Military Vehicle Trivia

When you think of an old-school military Jeep you're probably picturing the Willys MB. 650,000 of these were produced during WWII accounting for a solid 25% of all non-combat vehicles produced at the time.

The M-Gator used in Bosnia wasn't even a military vehicle, it was one the battalion bought off the shelf (so to speak) and repainted in camouflage before outfitting it with rifle brackets. It was useful for moving supplies and casualties.

Desert Patrol Vehicles saw heavy use during the Gulf War thanks to their versatility, handling, and speed. They could accelerate from 0 to 30 in 4 seconds and had a potential range of up to 1,000 miles if outfitted with an extra fuel tank.

Looking like a tiny version of the Mars probe, the Dragon Runner robot is a recon vehicle designed to go to areas inaccessible to soldiers. It can transmit video and audio to a controller so that an area can be scouted.

The M970 Semi-Trailer refueler is used for under and overwing refueling of aircraft. The tank it hauls can carry 5,000 gallons of fuel. It's been around since at least 1980 and may be retired soon if a suitable replacement can be found.

Also called the AN/TWQ-1, the Avenger is a mobile air defense system used by both the Army and the Marines. In layman's terms, it's a Jeep outfitted with a pair of rocket launchers that can fire Stinger or Starstreak missiles.

The Military Channel once called the M113 the most significant infantry vehicle in military history. It's been used by over 50 countries, and more than 80,000 of them have been produced since the 1960s.

The 8-wheeled IAV Stryker used by the US Army is meant to be somewhat less heavily armed than heavy vehicles. Named in honor of two fallen soldiers it's manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems in Canada.

The massive Marauder looks like a Hummer that got Hulked out. Its unique hull absorbs massive amounts of kinetic energy to protect the crew inside. It could handle the equivalent of about 20lbs of TNT exploding under the hull and 30lbs under the wheels.

Humvees have been around since 1985 and have been used extensively for pretty much everything Jeeps used to do prior to the 1980s. They can be mounted with weapons systems or used as medical and cargo transports.

The Oshkosh M-ATV is what's called an MRAP — a mine resistant ambush protected vehicle that can specifically handle explosions without injuring those inside. They were designed back in 2009 to replace M1114 Hummers.

The Storm SRTV was developed in 2013 as a test vehicle. They're air-deployable rescue vehicles in use by the United States Air Force Pararescue and basically look like futuristic dune buggies. Their purpose is to be airdropped into dangerous areas behind enemy lines and rescue pilots who have been shot down.

DUKWs, just called "Ducks" for the most part, were amphibious trucks that could drive onshore after being used as transport boats. They were used extensively in World War II by not just the US Army and the US Marines, but they were also shared with British and Soviet forces.

The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System began use in 1983 and was employed for the "shoot and scoot" tactic of rocket launching. Essentially you fire artillery and then drive off quickly before return fire can find you. It worked well.

The M1 A2 Abrams is a beast that first saw service in the Persian Gulf, following in the footsteps of the original M1 which dates back to about 1980. Current models have depleted-uranium plates for protection against attacks.

The M3 half-track looked like a truck in the front and a tank in the back. It proved useful as a means of personnel transport, an artillery transport, a communications vehicle, anti-aircraft and self-propelled gun among other things.

Aso called a HET, or heavy equipment transport, the M1070 looks a lot like a massive flatbed tow truck and is used for hauling tanks. In a pinch, they can also be used to haul anything else that weighs several dozen tons.

The Buffalo is outfitted with numerous defense capabilities to protect it from explosives like mines and IEDs while the arm mounted on the top is designed for ordnance disposal. There was a Decepticon named Bonecrusher in the movie "Transformers" based on the Buffalo.

Civil War Gen. Phillip Sheridan is the namesake of the M551 Sheridan, an armored reconnaissance/airborne assault vehicle that was designed to be airdropped into an area where it could also drive across rivers.

William Tecumseh Sherman was a general with the Union Army during the American Civil War. The tank bearing his name saw service during WWII, and upward of 48,000 of them were rolled out for America and its allies.

THAAD stands for Terminal High Altitude Aerial Defense and is an anti-ballistic missile defense system. It's capable of firing short, medium, and intermediate-range missiles. They've been in service since 2008.

The M109 howitzer was deployed during the Vietnam War, replacing the smaller M108 version. It's outfitted with a 155 mm howitzer cannon and has an effective firing range of over 11 miles.

The M1161 Growler was something the Marine Corps needed to have developed so they'd have a fast-moving vehicle that could also be transported by the V-22 Osprey. They've been in service since 2009.

The Swedish-made Bv 206 is an all-terrain carrier used by numerous armed forces all around the world including the US Marines and the National Guard. Its track articulated design makes it especially useful in northern climates since it's essentially a giant snowmobile.

The M88 Hercules is a recovery vehicle that can extricate trapped heavy equipment and also make repairs while the crew is under fire. It's been used in conflicts like the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War among others.

The M60 AVLB stands for "armored vehicle launched bridge." It's capable of launching a 60-foot scissor-type bridge and retracting it again as well. It's large enough to get most vehicles across small rivers and trenches or gullies.

The LCAC or Landing Craft Air Cushion is designed to transport equipment from sea to land and can carry a staggering 60-ton payload or up to 75 tons in an overload capacity. It's 87 feet long and can travel on the water at speeds up to 70 knots.

The M1133 carries up to 6 passengers in the modified Stryker vehicle. It has the same basic design as other Strykers that are used for infantry transport as it cuts back on the need for a different skill set when it comes to repairs.

The Bradley Fighting Vehicle or BFV is actually an entire vehicle platform. The M2 is an infantry vehicle that carries troops while the M3 is a cavalry vehicle with full armament designed for recon.

The M274 Mule is one of the most bare-bones vehicles in military history. It was essentially a flat surface on wheels, a seat, and a steering wheel on a long column that made it exceptional for being outfitted to different tasks since there was nothing to interfere with hauling, towing or anything else.

Harley Davidson's WLA, otherwise known as "the Liberator," saw heavy use during World War II. They weren't front line vehicles. obviously, but they were useful for military police and also for sending off messengers in a hurry. Almost 60,000 of them were produced.

The Commando Stingray is a light tank that was actually designed to be a Frankentank, which is to say that it was made with as many parts of pre-existing vehicles as possible in an effort to keep costs down.

The Husky VMMD, which is used for route clearance in areas laced with explosives, is in use by numerous armed forces around the globe including the US, Canada, Australia, Iraq, Spain, Turkey, South Africa and several others.

Introduced in 1959, the Patton M60 tank saw service throughout the Cold War and even made it all the way to Operation Desert Storm, after which it was effectively retired from service. These days they're still used for training exercises but not much else.

The LAV-25 light armored vehicle has 8 wheels and works as an amphibious reconnaissance vehicle. They've been in service since 1983 and are planned to stay in service with the Marines until 2035.