US soldiers from Fort Hood to test new MMPV Medium Mine Protected Vehicle for engineers troops 11104161

Defence & Security News - United States
 
US soldiers from Fort Hood to test new MMPV Medium Mine Protected Vehicle for engineers troops.
U.S. troops from Fort Hood are helping to test the new Army vehicle Medium Mine Protected Vehicle, or MMPV that could eventually be used by combat engineers or other soldiers across the Army. Last week, soldiers and Army civilians from Fort Hood’s Operational Test Command, or OTC, and a route-clearance platoon from the 36th Engineer Brigade were testing the new vehicle. (Source Fort Hood Herald)
     
U.S. troops from Fort Hood are helping to test the new Army vehicle Medium Mine Protected Vehicle, or MMPV that could eventually be used by combat engineers or other soldiers across the Army. Last week, soldiers and Army civilians from Fort Hood’s Operational Test Command, or OTC, and a route-clearance platoon from the 36th Engineer Brigade were testing the new vehicle. Medium Mine Protected Vehicles, or MMPVs, are seen during a testing exercise at Fort Hood (Source image Fort Hood Herald)
     
The Medium Mine Protected Vehicle, or MMPV, can be equipped with state-of-the-art bomb detecting tools including a robotic arm and a robot that soldiers can deploy without having to leave the safety of the vehicle.

In Fort Hood’s training area, the combat engineer soldiers conducted route-clearing exercises just as they would on a deployment, carefully checking out potential roadside bombs that could be lurking behind a rock or elsewhere.

The testers also threw in friendly and enemy troops on the surrounding hills to heighten the complexity of the exercise.

The platoon was using six MMPVs (Type 2) in addition to the platoon’s other standard, route-clearance vehicles, including the odd-looking Army Buffalo truck.

The Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV) is a class of armored vehicles being procured by the US Army, similar to the MRAP program, based on the RG33 manufactured by BAE Systems.
     
U.S. troops from Fort Hood are helping to test the new Army vehicle Medium Mine Protected Vehicle, or MMPV that could eventually be used by combat engineers or other soldiers across the Army. Last week, soldiers and Army civilians from Fort Hood’s Operational Test Command, or OTC, and a route-clearance platoon from the 36th Engineer Brigade were testing the new vehicle. MMPV Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (Source image Fort Hood Herald)
     
The MMPV can be equipped with a robot deployment system, which allows soldiers to stay buttoned-up while the robot deploys. With current MRAP vehicles, soldiers must get out of the vehicle to deploy the 50-pound robot that can search for roadside bombs, officials said.

Another tool in the MMPV is a vehicle optics system that extends above the truck to give operators a far-off view of the road ahead or other potential threats. The vehicle also features an outside cage, which can limit damage from rocket propelled grenades.

The engineering soldiers and the testers are noting both the good and bad points of the new vehicle and its equipment, which will help the Army make a final decision on whether the MMPV will become part of the Army’s fleet.

The vehicle looks very different on the inside than what soldiers are used to, said Sutton, adding most of the soldiers in the platoon have combat experience.