The Military Humvee Is Getting Old

The military Humvee has long been a jack-of-all-trades vehicle for the military. It can be configured as a weapon carrier, field ambulance or mobile command post. For more information, click the Street Legal Exports to proceed.

Its enduring popularity with civilians inspired the Hummer automotive marque. Today, the vehicle is being replaced by the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV, though some Humvees will be used for a few more years.

The Humvee’s origins

The Humvee has been a stoic workhorse for the military, and for many years, it was the go-to vehicle for transporting soldiers around the battlefield. However, it’s getting a bit long in the tooth now, and it’s time for the Pentagon to replace it with something newer. The Humvee’s replacement is the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV. The JLTV is faster, more agile and better able to take on roadside bombs.

The military started using the Humvee in the mid-1970s, replacing the older M151 jeeps and other light utility vehicles. These trucks were fine when they first entered service, but as warfare evolved into the asymmetrical threats of modern insurgencies, they became less and less suited to their roles. The military tried a number of modifications to improve their performance, including bolting on armor and bulletproof windows. This helped, but the extra weight slowed them down and increased wear and tear on their systems.

In 1979, the Army drafted specifications for a new vehicle that could meet its evolving needs. Three companies were given contracts to design and build prototypes: AMC’s AM General division, Chrysler Defense and Teledyne Continental Motors. Each of these companies submitted 11 HMMWV prototypes for testing, which were subjected to over 600,000 miles of rigorous off-road trials in desert and arctic conditions. AM General won the contract in 1983 and began production on a new generation of vehicles that were soon nicknamed “Humvees.”

As the Humvee became the standard military vehicle, it morphed into several different variants. These included ambulance and troop transport versions, as well as specialized vehicles such as the M792 “Gama Goat” which carried a 105mm howitzer on its roof and a TOW anti-tank missile on its turret.

The Humvee has also been used by a variety of other nations and organizations, as well as in civilian adaptations, such as the Hummer H1 and the Humvee-based Amphibious Assault Vehicle. These vehicles were used extensively during the Gulf War of 1991, a conflict that popularized them among the public and led to their widespread popularity in the United States. While the military is moving away from Humvees in favor of the JLTV, civilians are still allowed to buy surplus ones and can often find them for sale on auction sites such as GovPlanet.

The Humvee’s capabilities

The HMMWV, or Humvee as it’s colloquially known, is a military vehicle that has dominated ground warfare across the globe. It replaced M151 jeeps and other light service vehicles in the late 1960s, and is still being used today around the world to transport troops and protect them from enemy fire. The Humvee is powered by a diesel engine and four-wheel drive, and can be air dropped from aircraft. It is also built to withstand small arms fire, and has bullet-resistant glass.

The Humvee’s design has changed and evolved as the military’s needs have changed, but it remains an incredibly versatile and durable workhorse. It has conquered mud, sand, rocks, snow, and more, and it can go just as fast on the road as it does off it.

It can also carry twice as much payload as a jeep, and can be outfitted with a gun turret for additional protection. It can be modified in 15 different configurations, including cargo/troop carriers, weapons carriers, ambulances, and shelter carriers. These variations are built using a single set of parts, which simplifies maintenance and logistics. This has helped to reduce the amount of training required for mechanics, and it has cut down on maintenance costs.

As time went on, the Humvee would go through many upgrades to address its limitations in front-line battle. One major weakness was the vulnerability to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks and ambushes, and this problem was eventually addressed with MRAP vehicles that can withstand these threats.

Another issue was the vehicle’s tendency to roll over under the weight of a full load. This was eventually resolved with a new design that made the vehicle more stable.

Despite its challenges, the Humvee remains an essential part of the military’s arsenal, and it will likely continue to be used for decades to come. Although the JLTV, the military’s newer replacement for the Humvee, is better at a lot of things, it will probably always be necessary to have a fleet of Humvees on hand to handle unexpected situations. This way, the military can quickly and easily deploy forces where they are needed, without having to wait for a new batch of vehicles to be delivered by sea or air.

The Humvee’s limitations

The Humvee’s famed off-road capability is one of the reasons why it’s still such a popular military vehicle. No other vehicle is as versatile or can traverse such a range of terrain. But the truth is that even the most uparmored Humvee cannot withstand roadside bombs. This is due to the fact that they were built like civilian trucks, with the passengers and engine grafted onto a metal frame. When an explosive goes off beneath, it sends shock waves directly through the passenger cabin. This is why the newer Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and other vehicles are designed from the inside out to withstand such blasts.

Since 1984, the Army has made many improvements to the Humvee. But these upgrades have focused mostly on its performance and capabilities. For example, the original Humvee had a manual transmission, but it was replaced with an automatic shift version. This was because most soldiers learn to drive on auto-shift vehicles, making it easier for them to adapt to the new Humvee.

Another upgrade was a larger engine that allowed the Humvee to carry more weight. It also had a better suspension and locking differentials. But its most significant upgrade was the MRAP, or Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. This improved version was designed to withstand the blast of an IED and the blunt force of a landmine. It also features more armor and a much larger engine than the Humvee.

Despite its limitations, the Humvee is an invaluable piece of US military hardware. It has served the Army and Marine Corps for decades, and it’s still a critical part of their arsenal. In fact, the JLTV isn’t expected to be able to replace all of the Army and Marine Corp’s Humvees until 2035.

Nevertheless, AM General is continuing to develop new Humvee variants, including ones that are narrower so that they can be carried inside of a CH-47 helicopter. The company is also working on an upgunned Humvee that will mount a 30mm cannon and a 105mm howitzer. The Army is relying on these lighter and more powerful vehicles to face an increasing number of near-peer enemies that will be armed with superior armor and firepower.

The Humvee’s future

The Humvee’s reputation for being a macho affectation may be well established, but its origins were rooted in practicality. The military needed a vehicle that could carry more equipment and be driven off-road than the old jeeps.

The military’s light service vehicles at the time—M151 jeeps and the 2-ton M274 Mule and 6-ton Ford GPW command reconnaissance trucks—were past their prime. But they lacked the protection required in asymmetric warfare.

In response, the military developed a new version of the jeep with a sturdier frame and armor. These vehicles were called the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or HMMWV. The HMMWV became the staple of the Army’s fleet, and it saw action in Afghanistan and Iraq. Today, newer models of the Humvee are still being produced for the military and sold to civilians who enjoy driving them as a hobby.

But the military is looking to replace the Humvee with a more advanced vehicle. The JLTV, which is expected to enter service in 2023, is stronger and faster than the Humvee. It also features more advanced crew protection systems. In addition, it can be equipped with a variety of advanced weapons systems, including a 105mm howitzer and a roof-mounted tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) anti-tank missile carrier.

With the JLTV’s arrival, the demand for Humvees is likely to decline. However, AM General is not giving up on the vehicle and recently won a contract to produce the new vehicles. The company is already leveraging its portfolio of vehicles to showcase its latest offerings at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

AM General is introducing the HUMVEE Charge hybrid-electric light tactical vehicle concept to demonstrate its ability to meet the needs of future operations. The EV will utilize Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology to integrate the electric drive system with a conventional internal combustion engine and battery to create a single platform that can be easily modified to perform different missions. The EV will offer enhanced performance, operational stealth, and exportability. It is also a more environmentally friendly alternative to the existing legacy fleet.