AMGeneral gets another military contract worth $8.6B

[MossRoad]

The HUMVEE was originally a replacement for the Jeep. A light vehicle that could go anywhere and have multiple configurations. They were never meant to be armored and were woefully inadequate in that regard.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

The HUMVEE was originally a replacement for the Jeep. A light vehicle that could go anywhere and have multiple configurations. They were never meant to be armored and were woefully inadequate in that regard.

I miss those old Jeeps. We have a 1941 Ford-built Jeep that I just sold to my brother last summer (I'm out of space). Even so, back when I was in, the Army had started moving away from manual transmissions because of the time it took to train people who had never driven a manual. So when people like myself who could drive a manual showed up, my unit got us licensed for every vehicle type we had. Amusingly, while moving my office and trying to find my DD214 to get an enhanced State License with a military service tag, I found my old military license that basically said I could drive anything lying around the motor pool including semis because I could drive a stick.

Other Records: Heavy LOL

 

[tacticalturnip]

The HMMWV's time was done with the M1151; at that point the weight was destroying the suspension.

They'll see use as runabouts on military bases for another decade or so no doubt; I ran into all kinds of old stuff still being used by cadre in training areas.

 

[airbiscuit]

floorboard full of sandbags.

I wouldn't trade those days for anything. Human bonding at it's finest.

My BIL was an MP in Vietnam (drove General Westmoreland around among other things). He said it was a million dollar experience, and you couldn't pay him a million dollars to do it again.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

The HMMWV's time was done with the M1151; at that point the weight was destroying the suspension.

They'll see use as runabouts on military bases for another decade or so no doubt; I ran into all kinds of old stuff still being used by cadre in training areas.

First day we got a Hummer, I said, these things are meant to fly...

Being AVN, I think my audience was thinking we could lift them with our helicopters (we couldn't as we has UH-1s, OH-58s and MH-6, and we were supposed to have AH-1s which is what I was specifically trained on, but we didn't have any—long story—anyway, no OH-60s or ****hooks that could lift them at he time).

But I looked at the coils springs and thought, we must ramp jump this over and over (and out came the M10A loader to make a jump).

Comedy ensued.

 

[tacticalturnip]

First day we got a Hummer, I said, these things are meant to fly...

Being AVN, I think my audience was thinking we could lift them with our helicopters (we couldn't as we has UH-1s, OH-58s and MH-6, and we were supposed to have AH-1s which is what I was specifically trained on, but we didn't have any—long story—anyway, no OH-60s or ****hooks that could lift them at he time).

But I looked at the coils springs and thought, we must ramp jump this over and over (and out came the M10A loader to make a jump).

Comedy ensued.

They're a lot of fun in their natural form. The photos above are a French Marine having a good time with what was at the time our shop truck; I quite enjoyed working alongside the French, they knew how to have fun.

 

[ovrszd]

My BIL was an MP in Vietnam (drove General Westmoreland around among other things). He said it was a million dollar experience, and you couldn't pay him a million dollars to do it again.

I'd agree. Brothers In Arms is very deep.

 

[MossRoad]

The HMMWV's time was done with the M1151; at that point the weight was destroying the suspension.

They'll see use as runabouts on military bases for another decade or so no doubt; I ran into all kinds of old stuff still being used by cadre in training areas.

AM General is still making hummers for the US government and foreign contracts. They are expected to be in use into the 2050s because the JLTV order of about 49,000 isn't supposed to be complete until 2041. They want to keep 50,000 HUMVEEs. So they'll be around for at least 30 years still.

 

[MossRoad]

From here:

Humvee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Army does not plan to replace Humvees in the Army National Guard and is considering options on how many of its 120,000 vehicles will be replaced, sustained, or modernized. Even if half of the force is replaced by JLTVs, the entire planned order will not be complete until 2040. If upgrades are chosen for the remaining Humvees, the cost would likely have to not exceed $100,000 per vehicle.[50] The Humvee is expected to remain in U.S. military service until at least 2050.[51] Ambulance variants of the Humvee will especially remain in active use, as the JLTV could not be modified to serve as one due to weight issues.[52]

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Speaking of, the documentaries Why We Fight and The Fog of War remain relevant today (both should be required viewing for both peacenicks and war hawks). The pinnacle of my BtoB 1990s selling career was selling into department of D contractors and Lord knows my entire family has a history of being soldiers. Parts for one complex military system are often made from as many states as possible so everybody, regardless of political party, supports their local DoD manufacturing.

An excerpt