Why America is Gladly Giving Away their $50 Billion Truck

[@Taskandpurpose]

Chris Cappy unironically hooah on Instagram: instagram.com/cappyarmy/ Intell Drops On the Twitter: twitter.com/Cappyarmy Join Our Discord Channel: discord.gg/mjuzxn2W

[@gray3508]

FIRST! Also Cappy I love ya but it's pronounced NU-CLEAR not NU-CU-LAR

[@traviscrum5860]

@@gray3508 damn almost got it

[@ansonellis443]

Please do a video on the Georgian military

[@xumuk3]

Cappy, why don't you show Crimea as a part of Ukraine at 0:07 ?

[@lalmuanpuiijahau7531]

I think quad rotor electric flying car would have a great role in future combat for Military logistics

[@sheamcclure6639]

As a Sapper route clearance team leader in Baghdad in 2006-2007 I can tell you first hand the V hull saved just about all of my joes lives. We didn't have the new MRAPS but old school RGs (from South Africa) and Buffalos. The hits they took and we walked away from was absolutely incredible. Our Buffalo once took a 400lb HME hit directly under the hull...ripped all 3 axles off and flung the thing about 50 feet but we all walked away. Any other style truck was a death trap. My team alone cleared about 300 IEDs with about 50 hits, lots of concussions and a gunner took some shrapnel to the face but no KIA.

[@bloodybucket213]

That's truly bad-ass. Good job man.

[@picklepepper900]

And then your headaches were determined to be "not service related" lol

[@UnsolicitedContext]

@@picklepepper900 so, I’m not going to defend the VA’s policy, but as someone who had my clinic there for 3 years, a LOT of it is that they separate the people who can assign certain service connection stuff from the clinical people. I had a LOT of folks w TBI flags, but I couldn’t add that flag as one of the doctors. Just putting it out in case it helps someone.

[@morris1331]

FOB Striker, by chance? I was there 2005-2006 doing the same job, you may have taken over for us. The RG-31's without side doors were a real pain to climb into and out of, but they could take a hit.

[@sheamcclure6639]

@@picklepepper900 as much as I hate the va and after 10 years they have really stepped up. Vt has a great TBI clinic

[@shawnengelbrecht2795]

As an Iraq combat infantry veteran.... These mraps/kmans on my 2nd deployment performed extremely well and resisted mines/IEDs. Saved multiple lives in my platoon alone.

[@onylra6265]

We've had footage of both sides getting slaughtered in civvy vehicles by small arms ambushes. And also Ukrainians using donated Humvees to good effect in an assault role - these are going to save lives. The only question is whether they are better than a Hilux in combat. The answer is obviously yes.

[@icysaracen3054]

Hello Iraqi war criminal

[@nvelsen1975]

@Ralph Hey, you don't fuck with the cooks who do the food. They're very dangerous, they injure and kill the most amount of people.

[@ebadurrahman7848]

@RandomInternet User you shouldn't have invaded them in the first place!

[@sajuente8235]

Polish special forces in Iraq were supplied in Polish ''mraps'' and as soon as they realize how weak they are they shared American ones

[@Siapanpeteellis]

Cappy, I was a Marine In Iraq in 2006 and saw the MRAP drama unfold! You did a tremendous job explaining the issues surrounding the USMC's acquisition and fielding of the MRAP. I really do like your videos and I recommend them to all my friends.

[@Taskandpurpose]

Thanks buddy I really appreciate the kind words ! Glad I was able to do the MRAP story some justice

[@joeybobbie1]

Thanks for your Service from a Disabled Veteran.

[@Siapanpeteellis]

@@Taskandpurpose Cappy, you did it very professionally and without finger-pointing. I can see your emotional investment in these stories, but you don't let that overwhelm the facts! Very rare indeed these days.

[@donmclemore1396]

I made a lot of doors for these in fairfield Ohio. I was working for BAE SYSTEMS and we worked 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They gave us all the overtime we wanted. Best welding job i ever had.

[@chrisandrews414]

Any veteran will tell you hitting 50 mph in an up armored Humvee is like re-entering the earths atmosphere in a space shuttle. The transmission is burning your calf hair off, everything is violently shaking, lights are flashing, the radios going off but you can't hear what's being said, and you can barely maintain control of the pencil thin steering wheel. all in all, a very memorable experience.

[@mattymaple1976]

As a non-military guy, I would have never known. Thanks for the details.

[@pauld.b7129]

I drove a retired Humvee a friend bought once. He thought he was gonna use it as a daily driver 🤣 I was shocked how rough and unrefined it was. I think he was too. I guess it serves it's purpose, but it's no Cadillac for sure

[@DragonGamer31]

@@mattymaple1976 This video is pretty eye opening on how mediocre the Humvee is when driving. This one isn't even armored, so imagine this, with a slight engine boost, but worse. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nae6i5p6atxrn9k

[@mattymaple1976]

@@DragonGamer31 i assumed that they werent the smoothest of rides, but man, they are so much worse than I thought.

[@tomgucwa7319]

How fast is walking ?

[@jeremysale1385]

I deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 with war photographer Mike MaCleod attached to my battalion (2-504, 1st Brigade of the 82D). It was cool to see at one of his photos (at 8:46)...I think this was our Alpha company. This was up near Ghazni, out of FOB Arian. The MRAP definitely saved my ass; my squad was in an RG-33 when we got hit with a 40-60 kilo command det IED placed at a constriction point, a hairpin turn. It was the first no-casualty IED in the battalion. I thought we had run into a tree, the impact was so slight. Our gunner had a bit of a headache, but no one was really hurt even though we found pieces of our engine like 300 meters away. In Iraq in 2012 we had one get utterly perforated by an EFP, but we were running skeleton crews and miraculaously none of the three people aboard got hit directly. That was a Cougar, I think. We had a random hodgepodge of Alligators, Cougars, RG-33s, just whatever the motor pool could get running at the moment.

[@tanker335]

Thank you young man. C Co. 3rd Batt. 35th Armor Rgt. 1st A.D.

[@noneofyourbusiness4133]

Civilian here! What’s an EFP?

[@markgrehan3726]

@@noneofyourbusiness4133 I think they are the penetrator ones mentioned at 6:03

[@richthatsel7003]

@@noneofyourbusiness4133 Explosive Formed Penetrator.

[@soarabove337]

@@markgrehan3726 yeah ​ @None of Your Business, did you watch the vid lol? There was even a nice graphic from a 2007 ppt deck that was the absolute simplest one-slide image of an EFP. Now, I'm not one to cast stones, but I'm telling you, it had all of the physical science knowledge necessary (unless one further asks "why copper" and why thicker at the apex vs the trailing arms, once ejected). Explosive Formed Penetrator. They were all the rage in late 2000s... and fads come back into style, as you know. 😉

[@StabbinJoeScarborough]

I had a stripped down humvee in iraq , traded armor for speed , worked out but I wont lie , those were some pretty anxious rides Thanks Cappy

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

Me too, we had the UpLumbered armor kit of plywood on our 998 with sandbags wedged in between everything, and painted-on fake armor (sand paint on green truck) to convince small-arms equipped baddies to target someone else, lol

[@RAIDENCHEEKS]

@@theunitednation7672Slava Rossiyii 🇷🇺

[@Yorkington]

@@RAIDENCHEEKS Cringe bro

[@RAIDENCHEEKS]

@@YorkingtonL

[@paddington1670]

@@RAIDENCHEEKS be gone troll!

[@RickGreg-nt1nt]

I was an army infantryman between 2008 to 12 and did 15 months in Iraq. When we deployed we switched out our Bradley's for mine resisted ambush protected vehicles, or mrap it was the first military vehicle I rode in that actually had working a/c

[@indee105]

That a/c was gold.

[@Richard-x3h]

I had more hot and cold flashes than a whole bunch of Vegas hookers

[@linds6609]

As a South African I love seeing our equipment on the international stage. The Casper was controversially used by our police during riots in Apartheid as well.

[@BALBES4000]

Should have kept it imo

[@deliacolquhoun2845]

Look how similar the south african G5 howitzer looks to the M777 America has. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnjapamVas6MiK8 Not the only thing the US borrowed from.

[@dr.batman2530]

Here in India, army loved using them in counter insurgency operations in Kashmir and among us the sight of vehicles are very popular. In India they are mass produced under licence.

[@voster77hh]

That's excatkly what the US polcise needs it for. Riot control and shooting crack & methhead dealers or looters in their black ghettos.

[@BALBES4000]

@@dr.batman2530 Kashmir belongs to Pakistan

[@marcusmoonstein242]

As ex-South African military I remember our vehicles well. They perform brilliantly if used for the purpose they were specifically designed for : low-intensity counter-insurgency warfare. The problems start when you try and use them for anything else.

[@JohnHughesChampigny]

So they're pretty much useless in Ukraine.

[@marcusmoonstein242]

@@JohnHughesChampigny Maybe saying of limited use would be more accurate. They can be used to safely transport infantry to just behind the front lines, to evacuate casualties, as a field ambulance, as a command vehicle,or as a logistics vehicle for field artillery. Unfortunately being a wheeled vehicle they will not be very effective in mud or deep snow.

[@gilgameschvonuruk4982]

Why would they send this system to Ukraine, which is a conventional war.

[@simonabunker]

@@gilgameschvonuruk4982 because they want to get rid of them, not because they are the best system.

[@ericconnor8419]

@@gilgameschvonuruk4982 Because the alternative would be using a Hilux. They might not be perfect but the situation is desperate all protected vehicles are useful. They are using hawk AA missiles from the 1950s, and Maxims and Mosin-Nagants.

[@AMC258_]

MRAPS saved my life twice. MATV saved my life once. Had I been in a humvee for either incident most of me would still be in Afghanistan.

[@HALFBREEDMUGEN]

i got hit by one of the mfs , solid stuff indeed lol

[@TardasRify]

Думаю что американцы покидая свою страну обязательно должны ездить на броневике. Желающих их убить более чем достаточно.

[@vmlinuxz]

Thank you for your service and head trauma.

[@MobiletentedcampsZa]

I drove the casspir in both urban riot and rural environments and can confirm that they were excellent in both applications. The earlier models had canvas roof coverings before petrol bombs necessitated a steel roof addition.

[@midgetydeath]

I really hope that was discovered the easy way and not the horrible death way.

[@dogball01234]

Dad talks about the Rhodesian bush war - many of the guys were saved when their vehicles had V-shaped hulls from mines. Excellent tech. back in the day. The "Pookie" was a famous vehicle for demining which utilised this.

[@angryakita3870]

I was about to comment the same: the war in Rhodesia also saw the utilization of converted vehicles with v-shaped hulls retrofitted for mine protection against ambushes.

[@KieferSmokerland]

I believe the Pookie is still being used.

[@ballooningonmars4888]

There is an excellent coffee table book on the Pookie etc. It is Taming the Landmine by Peter Stiff.

[@brentiers]

MRAPs were pushed to the line when I was on it. I'm 100% certain that MRAPs played a key role in me living through 15 months in Afghanistan.

[@brentiers]

I would give my left nut for my own MRAP... Yet the people I fought have many of them and I have none.

[@icysaracen3054]

But it didn’t stop mr Taliban seizing the country less than a month after you left. What the fuck were you guys doing there?

[@nvelsen1975]

I don't know how others did it, but at first we could choose either barely-armoured civilian cars (just protect the engine from smallarms basically) or the heavy Patria APC. Which is a POS vehicle designed thinking all humans are dwarves. IED threats limited our patrol ability quite a bit until the Bushmasters came in. Driving Patrias where they shouldn't go also caused a fatal roll-over once. Wasn't a frontliner myself, typically went low-risk areas, so cars only. An Afghan stepped into the road, stopped us, wouldn't let us pass. Now I couldn't carry a full conversation in Pashto but I can tell when someone's upset about bombs, so we got an interpreter there. Yep, IED buried there. Guy was risking it all for us. Watched that thing go when bomb disposal was done with it..... Fuck me, there wouldn't have been anything left of us if we'd driven over that. Definately makes you afraid of IEDs, so having MRAPs around really helps.

[@cavalryscout9519]

My unit had Cougars and MaxxPro's in Iraq, but rarely used them. Our most used vehicles were M1117 Guardian ASVs. The ASV was bought under the MRAP program, but they were traditional armored cars (updated Cadillac Gage V-100s) and generally made better combat vehicles. They were better off-road, less prone to rollovers, and had a better-armored turret with much more firepower (a Mk 19 and M2, in the turret, and M240 on a pintle above the turret). Since it was a traditional armored car, it was actually designed to match other armored cars like BTR and BRDM. The only flaw with the ASV was that we only had 4 out of our 20 "gun trucks". We treated them as an asset for the whole troop, and would send 2 with each mission (we rarely had more than 2 missions outside the wire at once). For the other 2-4 trucks we usually ran HMMWVs with FRAG-6 armor kits and CREW systems (Counter Radiation Electronic Warfare; jammers that blocked remote detonators). We would use the Cougars and MaxxPros when we expected to be on-road the whole mission, or when we were running too many missions to put the ASVs on all of them, but there were a lot of reasons that we preferred HMMWVs. The one that could have been fixed is that there was a lot of important equipment that we just could not get kits to mount on an the MaxxPro or Cougar since they didn't come through normal procurement (the big one being the CREW systems which jammed remote detonation of IEDs). No technical reason to not mount the equipment, we just couldn't get the kits. The part that couldn't be fixed (until the M-ATV and JLTV) is that the MaxxPro and Cougar were prone to rollovers and generally poor off-road vehicles, while our mission had us off-road about 70% of the time. For fighting a peer adversary, of all the MRAPs, only the M1117 ASV is really good. It's more or less a baby Stryker Dragoon. The M-ATV and JLTV are good HMMWV-replacements, but their unarmored engine means that they need to avoid direct fire. The MaxxPro, Cougar, and other Casspir-inspired MRAPs are really pretty bad front-line vehicles though. I could see Ukraine using them as armored cargo trucks, but they aren't significantly better in that role than MTVs and LMTVs with an armored cab. They could be backfield troop transports, but they are dangerous off-road so they would be limited in where they can go. They would be a good vehicle for the forces following right behind the front-line though. I'm sure Ukraine can use them, but that's because they are better than nothing.

[@classifiedad1]

Funnily enough, the ASV is basically the modern version of the M706/V-100 from Vietnam, which was developed because the ARVN found armored cars useful but old WWII-era Greyhounds weren't cutting it. And if fighting peer adversaries is a concern, the ASV has options for mortars up to 120mm, autocannons up to 30mm like a BTR, remote weapons stations, and even a 90mm anti-tank gun. Though said 90mm gun probably won't do much to a modern tank other than piss it off, and you'll need a bit of luck to tackle something older like a T-62. Though given that Russia is actively fielding T-62s in ever-growing numbers, maybe it might kill a tank.

[@paladin11C40]

The ASV was first used in Kosovo by MP units and originally designed for internal base security. I had an ASV in 2009 in Basrah Iraq, the Army took them all and sent them to Afghanistan. I loved that truck, it was a great vehicle and the AC unit was awesome in the summer months. I was a MP in Iraq, we would run the ASV up front, 2 MaxxPros in the middle and a up armored HMMWV as rear vehicle with a M2 mounted on it. We found the HMMWV was better for rear of the column because the gunner on the MRAPs could not see directly behind the truck and could not depress the gun down enough to shoot close up targets. You are right, they are a lot better than nothing.

[@aaronleverton4221]

Never served, but the issues you describe with a number of MRAPs makes me wonder again why the Bushmaster was rejected from the programme when it was already in production and in service.

[@jeffbeck8993]

Wow, after reading a lot of comments from combat vets, MRAPS are the A-10 of ground vehicles. Service Chief and the Pentagon wants to get rid of or retire them, but the dudes on the ground still appreciate them. So many in the comments attribute their survival in Iraq/AFG to the MRAP. Powerful stuff.

[@matbrown687]

We lost 14 men in our battalion during the surge that most likely would’ve survived in MRAPs. Not to mention dozens whose lives were altered due to amputations. Difference between them and humvees was day and night. Would’ve money well spent imo to have got them to the battlefield earlier. Hope Ukraine can make good use of them.

[@bakedcookiezzz]

That is a very intense frightening feeling not being armored man sorry you went through that

[@GreenLeafUponTheSky]

Damn some prolly lost their pps too, hell naw

[@randomviewer3735]

@@GreenLeafUponTheSky that's what you care about?

[@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist3]

Repent to Jesus Christ “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Y

[@shway1]

money well spent would've been ending the war immediately and doing universal free college, free healthcare, public housing.

[@ky1ebetts]

I drove these trucks on about 100 patrols in Iraq in 2007. Before we were given MRAP's I had already been directly hit with an IED while driving an Armored Humvee and barely survived, so it was a blessing when my unit was given 2 cougar MRAP's it was a huge relief. And I drove the hell outta that puppy. They are kickass trucks!

[@slowery43]

Kudos to you and yur men for doing what others would chose not to but don't you think that instead of praising the truck and massive over-expenditure through bribery and fraud that that time adn mental effort might be better placed towards condemning your leadership for putting you there in the first place? Your doing what you thought was right is nobel however those that you entrusted were blantantly and directly lying to you about the the facts that it was done for purely financial reasons NOT for anything remotely nobel or just. That is as bad a disloyal thing that can be dione to soldiers as can be... your "brothers" lives were wasted for the purtsuit of power and money so praising these vehicles seems rather misguided as you shold have never been put into such precarious danger to begin with.

[@ky1ebetts]

@@slowery43 I honestly was just happy to have the extra armor on patrols. They were killing us in those Humvees

[@zackabee5498]

Nice I bet you killed 1000s of innocents. 👍 cause you know what you guys do to with these trucks. I mean I don’t need to remind you. Have a great PTSD.

[@datboylorenzo]

I drove them on 101 patrols mf, In KabuL, pzzy

[@DogsandIndiansnotallowed-cs2mt]

How many civilians you ki||€d

[@xax8918]

Thanks for this fascinating video, I grew up in South Africa and worked in Iraq from 2004-2008 and was suprised to see the old (reconditioned) Caspers appearing in Iraq which were a common sight in SA in the 80/90's. They were used by some of the "military contractors" and there was invariably one or more ex South African serviceman or policeman amongst them, they definitely saved lives. They were hit with IED's and everyone survived, I knew a few guys that sadly died in Humvees after hitting an IED. Never saw the MRAP in theatre, I probably left there before they arrived, I only heard the Marines had placed an order for vehicles on the same design as the Casper, the Marines I spoke to were eager to get them.

[@mazambane286]

Casspir........

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

I directly worked on the entire MRAP program. From systems integration, prototype and development of C4ISR to ECM and tactical combat systems. Wrote over 75 OM and TM manuals for numerous platform variants. It was and honor to support our US Military Warfighters.

[@honkhonk8009]

Damn. Wish I get the chance to say sumn like this to people one day

[@sigma663]

A sole MRAP assigned to my patrol in Iraq saved the lives of 10 of us in an antiarmor ambush in the outskirts of Bagdad. I see this video, and it brings tears to my eyes. I am so grateful to be alive thanks to this mighty beast. The real question is; Was the spending of 50 billion dollars investment too much? My family, my soldiers and myself think it was worth it.

[@benjaminshtark5977]

if possible, could you please elaborate on actual feeling inside the vehicle during this incident? how was it? did people get injured? any scratches at all or it just barely saved lives but people got hit on the head? were soldiers were combat fit after the explosion or all had to be evacuated for treatment? its interesting to understand what kind of protection MRAPs actually provide.. just basic to survive or full and complete without any consequences...

[@StromBugSlayer]

I think that's a false choice. Our procurement system is so inefficient we spend way too much developing and fielding the equipment needed, and of course we took way too long to address the need.

[@stenyethanmathews945]

Yea? How about 1 trillion $ ? Is that worth it? Lol. This kind of spending is not sustainable. 💸💸💸💸.

[@DmitriyTonyuk]

@@benjaminshtark5977 one of the earlier Cougars got hit with an IED in Iraq with an equivalent to 600lbs of explosives. Engine, axles, side boxes and hood were all torn out. Driver suffered a broken arm from hitting a steering wheel, and few cracked ribs due to his plate also hitting that same steering wheel. Everyone else in the truck got lesser injuries. Vehicle was back on the road after 30 days (most of that time was spent waiting on parts) thanks to the Force Protection FSRs on site. Hopefully that example helps you understand the level of protection a bit better. Now, Cougar, Panther, RG are level 2 MRAPs, while MaxPro is level 1 MRAP, so the level of protection between them will differ a lot. Buffalo is a level 3 MRAP, and the only reason Husky is not a level 3 is because it only holds a driver and does not have any room for passengers (so, arbitrary classification requirements).

[@Darkcamera45]

@@stenyethanmathews945 until your on the frontlines of combat and die due to poor equipment then talk about what is worth it and what isn’t

[@stephensipe5405]

In Ukraine, air defense, civilian evacuation, medic support, and demilitarization crews are 4 critical duties. This vehicle could be adapted to all 4 duties. Too often the personnel on these details are overlooked. This vehicle gives them basic protection. Only the air defense duty would need additional armament.

[@andrerothweiler9191]

In Ukraine they are perfect fit, because of shelling

[@foseninfo8954]

​@@andrerothweiler9191 Think about ice, snow and muddy fields in winter. Destroyed country roads. Fuel use. Being easy to spot. Driving around with 30 tons in Ukaraine is not practical at all. Yes it protects from random shelling, but not frome drone attack, directed heavvy artillery or atgm.

[@nicolaasstempels8207]

Exactly, the MRAPs are not combat vehicles, but relatively safe transport vehicles. As you point out, they are great as civilian evacuation, troop transport and medical support vehicles (that's all important logistics, but could you elaborate a bit more about air defense? I don't really get that). With the Russians retreating, especially when slowly retreating, we may expect many mined roads. MRAPs save lives there. The Ukrainians want them, and as they are very much tactically and strategically savvy, I'm not doubting their judgement for a second.

[@PrograError]

@@andrerothweiler9191 I wonder if they would be primarily used in the cities and towns as a sort of potable air raid...

[@paladin11C40]

The Caiman MRAP can be converted from carrying troops to carrying 4 litters by removing the seats in the back. I think it would be perfect for rear echelon work. Plus, its only a matter of time before systems are deployed that will make the small drones ineffective on the battlefield. The US military is already working on a platform that will jam the frequency they operate on and take them down using directed energy weapons. I remember when it was said the M1 Abrams was too large and heavy to operate in Europe because of the size of the roads and bridges. There will never be a perfect vehicle for all occasions when it comes to war.

[@fullmetalpoitato5190]

The MaxPro is definitely a double edged sword of an armored vehicle platform. I spent over a year riding around in one and the v-hull and extra side plating quite literally saved my bacon a time or 2 but....those things are so tall and top heavy and TBH fairly lightly armored in the grand scheme of things. They worked fine for convoy security on a no front lines insurgency based warfront but I can't really see how Ukraine could make effective use of these things ANYWHERE near the front lines. They're big as hell, easy to see and easy to hit and/or penetrate with modern weapons. If they intend to use them for 2nd line logistical support and light armor troop transport duties then yea ok but I hope they don't try to fight with the MaxPro on the front lines. And for the love of god don't exceed 45mph or Sergeant Majors across the cosmos will start having strokes on account of soldier exceeding safe traveling speeds!

[@更雨晴]

Russians were said to have left a lot of mines behind when retreated from occupied region. So I guess there are for that reason.

[@Userext47]

There is no IMV that is fit for frontline use in the conventional sense. However I think these vehicles would be quite usefull for hit and run tactics for recon groups and as battle taxis.

[@TheoEvian]

Yes, the Ukrainians are definitely looking for vehicles for units that are less exposed or more agile than mechanised infantry. And considering the armour of alternatives like MT-LB and BMP the MRAP isn't that bad in the department. They come out pretty similar (which shows you how badly armoured for the role BMP can be) so it is a pretty logical choice for some units. But Ukraine will accept anything, more or less, they have immense need for more steel and there are lots of MRAPs in the world so even though it might not be the ideal vehicle for them they can field it quite quickly and use in their more agile approach to combat when compared with the Russians.

[@milkduds1001]

Yea, I agree. Used one when I was in Iraq back in 2016. What was it again? Don’t do a 90 degree turn at faster than 5 miles an hour? 😂.

[@uDaniels]

@@Userext47 idk if you understand the scope of these things. i dont know how useful it could be for any sort of recon groups. kinda loud too.

[@Mark-EFMB-Combat-Medic]

As always, another great video, Back in the day when I was in the US Army stationed in San Antonio Texas, Academy if health sciences, West Germany, Ft, Benning, and 29 Palms, we had M113's, M577's and Gamma Goats. I drove my battery commander around in a vinyl covered 1/4 jeep that wouldn't stop an average powered pellet gun projectile. Our medium short-range air transportation was leftover, beat-up, underpowered Vietnam era Bell UH-1's with an occasional ride on a Chinook. Our standard issue M16 A1's were so worn out we had to twist the upper and lower receivers into a bind, so the connection pins did not vibrate out causing the weapon to fall apart while firing them. In my opinion, for the US Government giving away and or intentionally destroying MRAPs is shocking, irresponsible, but not surprising. Especially when we settled for truly crappy hardware described above, for so long, since about the start of the Vietnam war. Arguably, building and deploying 10,000 MRAP's in 18 months sounds like a lot and may have been WAY too many. I suppose that question should be directed to the families of dead or disabled veterans as a result of insufficient armored vehicles. The Pentagons highest priority should be, research, develop, test (with soldier feedback), then produce this equipment and technology with proper training to maximize those systems to reduce the loss of American soldier's lives, while maximizing attrition of the enemy. Post military medical care should also be parts of that highest priority policy. If this strategy is too expensive, maybe our politicians should reconsider how many places and how often we travel around the world to engage in deadly conflicts, that cost American lives, produce disabled veterans and generally don't make things better in the long run, anywhere. Furthermore, post military veteran medical care is at an all-time low. Imagin upgrading VA medical care program from M113 effectiveness , to MRAP effectiveness. More than half of my psychiatric appointments are inexplicitly canceled, a fast primary care appointment can take of six months or more to get, and the community care program is so dysfunctional, it reeks of third world country quality. The medical care employees at VA clinics and hospitals are NOT the problem. They actually care about providing high quality care, but they just don't have the resources to do so. Politicians always talk up big plans for improving Veteran care and have been doing so forever. However, based on my personal experience, it just isn't happening. Again, just my opinion and I could very well be wrong. Mark Nicholson Former, US Army - EFMB, Combat Medical Specialist Ft. Sam Huston, Academy of Health Sciences 1/94 FA MLRS - Erlangen, West Germany 690th, Medical Company - Ft. Benning, Georgia Supporting Misc. Heavy Weapons, Training Ranges, Airborne Jump School and Ranger Training Brigade (ARTB)

[@jameslong4511]

American advisor, "Well, these MRAPS don't have any weapons systems." Ukrainian mechanic, "Hold my beer and watch this."

[@mudmug1]

Bolts on tube for a gmlrs

[@nvelsen1975]

I'm calling it now, any moment now we're going to see a humvee or an mrap with a T72's cannon welded to it driving around.

[@tisanaluk]

@@nvelsen1975 I don't think it gonna be that far.... But I could see something like 30mm auto cannon on top of those things... =w=

[@PrograError]

@@tisanaluk more like some thing out of a humvee IMO

[@Involution88]

@@nvelsen1975 Ratel and Eland armoured cars! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eland_armoured_car en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratel_IFV

[@loanstowalruses]

One part of the MRAP program that does not always get a lot of attention was the deep dive into vehicle occupant protection against forces from below in general. We didn't just engineer a vehicle, we built an entire process to engineer, develop, and test against similar threats in the future. The hull shape the upgraded Strykers are getting is derived directly from this research and development process.

[@curedham2963]

we? were you part of the development? (serious question)

[@UltraTotenkopf]

*Who are you and what did you design? The first MRAP with a V-shaped body was invented in South Africa during the war with Angola and Namibia! There is nothing high-tech in MRAP, it is an ordinary armored coffin that is produced in almost any country!*

[@nvelsen1975]

@@UltraTotenkopf You mean during the war between South Africa and Angola against Cuba, Ruzzia and local conscripts. The Bush war was a socialist invasion, not a border war.

[@neongenesis8499]

@@nvelsen1975 this is the stupidest a simplification of a conflict. Angola was a cluster fuck of everyone against everyone without a clear goal. It was different world powers both supporting independence factions. The thing is the West only got involved because it was these socialist countries who where actually supporting indepedence of Angola. As soon as that happened they escarbated it into a complete civil war by supporting divisions between the independence faction.

[@nvelsen1975]

@@neongenesis8499 Lol Antifa boi, sure, your fascist genocide force was 'supporting independance', just like it's supporting Ukrainian independance right now by exterminating them. .....Talk about dumb simplications...

[@beansinacan500]

My home towns Sheriffs department got an MRAP a few years ago and turned it into a Wildland fire fighting/search and rescue vehicle.

[@NotOnDrugs]

My county & their sorry ass(all cops are disgusting) force have one. They use it for ALL raids & when they go serve warrants on some people. Disgusting

[@RJT80]

Everybody hates the idea of police getting these things until the guy you told your daughter not to date lives up to expectations and decides a domestic hostage situation would be a good idea.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

The Tin Foil Conspiracy Fabrication Works always sees govt wide conspiracies that are kept shockingly quiet by hundreds of thousands of employees involved. When the cops are uparmed with M1 Abrams or Bradleys with 25mm cannon and belt-fed MGs and CAS aircraft, then you might say "militarized". Otherwise agencies can spend past $300k for a "civilian" armored vehicle that does the same job. There are two groups you cannot talk sense to or reason with and they are:: radical leftists and "conservative" conspiracy nut jobs.

[@andrewflores17]

@@RJT80 a mrap is gonna do what in a hostage situation.... Yeah your make belive analogy isnt to good. One of these for fire rescue?!?! Thats not a giant waste of gas and money and resources

[@allangibson8494]

@@andrewflores17 Australia built a Bushmaster fire truck - its rated for an hours exposure to a forest fire (the kind that melts conventional trucks).

[@occisoft8082]

I have been blown up in an mrap and was very glad to be in that vehicle. The mrap had a lot of mechanical issues, especially trying to keep up with strykers, but it is definitely "mine resistant".

[@johnwick8756]

I did route clearance from 06-07 in Iraq we had the RG31 along with the buffalo and husky. We cleared just over 1,900 IEDs in 15 months not counting the ones that hit us. We took 2 KIAs both from EFPs. We took a lot of WIAs but those trucks for the most part did their jobs. My cousin was a TC for a Abrams and was hit by an IED about 50 miles south from where I was running missions. It was a catastrophic kill it killed him and everybody else in the Abrams. I 100% believe the RG31 saved my life. My worst IED hit was a 155 round along with about 80lbs of HME (homemade explosives) about 6 to 10ft directly behind me. The truck took most of the blast and I walked away with a concussion and a partially collapsed lung. I was medvac from brassfield back down to anaconda

[@WarPigstheHun]

Wow. I had assumed that the Abrams would roll over the mine unhindered. That V shape really does make a difference.

[@johnwick8756]

@@WarPigstheHun The issue with that attack was it caught the track on fire and in the Abrams they keep the ammo under their feet from my understanding. The fire started setting off the ammo and no one else in the convoy could get in to help them. September 14th 2007 KIA- SSG Terry. Wagoner, SPC Todd Motley, SPC Jonathan Rivadeneira and PVT Christopher McCloud.

[@WarPigstheHun]

@@johnwick8756 I'm sorry about your cousin and his squad members. I believe the U.S is coming out with a new MBT that stores ammo separately and automatically cycles ammo into the loader via a revolving compartment. It even has a special ventilation system to direct explosions away from the crew. I'm sad that it takes alot of deaths for these safety innovations to come out.

[@liamsparling]

What are homemade explosives typically made with just gunpowder and old munitions?

[@rarelibra]

@@WarPigstheHun the flat bottom of the Abrams coupled with the fact that Iraqis were making IEDs very large to counter against the Abrams... in one case, the IED setup was ten (10) 155 howitzer shells buried face-up. that kind of explosion is not only devastating in size, but the effect against the flat bottom of the Abrams is like a platter charge, and is deadly to the occupants of the Abrams. A couple of times in Iraq, MRAPs came up against IEDs that were crude but large, and the explosion acted like a platter charge, unfortunately.

[@GOPGonzo]

Your infantry can't win a battle if they get blown up by a mine on the way to the front. Ukraine has an incredibly long front line, and only small parts of it are the scene of large scale armored offensives. On the other hand every meter of that front line is plagued by snipers, infiltration teams, and partisans. So something like the MRAP gives a cheap and easy to learn vehicle that can be used for transport and patrol on the "Quiet" sectors. That frees up your armored units for service where you are actively trying to punch a hole in the Russian lines.

[@TungNguyen-uq7gp]

Even after taking back territory, they will probably want to patrol in an MRAP cause the damn fascist mined everywhere

[@LuvBorderCollies]

There's downsides to using the US M113 APC near front lines, but it looks like the Ukrainians are adapting it to their use very well. Seen a number in convoys transporting troops to the front. How close they get, they don't say.

[@makspolikanov1433]

our dude, you know

[@dpelpal]

I'm just wondering how difficult it will be for them to learn such a vehicle. Also, I wonder about the maintenance requirements and how reliable they are?

[@itzikashemtov6045]

@@dpelpal Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are being trained by NATO so I am sure it was planned for a while and the first units recently finished the trainings and ready to be sent home, That's why the timing for the equipment is now.

[@hardkoreboy]

The vehicle at 3:25 is a special mine-clearing variant of the Casspir, using steel wheels to clear AP mines by driving over them. I saw this in action in Mozambique as a journalist in the 1990s; awesome to watch. (Interestingly, many of the mine-clearing operators were ex-South African special forces.) I rode on a Buffel as a conscript in the 1980s, and rollover was a worry. And the rumour was that it wasn't very bulletproof. Luckily, I never got to find out. But a great vehicle in many ways.

[@williamchamberlain2263]

2:34 as well, I think

[@ballooningonmars4888]

That mine-clearance method by Denel was so faulty, it had to be done manually all over again. A couple of sappers got blown up by half-actuated mines left after being rolled over.

[@Ayoosi]

Those 1151s and HMMWVs of that generation were a real solid workhorse. I went through 5 of them in Iraq from 2006-2007, with relatively minor injuries to my crews. The flat bottoms still sucked for buried mines, and the flat sides sucked for EFPs and RKGs with a lucky toss, but overall they were a great stop-gap as MRAPs began to roll out

[@brtattersall]

I was stationed in Zimbabwe in the mid 90s. The ZNA was using a variety of SA MRAPs. When I arrived in Quantico in 2000, I asked why we didn't have something similar. The answer was that in a combat zone, US Marines wouldn't be riding in the vehicles. 😕

[@JohnHughesChampigny]

That's the right answer. If there is a war on. It's the wrong answer if you are using your army as police.

[@namiboosterhuizen6610]

First developed by the Rhodesians fighting Zanla and Zipra

[@RayDoeksen]

That was typical of marines: they are well armored against criticism

[@sys3248]

As they should. Harder vehicles would meet RPGs, AT weapons, now ATGM. They learned this in Vietnam where lighter utility trucks survive better because they're dismounted behind line of contact.

[@H20Hybrid]

As an Army Soldier tied to this field, i felt "damn U.S Army, why don't you do what's good for you?" to my core.

[@nenogjunius2208]

As a South African... Excellent research. Thank you for such an informative and informative KZbin channel

[@Taskandpurpose]

thanks for watching great to hear from a south african ! Have you seen the Casspir vehicles around anywhere?

[@kevindelabat355]

@@Taskandpurpose Not your guy but another saffer. Yeah the police caspirs are seen sometimes, usually means that there is big kak about to go down. Not seen day-to-day unless there is a riot or mass demonstration that is getting out of hand. The police dont roll them out that often as the image of casspirs is highly associated with the Apartheid government suppression of the township people. The major function is to carry barbed wire barricades. Army still use them, but we dont see army on the streets basically ever. Love your channel though. BTW the Casspir came from the Buffel, which came from the Hippo. There is also a leopard MPV but no-one mentions that monstrosity. Also check out the pookie from Rhodesia for my personal favourite MPV, basically if a formula1 car and a post box had a baby that found landmines for a living.

[@news26boom]

@@Taskandpurpose As mentioned only the SANDF really still fields them. They'll be used for high visibility events like when they assist police. The SA Police themselves use RG-12 vehicles almost exclusively now. Interestingly enough, the casspir itself isn't really that controversial. It's when it is painted in yellow that has a really negative connotation. Those vehicles patrolled the townships during apartheid.

[@mazambane286]

@@kevindelabat355 the Casspir never came from the Buffel at all. The Casspir and Buffel were developed at the same time. Both the SAP and the SADF used the Hippo. Both recognised the Hippos shortcomings. The SAP invited the SADF to jointly develop a replacement. The SADF turned the offer down and decided to go their own direction and ended up with that piece of crap Buffel. They wake up by the mid 80's and begged the SAP to sell them some Casspirs.

[@SShendrik]

@@news26boom I am pretty sure that Namibia is also still using the Casspir.

[@michaelpontinen3871]

Thanks!

[@liamkreft6529]

Really good reporting on SA armed forces and development!! as a South African it impressed me, thank you for being both informative and self-aware of your limitations as well as for very accurate global takes. Never taking a side, as a centralist it is appreciated!

[@CHOPSHOPX]

Watch Richard Hammond's test drive on Top Gear UK, he's driving over cars, mines and driving it through concrete walls!

[@ashoka9306]

hey quick question what were those insurgencies about?

[@danhobart4009]

@@ashoka9306 In the cold war we were forced to fight commies in Angola by the ' free world ', when we started doing too well the US, Uk and EU back stabbed us and destroyed our country.

[@ashoka9306]

@@danhobart4009 i suspected it was to stop the liberation of africa - my martial arts master used to be portugese SOF said it was the worst time of his life and felt like a total waste

[@safaricalamari7613]

I do appreciate videos that don’t involve politics and just speak straight history. As an Australian I’ve always underestimated South African engineers, you don’t hear much about why they do.

[@martyc1533]

As a Contractor (State Dept 2004) we ran around in Chevy Tahoe's with run flat tires and zero armor!! Tried to stay away from Military convoys which were easy targets. Our Govt owes the young men and women who are sent into harm's way the absolute BEST protection possible regardless of costs!!!!

[@HelicopterShownUp]

The best protection would have been to not send them to such a pointless war in the first place. The only people who benefit are pro-war politicians, billionaire weapons makers and the current leaders of regimes that were previously suppressed by Saddam.

[@Sophie-and-Ken]

I worked on the first RG33 MRAPs by BAE. I also worked on its predecessor program of adding armor to the 10 ton FMTV. The army wanted armor kits to protect the bed of existing truck that could be produced quickly and cheaply. The problem was they need more armor that existing trucks could handle, so they turned to MRAPs. The problem with MRAPs was with a few weeks of being fielded the enemy learned how to destroy them and then an armor kit for the MRAP was needed. I know one thing the US design did different was use blast absorbing floors to reduce the shock wave from a mine. The other problem was they Iraqis learn they could be flipped very easily. From what I heard from MP units the Textron MRAP was the desired one even though it was cramped.

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

It was crazy. We saw cutting edge MATV's sitting in Air Force motorpools at JBB, Taji, and the Green Zone/BIAP, never being driven, and the rest of us who actually ran CET missions every day down the MSR's had clapped out MaxxPro's and Caimans with busted CREW systems and bent Rhino's on the front that were on their 4th or 5th deployment TPE handover.

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing It's actually kinda funny that the Air Force gets the latest and greatest ground vehicles, but a lot of their aircraft are MUCH older than the pilots flying them. I live next to Warren AFB and the missile convoys have new armored trucks and new semis pulling the missile carriers that probably date back to the 70s and escorted by ancient Hueys that were probably built in the Vietnam era and flown by pilots who's grandfathers might have flown the same chopper.

[@Sophie-and-Ken]

@RandomInternet User I had a army officer once tell me it would have been cheeper to buy every family in Iraq a generator, a TV, water filtration, and a satellite dish to watch MTV than to fight that war. All they did was destroy all the infrastructure and jobs in the country. People had nothing else to do put attack the people making their lives hell. Even if they build a hospital and a school in every town it would have been cheeper than the whole MRAP program.

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

@RandomInternet User Yeah, no shit. Those of us who were there (and had to sit and listen to Bush Junior give his excited little speech to us in Ft Polk) knew it only too well, that it had nothing to do with Al Qaeda. We were massively missused, and I wouldn't have had to leave my kids behind and bury 5 friends. If Al Gore had been POTUS, we probably would have still had to go to Afghanistan. But Iraq was BULLSHIT. No argument there. Just like Ukraine is bullshit.

[@johnslugger]

*All it needs is a fully auto belt fed 30mm or 40mm sniper gun mounted on the top of it to turn it into a "Rolling Wart-Hog" tank killer. What-Ever the Ukraine's arm it with you can bet the pentagon will be jealous of the Ukrainians innovative skill set. It's amazing what a Ukrainian can make out of a $25.00 WIFI security camera mounted to a telescopic gun sight feeding streaming video to an old iphone 6. Our military would spend $50,000 for something that was 800X bigger and could not be fixed by a 12 year old with a guitar pick and a micro screw driver.*

[@richarddavenport31]

Safety for all of our troops has to be priority number one , at all times!!! No short cuts, ever!!!

[@HelicopterShownUp]

I agree, by making the cost more prohibitive the US would stay at home more.

[@issaSeeK]

Cappy your videos have gotten better and better throughout the last 2 years I've been watching and this was probably the most seamless, most funny video I've seen from you. 👍👍

[@johnhammond7202]

Really loving these videos lately covering the history of modern weapons and their place in modern wars like Ukraine. Grenade launchers and and MRAP's are both weapons that are used very differently than when they were first introduced, so having the history and context behind each of them is awesome. Keep it up Cappy!

[@kesh862]

Speed is an interesting factor in Ukraine. During the rapid advances toward Kupyansk In August/September, Ukrainian soldiers were advancing incredibly quickly, often in civilian vehicles. I can see MRAPs being a compelling factor in such an advance, though it would be less useful in a more static battlefield like the one near Kherson.

[@benjaminshtark5977]

yes, not only that, but MRAP is basically a truck with armor, so its much easier to repair and maintain that tracked soldier carriers whilst provide better protection by its speed. sometimes a better way to protect against enemy is just switch position, and MRAP is great at that, slow tracked vehicles are just too slow and bulky for that. also, anti mine design is sure to save more lives that any combat vehicle available as most casualties are from anti-tank and anti-personnel mines.

[@fridaycaliforniaa236]

@Kesh Getting back from Kherson Right now, I can't agree more with this.

[@geopolitix7770]

I get your point, although even the Kherson front collapsed pretty fast in the end!

[@Какдумаютчєбурашкі]

pay attention to the general shape of the front, which is very beneficial for Ukraine - a horseshoe Thus, with a total length of the front line of more than 1000 km, a march between any section (even the extreme points themselves) can be completed overnight. Taking into account the presence of a fairly extensive network of roads (although of course already pretty damaged) if I write from Kyiv, I can clearly see))

[@Какдумаютчєбурашкі]

@@andreimoutchkine5163 if we talk about maneuvering from one end of the front to the opposite (and that's what I meant), then most of the way passes along roads with good coverage. And the dirt in the field, well, it's dirt everywhere if it rains)) And that's the problem, no kidding. Waiting for frost! despite the problems with electricity, we are all here waiting for the land to finally freeze in the south of Ukraine

[@andrewryan6915]

These vehicles saved many lives and improved mounted patrols, QRF, route clearance & troop transport. That said, I believe that there wasn't nearly enough forethought in finding ways to offload these vehicles (in addition to other equipment scrapped, destroyed & left behind) at the end of the wars.

[@richardlooney1]

We used the Turkish Kirpis to great effect in the kharkiv counter offensive and are ideal for transporting troops to the frontline, in the early days of the war we were using civilian jeeps. 200 of these units will be a welcome addition and their high mobility has been key to our evacuation teams

[@dasji2]

Modern day Cossak Charges

[@TheNab89]

I literally saw a captured Kirpis and one burning on reddit today....... hardly any difference.

[@oleksandrsavitskyy7702]

@@TheNab89 Have you seen any captured and burning Russian T-73obr or T-80bv? Everything burns.

[@TheNab89]

@@oleksandrsavitskyy7702 A sht load lol. Ukrainians take em and re-use them, the fck are you on? Did I hurt your little feewings? Fkn salty ukrop.

[@williammck1699]

Those were probably burned beyond recognition… LMAO… I mean I’ve seen litteraly everything else Russian made burnt to the ground at some point so far in this war.

[@toemas8]

As a South African very proud to see our influence on MRAP design and most of all how many lives they saved. I have seen newer designs which have a lower profile than the old Casper. The Casper was a simple vehicle, cheap to build but great for bush warfare and riot control. The Americans seem to make them super heavy and expensive. South African tactics has always been speed is your best defence or weapon.

[@coppertopv365]

Casper was a very decent vehicle from the "research" I have done. Simple, Cheap, and Quick imo are good ideas

[@angelg2638]

American makers always have to find ways to make things MORE EXPENSIVE. Not efficient.

[@Wadzillia]

Super Heavy, but still faster than the Casper according to the Specs on both vehicles.

[@harlemboy413]

No Americans make things with much better quality and research.

[@korus230]

@@angelg2638 huh... The US Abrams series of tanks? F-22s, F35s, F15s, So many more.

[@evana1900]

I served from 2013-2018 as a black hawk mechanic and our unit still had humvs from the 90’s. Never even saw a single mrap on a army base.

[@RGPredator]

Why would you need an MRAP on an aviation base?

[@aoyidragon8337]

As someone who used to drive MRAPs, I absolutely loved them compared to the Up-Armored 1151's (HMMWV) my unit had before them. As someone who Has been injured in IED attacks multiple times, MRAP vehicles are an absolute life saver. I love the Idea of seeing these reused, and I lament them being destroyed, Since out of all of the IED issues I've seen, ALL of them in the MRAP were flat tires, and not my squad.

[@robertmarks2379]

The Taliban has more NRAPs now than Poland could we not have brought them back? American military tech has been found in china that was in Afghanistan

[@Literallyhim-2]

Then you turned into a dragon furry…?

[@aoyidragon8337]

@@Literallyhim-2 I became a furry to find out how they became suspiciously wealthy. And here I am... Suspiciously wealthy.

[@Literallyhim-2]

@@aoyidragon8337 🤨

[@aoyidragon8337]

@@Literallyhim-2 Joking aside, if having a cute anime Dragon as my icon makes me a furry, what does having a picture of a Raccoon in yours mean? 🤨

[@rarelibra]

I was CREW and CIED ... one of the most effective life-saving setups we had was an MRAP, coupled with Duke v2, Rhino, and rollers with headlights on them ... the only things they were susceptible to was the EFP and RKG-3, and the MRAPs that had the double armor protection never had an EFP or RKG-3 successfully penetrate all of the armor.

[@alejandrocasalegno1657]

Yes......against a guerrilla force are TIER1....but the Taliban DON´T Lancets and Kornets....

[@rarelibra]

@@alejandrocasalegno1657 you don't make any sense

[@krypticstudios8168]

Wow I didn’t know these logistics about the MRAP. My wife’s father lost his life in 05 from an IED in one of those humvee death traps. Now seeing how he could have survived if the government would have just sucked it up and rolled these out like they needed to. It’s crazy

[@Comm0ut]

The story of why fools failed to armor logistics and utility trucks only gets worse the closer you look. Viet Nam birthed the highly effective "gun truck" which was instantly forgotten after the US withdrawal. Mogadishu showed lightweight wheeled junk dies in urban combat. The US military is good, but as any veteran has experienced it is not CONSISTENTLY thoughtful and doesn't remember history.

[@ant242]

@@Comm0ut it's all about the mighty $

[@bornepatrol]

You should do a review of sorts of the bushmasters the Australian government sent to Ukraine. Probably the best test of the platform and see how they compare to other wheeled armoured vehicles in the theatre

[@cerealport2726]

Great vehicles, but as an Aussie, I'd be much happier if we only provided humanitarian aid.

[@terrynewsome6698]

@@cerealport2726 I count it as humanitarian aid. It is better that they live thanks to a bushmaster tanking a mine, then them burning to death in a mt lb.

[@Mizonoob]

Tbh i joined some pro Russian telegram channel to know the other side of the news. There are quite a no of videos / photos of the destroyed bushmaster. Hell they even photoshop and flip the photo just to make fun of Australia ( you know australian jokes)

[@cerealport2726]

@@terrynewsome6698 I'm pretty sure Russia sees it as military aid, and that's significant on a diplomatic level. Yes, it's good the Bushmasters stop injuries and death, and i am in no way supporting Russia, but it is just my worthless opinion that Australia should have steered clear of this mess as much as possible.

[@cerealport2726]

@@Mizonoob This is the problem, most people only see the anti-Russian side of events, and a lot is just as biased as the pro-Russian side. I have nothing to gain from "supporting" any side, and just hope the killing stops quickly. The truth is the first casualty of war.

[@gabrielfraser2109]

Thanks for this coverage, Cappy. When my uncle was in school, in modern-day Northern Namibia, the hot-spot for the SA border war, his school bus would trail behind a CASPIR, so it could take any mines meant for the bus.

[@leobard7767]

We fought the Ruskies ALONE in Angola and Mozambique! While the world lauded Nelson, who was trained to use limpet mines in Moscoward. its all so FUGLY!

[@Mariusmjvr]

They never could face up to the SA army, they attacked children and other soft targets.

[@kapunda6741]

@@Mariusmjvr you should speak to some of the guys from 32 Battalion. According to them, the guys who did most of the fighting, PLAN was not so bad if you take into account their weapons and training.

[@JUDALATION]

Why the hell was the SA Apartheid army even fighting them... yall should have just gone back to Portugal @@Mariusmjvr

[@Lafly84]

The problem with welding armor onto the 998s was that the frames and bodies were never designed to handle the weight. I can't tell you how many oil pans we damaged because of the suspension being maxxed out even before combat loads were added. The Maxxpro and Maxxpro plus were improvements, but then you ran into center of gravity problems, Saw a lot of them with intact cabins after IED strikes, but also saw a lot with little holes in them from EFPs. Saw the Romanians using them for route clearance on route 1 in Afghan, replacing their BMPs and BTRs. Big question for both the police and Ukrainians is vehicle maintenance - a lot of the work needed can't be done in the field.

[@Casperthefriendlyghost82]

That truck saved my life. It is my best friend. Thank you International

[@michaelboyce3227]

Just wanted to thank you for explaining things from both sides, not picking one, and letting the viewer make up their own mind. Anyone watching that's not subscribing on that alone is insane in my mind!

[@theginger6339]

I think that South Africa is underrated in terms of military technologies. I am sure it has to do with its origins as a British Colony/asset through WW2 which exposed it to a rapid global arms race. But SA has made some impressive vehicles and firearms. Not to mention they have a sizable military.

[@yainja]

The operative word is HAD…..Both the arms industry and Military have been gutted in SA by the rampant corruption of the ANC government. We currently have no Airforce or Navy to speak of. The Army is but a shadow of it’s former self. Our munitions production company Denel is now so dysfunctional that ammunition for the army and police has to imported from Brazil!

[@CastorRabbit]

@@yainja Good

[@gordonferrar7782]

@@yainja but I read somewhere that it has a massive PMC base. Basically coups are us out of South Africa. I know when Simon Mann got on the plane for the coup in Equatorial Guinea the bulk of his men were South Africans with Nick Du Toit being involved. I'm not surprised soon as the ANC took over South Africa it would completely go to shit and alot of the veterans of the wars against Soviet backed Angola and Namibia would get on their bike. 1000s of Zimbabwe/Rhodesians and Saffers fought in the British army in Iraq and Afghanistan god knows how many fought for the Americans and Aussies and continue to do so.

[@rexsceleratorum1632]

@@CastorRabbit SA is a cautionary tale for revolutionaries who set about dismantling "the system" and its institutions with good intentions but little else. But then the entire Communist Bloc was an even worse cautionary tale and nobody learned much.

[@gordonferrar7782]

@@rexsceleratorum1632 you know what they say about good intentions.

[@philipsweetnam4294]

It was designed for the military wing of the South African police called "Koevoet" they were based out of Oshakati in Northern Namibia during the border War. They were very effective in the border war and later deployed to the townships during the riots and unrest that still plagues South Africa to this day.

[@dimassalazar906]

Love reading the comments, I was a MRAP FSR that was embedded with Marine and Army units on COBs and FOBs from 07 to 2013 Iraq and Afghanistan.

[@markputnam4902]

I worked for a machine shop that made a very good majority of the parts as far as the armor plating went for these Force Protection Vehicles ( Cheetah "fast response vehicle", Cougar "assault vehicle" Buffalo"transport in mine sweeper everyone should recognize this one from Transformers"). I actually went out to Charleston on the old air base one time for a demonstration, I was lead over the department when we got the contract. It was really cool they blew up an remote control F-150 and then actually drove a Buffalo over the same type of mine. Once they explain them to me and I understood lot of the specs and how they were built after seeing the blueprints I understood how many lives were going to be saved by these, I was really proud to be making them and we made high quality parts, these things actually have two huls an outer and an inner and a lot of those vehicle the Buffalo in particular is accessible from inside the cab so even if it was disabled there are certain things you would be able to maintenance and fix from inside they put a lot of thought into them they saved a lot of lives. Thank you to any and all American soldiers God bless each and every one of you and your family for their sacrifice Thank You All, also thank you for the video keep up the great work.

[@Concord003]

Thank you for telling this story. It's a nice touch and an interesting addition to the video.

[@markputnam4902]

@@Concord003 Thank you for your interest. I hope you have a great night

[@TokiDesha]

When I saw how MRAPs were torn apart at 12:45, I almost cried. Here, in Ukraine we are going into offensives on pickups and other civilian vehicles, therefore an MRAP upgrade is really a no brainer for us. Moreover, we were receiving Humvees since 2014 and learned how to maintain them, I believe we can handle MRAPs too. Of course, it is better to use Abrams and Bradleys for the case, but costs, maintenance and logistics are a big question.

[@bandittwothree3765]

from someone who lived out of an MRAP, they're amazing, just be super cognizant about rollovers, especially near water. they're heavy, so soil near canals/water can give way and Sir Isaac Newton takes over. the majority of deaths in MRAPs came from rollovers, either the gunner getting thrown or crushed (use the gunner restraint seatbelt system), or the crew being trapped underwater, when the vehicle is oriented on its side, the doors can't be opened -- too heavy. Every vehicle needs a tow-strap that can support ripping doors off if operating near water. One weird thing is that despite having a higher center of gravity than the hmmwv, my MRAP felt less "tippy" off-road, probably because it had a better engine/transmission that could power it's way through.

[@joeybobbie1]

Glory to Ukraine and glory to the Heroes. Big Salute from Texas.👍❤️🇺🇦

[@TokiDesha]

@@bandittwothree3765 Thanks for the advice, mate!

[@bigtimepimpin666]

Are you Ukrainian? Or a foreign volunteer? Everyone in the Americas is rooting for you. You are accomplishing the impossible. At great cost, sadly. It is amazing. Hope the current corrupt Russia crumbles for having attacked a peaceful neighbor.

[@TokiDesha]

@@bigtimepimpin666 Thank you for your support! If not for the US and Europe help we've already been done for - Russia has a lot more resources than us. But with help from American and European people we are able to fight back and take back our cities. I know, the progress is not always fast, but we are fighting a strong enemy. I am Ukrainian, btw)

[@blogsfred3187]

This brings back memories, I was part of the field trail the wolf in 1977 in rundu,the precursor to the buffel, and casspir. This was a armoured shell on a unimog. We had to sort out the movement between the chassis and the sprung box. Main issue was the gearbox linkage…never worked, so drivers cab was separated out from floating shell, and gave the buffel…

[@ivanintech]

Great video highlighting what a lot people whining about aid to Ukraine are missing - how much of the equipment being sent would otherwise be deprecated and disposed of

[@con6lex]

I talked with our local Sherrif about their armored Bearcat. They said the most common use was evacuating innocent people away from homes where somebody violent was holed up. They can run the vehicle up close, get people to run out and into the back of the bearcat, and then they drive them around corner, all under protection from small arms fire.

[@tonymorris4335]

Except finding situations where that's a thing is almost impossible. However, you can go and find a lot of these being used during protests as a way to intimidate civilians. I'm a disabled veteran, proud American, but the cops don't need this shit except in the areas of cities with gang violence.

[@Hellhound23691]

@@tonymorris4335 Thing is this, armored vehicles intended for civilian police use can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars that most PDs just don’t have. When a PD can get an MRAP for free via 10-33 grants, they’re going to do it. It’s just cheaper.

[@matthewzito6130]

I feel like a relatively fast wheeled vehicle with decent armor protection would be useful for a variety of support roles in conventional warfare.

[@Curmudgeon2]

Glad you used video of MS Congressman Gene Taylor in your video. He was the one that actually went to check on the up armoring of vehicles and found that (I have been to the one that did the M113 and same problem) the government workers there were working a little and as slowly as possible in order to stretch it out and keep jobs......don't give a d*mn about soldier's lives as long as they keep their well paid, low work load jobs. That is also the reason that it used to take months to get replacement parts or even things like D batteries through the supply system. As with many of Taylor's investigative reports.......congress pretty much ignored it. It seems that other than photo ops of them going YEA! Troops!, they really don't give a d*mn.

[@innovationscode9909]

Excellent storytelling and narration An insightful revelation of the MRAP development program

[@elliotbollard]

Would love a similar video detailing the features and effectiveness of the Australian "Bushmaster"

[@SamsTopBarBees]

It always fascinates me to see how the logistics of conducting a war work. Thanks for sharing.

[@jacqueshickley]

The story of South Africa's mine resistant vehicles began much earlier in Rhodesia and they were really ugly things. But I guess you focused more on the Casper because it fits into the US MARP story.

[@Taskandpurpose]

Yes exactly ! I wanted to go back as far as possible without going too far back . It’s always difficult to pick where to start a story because a lot of times you can usually trace it back to WW2 or WW1 if you really want to dive deep.

[@masterofrockets]

Great Point

[@Jukka85]

@@Taskandpurpose Then why most of the footage was of the International MaxxPro? Really confusing imo.

[@bordersw1239]

“May look more menacing than it really is “ who’s she kidding?

[@PrograError]

@@bordersw1239 tbh most of our visuals came from the US / NATO war on terror rather than the SA insurgency... hence "militarization"

[@English_Lessons_Pre-Int_Interm]

01:48 dude, with your torso sticking out of the truck, you have got my like. I wish more KZbinrs used this technique. p.s. 06:20 too

[@henrech]

I can't help thinking about what the best chances to contribute now are, there are suppositions however a little later I figure out these conclusions don't make any difference as an entirely unexpected development work out with the stocks they examined in that..

[@starcar23]

Understanding your financial needs and chalking out a plan remains the smart way to prepare for the unexpected. 11yrs in investing space and extremely pleased with the decision I made. The good news is - it’s not too late, I'll suggest you find a mentor or someone with experience guide you especially in this recession.

[@louizb123]

I did check her out, I see she's booked up, her creds/resumé is topnotch. I booked a consultation with her regardless

[@jamofbob715]

What the fuck are you all talking about?

[@butterbean7814]

What?

[@butterbean7814]

Bot?

[@skachkoveugene]

Having MRAPS even as a transportation vehicle would be very much beneficial since it will replace an outdated unprotected KRAZ or even school buses that were used to transport soldiers early during the invasion. We need more of them!

[@michaelcraig58]

PLEASE do a episode on the ZASTAVA M19..this has the be one of the coolest guns to come out in the last few years

[@m1k3droid]

Police in the US have, once they got an MRAP, started using them to do little things like serve a warrant on a non-violent / non-drug charge just "for training" but winding up causing standoffs when people freak when the tank shows up at their door.

[@jackray1337]

One of the various roles for an MRAP Cougar could be as a forward supply vehicle in a hot zone. When people were negative about the tracked M113 being sent to Ukraine, I thought it could have various non-combat roles. Ukrainians have used those a lot, and even in combat. Ukrainians figure out how to make use of and modify things in surprising ways.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

They immediately started riding on top like US troops in Vietnam. Leaves room inside for supplies.

[@allangibson8494]

The Australian Army sent some of their surplus up armoured and up engined M113AS4’s - they can be identified by the six road wheels (up from the standard M113’s five) and a turret on some examples. They are basically the stretch limo version of the M113 but the Bushmaster has better armour.

[@nvelsen1975]

But why use that? DAF, Rheinmetall and Iveco all offer supply trucks with armoured cabins, off-the-shelf, much cheaper, and they don't guzzle diesel like there's too much of the stuff.

[@allangibson8494]

@@nvelsen1975 The “armored” trucks can’t survive an antitank mine blast - the flat floors of the cab just results in the cab being ripped off and thrown into the sky with lethal results to the crew (and joy for the opposition who get to loot the trucks cargo). Russia also makes armored cabs for their trucks. The Ukrainian army thanks the Russians for the resulting ammunition resupply. Most of the US casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan were truck drivers who hit IED’s or mines.

[@nvelsen1975]

@@allangibson8494 An MRAP isn't going to survive a mine that can knock out an MBT either. I'm not talking about some 40 year old American truck with some sheet metal welded on it. They're pretty good platforms that can carry a lot, quickly, behind sufficient armour. Whereas the MRAP can barely carry anything at all, slowly, while slurping fuel at an alarming rate. It's not a supply truck, don't use it as such. It's basically just the German A7V argument all over again.

[@thornshar]

Not only interested in seeing you do a video on militarization-of-police, but I would also love to hear some of your thoughts on how those same issues impacted how American troops were perceived in Iraq. You know, light, feel-good, fluff topics like that. :) Good luck!

[@angelostriandos6659]

Nice work Cappy. Every success comes with a price, JLTV is the successor vehicle which could be used against conventional army, city terrain and is MRAP protectected. In the near future we will need globally more MRAP grade or to some degree mine resistant armoured cars cuz wars are fought in cities.

[@PrograError]

IMO the old MRAP can still serve, just not in frontline stuff. sometimes you just need something specialized in a single thing compared to everything... f35 comes to mind

[@Buck123four]

ALL MRAPS provide protection; just don't try to take them into soft soil. 8 times outta 10 they will get stuck.

[@realbhopwood]

That Maxx Force is a beast on JP8 no restrictions. Top speed clocked @96mph.

[@averymackey2966]

It was worth it to me and all my Marines who's lives were saved. Edit: the MRAP should only be used for transport in and out of hot zones. It'll be annihilated in a combat role

[@tomk3732]

Well, but they do not have anything else - some M113s and some other light duty stuff. Yeah it gets creamed.

[@kensnyder9372]

Hear Hear !!

[@larrystuder8543]

The Humvee was originally intended to be a equivalent to the Jeep- an all purpose transportation machine to replace marching or riding in trucks.

[@salman.1st]

I like all your videos but this one is my favorite since it describes the opposite side of my personal observation being an Iraqi teenager during the occupation. I have lived through the development of Iraqi IEDs. I actually had a friend who died while rigging an IED. The extra humvee fortification forced Iraqis to adapt stronger bombs. Once, an IED exploded a humvee and the extra thick passenger door was left on the side of the road for a while. Basically, the bomb was strong enough that the door was dislocated and flew far away from the rest of the vehicle.

[@Hellodumbbitchs]

wow what a story thanks for sharing

[@patrickelliott-brennan8960]

Very succinct and clear presentation. Thanks :)

[@thelegionisnotamused8929]

Two things: 1. Better than the vehicle my friends died in Iraq. 2. Good luck maintaining that.

[@andrewk_abroad]

Would be great if you could do a review on the Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle deployed and compared it to the MRAP

[@Mikh1235]

Russians attached logs to the vehicles because of mud during spring invasion. They used them as a base to slip out if they got stuck in a mud.

[@jason258]

In Afghanistan, I primarily drove the MATV and occasionally our squads MAXXPRO. I'll admit, the MAXXPRO was very easy to drive given it's size but if you weren't buckled in and hit any bump, you're bouncing off the ceiling. Our MATV was badass until they retrofitted mufflers on them, I enjoyed hearing that Cat engine roar.

[@ExosLife]

I mean I would argue that they fulfilled their role perfectly. My United went through six of them from IED strikes with a fire team element plus the driver and vehicle commander in vehicles when destroyed, when these vehicles were hit everyone walked away with minimal injuries. If it was another vehicle that may not be the case.

[@tzinchdisciple]

I knew Oshkosh had to do something with this vehicle from a first sight. Here in Israel we use this kind of tech extensively and there was a recent development, resulting in a new infantry vehicle.

[@g00gleisgayerthanaids56]

Is that because it literally says oshkosh on it?

[@SER-d7e]

Hello from Ukraine. Thanks for the help. There is a photo of these vehicles that exploded on a mine and saved the lives of soldiers.

[@nairbsggirb1718]

Love the District 9 shoutout. Huge fan. If only they could get their act together for the forever-awaited sequel.

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

15:28 the MRAP should be used as an APC to ferry troops to the front. It is insane to use them in frontline fighting as they where never designed for that.

[@knoll9812]

Agree not near the front line. However they would be useful in minefields. Problem is that Ukraine is artillery and missile war.

[@ralphlivingston894]

This is a very interesting video. It illustrates some of the complex contradictions in military procurement. I was getting angry every day during the Iraq war… The soldiers dying every single day seems like a giant F up. Your video makes clear that these decisions are not as clear-cut as we wish them to be. Thank you.

[@syjiang]

I remember vividly back then the passion and inflammed emotions around the issue. Alas, us outside observers don't get a glance at the downside opportunity costs until decades later.

[@leeming1317]

10:20 largest fastest industrial mobilization since WWII Incredible! 🥰

[@megafauna8374]

Australia has supplied Ukraine with 90 Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles. It has a primary armament turret (remote or manned) .50 cal MG or 40mm AGM and and 3 swing mounted 7.62 MG's. It has more than fair ballistic and IED protection (V shaped hull) and will carry a 9 man infantry squad. It's also air conditioned, serves cold beer, and is equipped with 3 surfboards and a BBQ.

[@TalesOfWar]

AC is actually pretty common in modern armoured vehicles, but it isn't for the crew lol. It's to keep the components (usually computers in more fancy gear) cool. It's a happy benefit.

[@geopolitix7770]

Was great to see Aussie contributing those

[@bunzeebear2973]

I was sold when you said cold beer

[@basilpunton5702]

The Bushmaster was in production before the year 2000. The US/UK mode of thinking did not lend them to logical conclusions. They were locked into big war GROUP THINK. But most wars are guerrilla and need these type of assets. So to get rid of MRAP assets is to hinder future operations. MRAP should be used only as battlefield taxis, not as main combat assets. To get infantry to the fight. Weapons that are mounted are for self defence against infantry, not for attacking.

[@zagan1]

Yes and the Ukraine forces really like them. Alas though Ukraine isn't Iraq and the Russians have weapons that simply blow them up, like armour doesn't exist. That's been the big point with all the NATO stuff all super technical and pretty much when GPS is blocked is completely useless. And the Russian missiles are much much better than what the US ever expected.

[@EmersonContreras005]

I fought the war of 1903 these trucks were lifesavers, my grandfather and I were drivers in our divisions Crazy days back then bro

[@jimklein5491]

One underrated (and underreported) benefit from the MRAP being used by civilian police forces is it's rescue capacity. A lot of us live near rivers that flood and the high wheels alow rescue workers to reach folks that would otherwise have to wait for flatboats or even helicopters which don't have the space an MRAP has to begin with.

[@granatmof]

Honestly I think the bright colored MRAPS for medical evac, SAR etc look pretty cool. I think a big issue with civilian police forces is the desire to look tacti-cool. Police don't need to wear dark clothes that are hard to see, they need to wear bright colors that stand out. Police presence should be a deterrent to crime itself. And if aggression is something they are meant to combat, then their uniform should be a color that has been shown to calm people down: bepto bismal pink. So police, if truly invested in public safety and security should be where pink high vis uniforms and their vehicles should be the same. It's hard to afraid of police if they're going around town in a pink uniform and a pink car

[@wallythewondercorncake8657]

Also a lot of people don't realise that the police get them pretty much for free as surplus. Same reason why you see SWAT in camo uniforms

[@agonzgonzalez7748]

Couldn’t lifted trucks do rescue for much cheaper?

[@wallythewondercorncake8657]

@@agonzgonzalez7748 The police pay fuck all for MRAPs, they're surplus.

[@jimklein5491]

@@agonzgonzalez7748 Well, you don't get much cheaper than free. But practically, no. I haven't seen the good ol' boys be able to get into some places a high wheel can. And I haven't seen a dozen dudes shoved into the bed of a F150 since high school.

[@caelum2185]

Cappy randomly popping in the vehicles is such a mood.

[@carknower]

The one thing I am extremely great-full from Congress is that they actually spent the money for these MRAPs and that they urgently pushed them to the field. Nothing scarier than going out into theater mounted in a HMMWV

[@richardcostello360]

Considering Australia was selling BushMasters to the British and Dutch at the start of this conflict...... your government wasted massive amounts of time, money and lives to cobble together this subpar vehicle that doesn't even allow you to use a RCSWS /CROWs mounting under armour when it was first introduced over 15 years after the BushMaster was launched with that ability 🤦

[@Huckleberry68]

@@richardcostello360 🤓

[@joelbellJB]

A lot of people have problems with police using military equipment, but the issue is police accountability. We need our elected representatives to hold our law enforcement agencies accountable when they do something wrong.

[@RogersGirl88]

Hahaha yeah right. The government is completely taken over by leftist extremists who use law enforcement and the military to enrich themselves and eliminate their political opposition. But keep votin’ for “the good guys”.

[@Mighty_Atheismo]

Good luck sliding that past frothy mouth back the blue types

[@DavidPage-u7x]

I agree. I have no problem with police getting non-weaponized MRAPs.

[@williamtheconqueror2719]

Police are frequently attacked for completely justified responses so they are held accountable even when they do nothing wrong.