Baby MRAP

This little gem is the smaller version of the MRAP, which has been active in Iraq. The problem with the MRAP is it the size. The thing is too big in Afghanistan where the roads are narrow with steep cliffs in many locations. The video below shows what happens with this large vehicle on narrow roads.



Simply put, the Humvee hasn't been good enough. They do get stuck, but most importantly they are vulnerable. Enter the "Baby MRAP" or the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Its equipment and capabilities are many:

• IED jammers

• V-shaped blast-dispersing monocoque hull

• Significantly increased power-to-weight ratio

• The ability to ford hard-bottom fresh water to depths of up to 5 feet. (M-ATV is not amphibious)

• Generate 10 kilowatts of vehicle host power and export an additional 20 kilowatts for mission equipment

• Turbo-charged diesel V8 engine

• Shorter wheelbase for improved cross-country mobility

• Lower center of gravity for increased maneuverability and to prevent rollovers

• Ergonomic steering angle to “drive like an SUV”

• “Runflat” tire system allowing the M-ATV to safely cruise at 30 mph on up to two flat tires

To meet future challenges, a new composite “hyperplastic” material capable of absorbing enormous amounts of kinetic energy is the new frontier for armor. This new “composite armor system” has even resisted the deadly energy formed projectile (EFP) class of IED, all while weighing 37 percent less than conventional steel armor.