It is still an inadequate vehicle

In this post, I touched on private efforts to address the shortcomings of the Humvee, and provide a vehicle better suited for today's combat environments. I listed the casualties from Nov 15 through Nov 24 involving Humvees. Here are casualties since then, where Humvees were specified as being involved.

Date	Name	Assigned To	Circumstances
Nov 29	Sgt. Donald Hasse Sgt. Jerry Mills Jr.	13th AR	IED detonated near their HMMWV
Dec 6	Spc. Brian Wright	135th EC	HMMWV struck a mine
Dec 8	1st Lt. Kevin Smith	3rd ID	IED detonated near his HMMWV
Dec 8	Sgt. Spencer Akers	125th IR	IED detonated near his HMMWV
Dec 10	Sgt. Julia Atkins	89th MPB	IED detonated near her HMMWV
Dec 11	Sgt. 1st Class James Moudy	10th MD	IED detonated near his HMMWV
Dec 13	Staff Sgt. Michael Zyla Sgt. Brian Karim Spc. James Kesinger Spc. Peter Navarro	3rd BCT	IED detonated near their HMMWV
Dec 15	Spc. Joseph Lucas	3rd ID	IED detonated near his HMMWV

This article from Defense Industry Daily describes US government efforts to improve the Humvee's armor. While these efforts have an impact, they are not enough to solve the deficiencies.

Creating the US Army's ubiquitous (and mine-vulnerable) up-armored Humvees is a two-step process. First, one procures the vehicle itself, usually a variant with uprated suspension et. al. designed to accommodate the weight of the armor and other add-ons. This is only partly successful, as up-armored Humvees will still wear out far faster than more lightly armored varieties. In step two, a different firm produces and/or adds armor and other useful survivability improvements - including smart choices like gun shields. This, too, is useful but only partly successful, as the HMMWV's flat bottom leaves it more vulnerable to IED mines than vehicles like the RG-31 with V-bottom hulls. RG-31s are in use by the US 101st Airborne in Iraq, and will soon see service with Canadian forces in Afghanistan. Australian forces, meanwhile, use ADI's larger Bushmaster IMV.

A pair of recent contract awards illustrate the up-armored HMMWV two-step process. They do not necessarily pertain to the same vehicles, but they are illustrative when juxtaposed.

Note the time frames involved those contracts. Not soon enough for troops that need a better vehicle today.

Here are some more of my correspondent's thoughts on the Humvee.

HOWEVER, the vehicle itself is entirely inadequate. full stop. end of discussion. As for its combat survivablility and ease of use-if you will- it is a very pathetic joke. and the joke is on the unfortunate grunts who have to utilize its ungracious and unwieldy features.

When ambushed or quick egress on raids or turn and fire through open windows, the doors are ALL set in WRONG. Its designers never thought to put a full load battle gear soldier in and fight on the move or stationary (or simulate it, shouldn't that be a contract requirement?!). You can't move or get out fast! is what I am saying.

The armor, while it saves lives, is a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will not go into that anymore. It has way too MANY seams, holes and completely open angles!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????? to even countenance its (mis!)nominclature of being "up-armored" (and THIS is the so called uparmor I am refering to. the others are even LESS survivable) Ther turret, such as it is and/or has evolved, is a joke. No armored window/firing port visor setup. (Gentleman, lets just look as designs that have worked ie the israeli or some of the south african designs. Tried and true in real, actual COMBAT) -(not like we are doing it, making it up as we go along, off the cuff and out of junk yard scrap metal piles) There are NO firing ports, you have to open the windows to do it. Extremely useful to have in some (but not all) situations. Current situation fighting INSIDE and With this vehicle. Overall, Not good.

I have had way too many friends and fellow soldiers, Americans! suffer wounds and or die because of its inadequacies. I could go on and on. Time is a premium for me. I could redesign it, but it would change so much it would not even be a humvee when i am done. And that's the point!

There is a critical and immediate need for a True, purpose designed armored FIGHTING vehicle.

Come on a raid with me or get some reporter credentials and go patrol with the marines in Anbar.