package (MEP), which consists of a Pentium lightweight computer unit, a mission-processing unit, an inertial navigation system, an enhanced precision lightweight global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a targeting station control panel, a driver's display unit, and a ring-mounted ground vehicular laser locator designator and night sight (ANTAS4). All equipment is integrated by a 1553 data bus and provides for digital sensor-- to-shooter fire support.

The Striker significantly enhances the brigade combat team (BCT) capability to gather mission-essential information and execute timely and accurate fires throughout the team's area of operations. The Striker's modern architecture-command, control and communications (C^sup 3^) package, interfaced with three digital/voice communications networks-automates the targeting and surveillance process, thus decreasing sensor-to-shooter time lines while increasing the flow of time-sensitive information. In addition, the Striker provides the capability for precision engagements by designating targets for both ground and air-delivered precision guided munitions. It is able to acquire targets out to 10 kilometers with sufficient accuracy for artillery fire missions and can designate moving targets out to three kilometers and stationary targets out to five kilometers for laser-guided munitions.