In the U.S. Army photo by SGT Eliverto V. Larios, paratroopers, assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, drive Light Tactical All Terrain Vehicles (LTATV) through a familiarization course on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 22, 2015. The Soldiers will incorporate the vehicle into upcoming training events to assess the capabilities of the LTATV as an air-droppable, maneuver and small arms platform.
Everything old is new again, can you say M-151 Fast Attack Vehicle.
Not quite a FAV, we had the prior version in OEF-A, these are awesome for flank security and overwatch, as well as fire support platforms. Wish we had had more. They don’t have quite the survival rate that an MRAP has when facing 120 lb IEDs though.
Jon, OPT
Yep. A buddy drove over a small IED in one of these in late 2012 in Zabul. Had his bell rung pretty badly, but he walked away. Damned lucky. He should have stayed on the cleared road.
Land Rover WMIK or SOV?
Polaris
Better than the John Deere Gator’s we were using when I was in.
Looks like the modern equivalent of the original Jeep.
was thinking the same thing now all they need is a glider regiment ….
I wish they’d bring that back, that would be 1000% more fun than our static line lameness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafner_Rotabuggy
Who needs gliders when the entire jeep can be an unpowered autogyro, towed by plane to the release point? The Brits worked this up to a level of (testing) success during WWII, but by then the cargo gliders were ready, so the Rotabuggy was cancelled.
Think of the potential of a battalion-sized drop of these things, if we can figure out how to screen out the sky-sharks from the driver/pilot seat!
Is the plan to put these on MTOEs?
The goal is the Ultra-Light Combat Vehicle.
https://ssdaily.tempurl.host/2014/10/06/presenting-polaris-defense-dagor/
This is likely more a test of the effort to get the light infantry some tactical mobility once on the ground.
It would be a big deal if the enemy had to be concerned about a light infantry BN moving 50 miles in an hour behind their lines rather than in five hours and be physically smoked once it got there. Opens up drop zones and landing zones they didn’t have to worry about before if nothing else.
The goal is a vehicle to move the whole light infantry squad from DZ/LZ/fight to fight. Vehicles would be assigned to a unit for a mission versus adding it to the MTOE.
If that’s the Army’s intent they need one more seat so they can assign these vehicles to transportation units who will own and maintain the vehicle and get chopped to the Infantry for the mission. That’s similar to how the Marines assign their amphibious tracked vehicle assets to Marine Infantry battalions. The plus is the training schedule doesn’t have to add the maintenance monster or have to take manpower out of the squad to operate/maintain the vehicle. http://gruntsandco.com/wheels-airborne-light-infantry/
Wonder what they’re going to do to refuel the vehicle when in theater?
MRZR is only available with a gasoline engine, violating DOD’s single fuel policy.
SOF gets away with it, but I’m surprised that ‘Big Army’ is entertaining the use of a gas powered vehicle.
Familiarization course ? Ain’t that the Army for you to take the fun out of everything .
Was thinking the same thing… Took “Rootin’.” and made it a COURSE!
Daggone! Throw a case of beer, some jerky, and a radio, and that’s a redneck weekend right there!
Fake. No PT belts.
That one made me actually lol. Well played sir.
Besides tactical mobility, even a few of these parachuted and choppered in with a battalion will greatly enhance logistics efforts carrying ammo/supplies/crew-served weapons to froward units from the DZ/LZ plus provide medical evacuation to the LZ.