| By the early 2000s,
a new class of 'mine protected vehicles' was introduced in the
US, and slowly fielded to support combat in most high-risk deadly
missions of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units. Initially,
mine protected vehicles such as the Buffalo, built by Force
protection inc. were supplied to Explosive Ordnance Disposal
(EOD) teams which handled the removal of IEDs in Iraq. These
vehicles were designed from the outset to survive mine blasts
and explosions and protection against small arms fire. In addition,
the Army fielded some route-clearing vehicles, utilizing the
South African Meerkat (Husky) system. (more...)
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The US Marine Corps were faster to identify
the need for a mine and explosive protected vehicle, fielding
smaller Mine Protected Vehicles also developed by Force Protection
- the Cougar. Initially
the corps selected the heavier 6x6 vehicle, configured to carry
EOD teams. Since these vehicles were specifically planned for
EOD missions, they were designed as highly protected, but heavier
and less mobile platforms, more flexible to handle suspicious
objects rather than employing firepower.
Soldiers liked these monsters, and commanders repeatedly stressed
their desire to get more Cougars in theater. However, due to
the limited production capacities, only few trickled through
to the frontline troops. Their survivability brought the Cougars
to become favorable troop transporters, employing their unique
protection as lead elements for convoys and road patrols. The
fact that no marine was killed in a Cougar, despite more than
300 attacks on the vehicle, led Secretary of defense Robert
Gates to press the Army to dramatically increase its plans to
field a new family of vehicles, based on the USMC Mine Resistant
Ambush Protective (MRAP), to fill urgently needed protection
gaps protecting troops deployed in Iraq.
Gates, directed the services to regard the MRAP program as
urgent requirement, encouraging them to buy as many vehicles
as the industry can produce. Therefore, the Army could get some
17,000 MRAPs, making this vehicle the third largest acquisition
program in the next two – three years. Originally the
Army planned to buy around 3,000 vehicles, since two parallel
programs, Medium Mine Protected Vehicle' (MMPV) and Joint
Light Tactical Vehicle (JTLV) would have closed the current
vulnerability gap within few years. By 2010, with over 22,000
MRAPs in service, the funding and justification for the procurement
of thousands more new vehicles will certainly be questioned.
 In
the years 2008 – 2010 the US Army planned to expand the
fielding of these mine protected vehicles, through the introduction
of the Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) family, consisting of the
Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance
Vehicle (MPCV), a Vehicle Mounted Mine Detection (VMMD)
system, based on a more advanced version of the South African
vehicle, and a new class of vehicles designated 'Medium Mine
Protected Vehicle' (MMPV). This vehicle will be designed to
mobilize the Future Engineer Force (FEF) – a 'transformational'
combat engineer unit that will provide route clearing, breaching
and other engineer services to all combat formations, including
the future Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) and Heavy Brigades. The
army plans to deploy over a thousand MMPVs in the next five
– seven years, forming 12 combat engineer companies. Some
of the units will be embedded with Brigade Combat Teams (BCT),
support brigades and division corps headquarters while others
will form engineer force pools.
MMPV will be designed as blast protected wheeled vehicle,
assuring the FEF full mobility in 'explosive hazardous' environments,
also operating in route and area clearance operations, deactivating
IEDs and other explosive hazards. In contrast to the MRAP designed
by the US Marine Corps as an urgent requirement, fulfilled by
multiple producers, in different models - the Army MMPV program
will be awarded to a single contractor scheduled to provide
at least 1,030 field-proven blast protected armored vehicles.
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