Since its debut in the Cold War, the Military Humvee has conquered sand, rocks, snow, and more. It has hauled troops and cargo, conducted frontline reconnaissance patrols, and functioned as a field ambulance. Yet despite the appearance of armored variants, these trucks proved easy prey for roadside improvised explosive devices and enemy fire. Click Here to learn more.
The Military Humvee is one of the most recognized vehicles in history. From foreign battlefields to suburban soccer fields, the iconic truck has been a symbol of American military might for decades. While the vehicle has undergone several transformations over time, the original design remains a hallmark of military engineering. The original Humvee was developed in the 1970s to meet a variety of needs for the U.S. Army. The project was based on the need for a lightweight, all-terrain military vehicle that could traverse a wide range of terrain. The Humvee is known for its off-road capabilities, and the original design was intended to be capable of carrying a wide range of equipment for troops on ground missions.
The initial design of the military Humvee was based on the AMC M151 jeep, which had been in service for nearly twenty years. The Army’s Tank-Automotive Command selected three prominent manufacturers of military equipment to submit prototypes. AM General, which had previously manufactured both the Army jeep and its commercial counterpart, was awarded a contract to design a version of the Humvee. The HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, also called the Hummer) has since come to define the light utility vehicle for the United States military and other militaries around the world.
Despite its size and weight, the HMMWV is highly versatile. It can be air-dropped, sling-loaded, or transported in the belly of various aircraft. In addition, all variations of the HMMWV utilize a common engine, transmission, and chassis, making them easy to repair and maintain by MOS 91Bs, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanics.
As a result of its versatility, the Humvee became a symbol of American military might, and it frequently appeared in news footage and war documentaries. However, the vehicle’s unarmored design proved to be vulnerable to improvised explosive devices in the Iraq War, and it was rapidly replaced with the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
Originally named the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, the light utility vehicle soon acquired the nickname Humvee thanks to its ability to conquer rugged terrain. It became a familiar sight on foreign battlefields and suburban soccer fields, but it has now reached a crossroads. With fuel prices high and warfare evolving, can the mighty Humvee still fulfill its military and civilian roles?
The Design
The military Humvee is an all-terrain vehicle that’s designed to carry and deploy troops in a variety of situations. It can be reconfigured to serve as a weapons carrier, utility vehicle, or field ambulance, with each variant designed to meet specific combat and support roles. In the latter role, a Humvee can transport four to eight patients, while it can also be used to haul supplies and act as a mobile command post. In its attack role, it can mount a variety of weapon systems, from machine guns to grenade launchers to the deadly TOW antitank missile that’s normally air-launched from helicopter gunships.
The Army’s official name for the Humvee is HMMWV, but you’ll probably hear it called the “Hummer” anyway. Its civilian incarnation, which you can see in plenty of action movies, is an SUV with a boxy body and a big engine that’s no match for rocky hills and deep sand. The military’s original prototype, on the other hand, is an all-terrain warrior that churned through miles of desert and icy snow with ease.
Even so, the Humvee wasn’t always a perfect fit for today’s asymmetric warfare. Its slow speeds made it easy prey for improvised explosive devices and buried mines. Its doors were also hard to open, which meant that armed soldiers had to improvise their own protection, sandwiching sandbags between plywood or bolting them on.
It’s no wonder that the US military was keen to replace it with something more suitable for modern warfare, which increasingly takes place in urban areas. The replacement, known as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), is much more maneuverable than a Humvee. It also has better armor, a mine-resistant hull, and a 400-horsepower turbo diesel engine that leaves the best Humvee motors in its dust.
The JLTV was first introduced in 2018 and will gradually replace the Humvee as the Army’s main vehicle for patrolling in both rural and urban environments. The JLTV is also more fuel-efficient than the Humvee and can run on battery power when necessary, which is useful for missions that require stealth.
The Engine
The Humvee is one of the most versatile military vehicles in history. It was originally known as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV, but its name was soon changed to Humvee because it was too difficult for soldiers to pronounce. It is a vehicle that has served in numerous conflicts, including the Gulf War and Operation Just Cause in Panama. The Humvee has also been used by the United States Marine Corps and the Air Force. The vehicle is designed to serve a number of roles, and can be converted into a weapons carrier, utility vehicle, or field ambulance.
In order to make the Humvee as functional as possible, it has a unique design. The drivetrain and brakes are all pushed up into the cabin, which makes it very tight in the cockpit. This allows the Humvee to travel over rough terrain without damaging its underside. In addition, the vehicle can hold a lot more weight than a regular truck.
Another thing that sets the Humvee apart is its engine. The engine is a 6.2-liter diesel, and it is very powerful. However, it does not have much torque, so the Humvee takes a long time to accelerate. It is also not very fuel efficient, and it uses a lot of oil.
Despite these issues, the Humvee is still a popular choice for military personnel. It is a great vehicle for off-roading, and it can even be driven in snow. In addition, it is able to carry a lot of weight and is very reliable.
The vehicle has also been used by civilians for a variety of purposes. It is a great way to get around in a hurry, and it can also be used for camping or hauling cargo. It is a very useful vehicle, and it is no wonder that it is so popular.
The Humvee was first developed in the early 1980s by AM General, a company that specializes in producing military vehicles. It was designed to replace the jeep and other light utility vehicles, such as the 2-ton M274 Mule and the M561 Gama Goat, which were reaching their end of their useful lives. The new vehicle could perform many of the same functions and would save on maintenance costs and ammunition.
The Final Words
As the military has evolved, so too have its motorized vehicles. From the hot-rodded Jeeps and Harleys of the first world war to the more formidable Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) and modern artillery trucks of today. But there’s no question that the Humvee is one of the most recognizable pieces of military hardware to have graced the world’s landscape. The funny-looking truck has conquered mud, sand and rocks, pulled trailers down the highway, dangled from CH-53s and even jumped entire continents in transport aircraft.
But for many of the young men and women who have climbed into the front seats, the Humvee is also one of the most dangerous vehicles they’ll ever drive. According to data from the Pentagon and Marines, troops are far more likely to die in accidents involving armored vehicles than in combat. And, as the AP has found, many of these deaths occur during training, when the young soldiers are out practicing their skills.
The AP’s investigation found that one reason why is because the military’s aging fleet of Humvees are in poor condition. Many are over 40 years old, and some were made in the 1970s. And when they’re driven in the rough, rocky terrain of Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming, the vehicles are prone to rollover accidents. And when they do roll, the drivers are often thrown out or ejected from them.
Several Air Force Global Strike Command personnel died in this way over the last two years alone. In response, the military has announced it will rethink how it uses the vehicles — including requiring that all soldiers wear their seat belts at all times and implementing safety modifications like those recommended by IMMI, a company that makes restraint systems for commercial passenger cars. The rethinking comes as the military considers a replacement for the HMMWV, called the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Three companies are competing to build the JLTV, which will merge the Humvee’s off-road performance with the MRAP’s unparalleled protection against IEDs.
But for now, the aging Humvees continue to do their work. They’re hauling cargo, transporting troops, and conducting surveillance in the wilds of Montana and beyond. And they’ll continue to do so despite the fact that, as our investigation has found, the HMMWV is simply not safe enough for the military.