The MRAP: Eating Landmines for Breakfast

[@TrueOpinion99]

Got blown up in an RG33 back in 2011; the IED disconnected our crew compartment from the engine compartment, and we ended up on its roof, so we were pointed back the way we were driving looking at our engine. Our spare tire was sent 700-meters over a hill, our Mk19 was sent straight up in the air, and we lost all of our extra personal equipment (they were secured in the exterior storage baskets). We had to MEDEVAC three of the six in my truck, and four of us earned Purple Hearts (just me and my LT didn't get hurt). Got ambushed as soon as the IED went off, but that didn't last long because there were a pair of Apaches nearby already, and they helped us roll the guys up. Damn truck probably saved our lives as best as it could.

[@johnh8268]

Thank you for your service!

[@VintageBlacklist]

Thank you for your service!

[@tedthesailor172]

Glad you got back safe. That IED must've been a whopper...

[@andrewgriffin4528]

Saved my life too brother, similar story IED/RPG initiated ambush. RPG hit my MRAP and that vehicle is why I'm here

[@johnholbrooks4394]

Damn brother, where did this happen?

[@BadwolfRuin]

I helped put so many of these back together when I was deployed to Afghanistan. I still find it amazing how much punishment theses things can take. Some of the half inch armor was warped from the explosions that it looked like crumpled paper, sometimes only the main body would be left intact, but were still able to be repaired and sent back out.

[@cjoin83]

One of the FOBs I was stationed at in Afghanistan had a graveyard of dozens of vehicles that had hit IED's. The MRAPs were pretty mangled but there were a dozen or so ANA Toyota Hiluxes that were so mangled you could barely tell what they were.

[@bertram-raven]

@@cjoin83 I wonder how many ANA Hiluxes were not really ANA or served a "duel role."

[@kawasakieddy61]

I dragged a MATV cab down the street everyone made it out

[@PrograError]

@@bertram-raven CIA / spec ops huh?

[@zen8704]

@@PrograErroror insurgents posing as ANA?

[@mmaadddog1]

This video makes me proud to be a MRAP mechanic. First mechanic job ive ever had that felt like my job actually means something.

[@seanpurdy8230]

Mad respect

[@peterjohn3180]

Would that be a while ago? America has given many away as surpluses as they don't really have a use for them so police and Ukraine etc has many.

[@samtung83]

​@peterjohn3180 It was around 2005 when I left Navy and worked at BAE systems. They had just got the contract. I was tasked with steam cleaning and preparation of the hull prior to the build operation. Side note: I also cleaned the returning armored vehicles from the war. Crazy things in the cracks and crevices like bullets, letters, blood, and pictures. Still felt like I was serving over there.

[@mmaadddog1]

@@peterjohn3180 We have plenty in service right now. At the location I'm at right now we have at least 5 years worth of MATVs and MAXXPROS schedule to come through us.

[@renemunoz8965]

It does bro.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

My favourite MRAP is the Force Protection Ocelot (Foxhound) It was designed in conjunction with Ricardo, the Formula 1 technology company. Applying knowledge from F1, specifically fast pitstops and rapid repair, the Foxhound can be repaired from mine damage in a few hours. Many of its parts are universal rather than specific to a quadrant (offside and nearside, front and rear) so you need less spares and can grab any part regardless of which quarter got blown up. The drive train is very modular and can be entirely swapped out in a few hours. And it's fast and handles really well. And it's situationally modular too, you swap out the "back" to create a patrol vehicle or ambulance or whatever, in minutes for that.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

10:28 ok, yeah, definitely would like to see a video on the Ocelot/Foxhound. Its design requirements are fascinating, it needed to be small, agile and less threatening than something like a Cougar. And the Formula 1 technology transfer used is absolutely amazing. But there is precious little information on KZbin about it, it really deserves a good and long video.

[@ZackShark1]

Ocelot? Foxhound? dontsayitdontsayitdontsayitdontsayit

[@MostlyPennyCat]

@@ZackShark1 A Hind D? Colonel...

[@NobleOmnicide]

As an OIF '03 veteran, I laugh when I think about the HMMWVs we had when we first crossed the border into Iraq compared to the MRAPs. I'm glad our troops got MRAPs afterwards.

[@khalifgreen581]

I was with 1st armored division and we had soft skinned hmmwvs in 03 to 04. My company was issued 2 armored ones halfway through the deployment.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

And then there was our British troops in... _checks notes_ A Land Rover Defender. 🤢 With a few inches of composite armour slapped on.. 🤢🤢🤢 _Eventually_ this was replaced with the _superb_ Force Protection Ocelot/Foxhound ❤❤❤

[@MostlyPennyCat]

The Foxhound doesn't have all those handling/bounce problems listed at the end of the video. Designed in conjunction with Ricardo (the Formula 1 people), its suspension and handling is incredible. It's got all of their F1 quick change and quick repair technology too. And not just in the "small" category, it was designed to be non-threatening.

[@NobleOmnicide]

@@MostlyPennyCat Props to you guys for being there with us. It does crack me up you guys were still using a little SUV. For what it's worth, our Humvee's had vinyl doors so we just took them off. We literally had zero armor.

[@MrJesiah3]

I was also there during the crossing assigned to a Transportation BN from Eustis that was attached to 3ID. Everything we had was light metal or plastic (HMMWV doors). 😂😂.

[@willemsmit9885]

Koos De Wet was the designer of the Casspir and the Buffel and many more including the redesign of the Australian Bushmaster. He deserves more credit.

[@Shinzon23]

Yes, his designs are a cornucopia of weird but effective.

[@MrSimonw58]

Half brother of Koos Kombuis and de Wet Barry

[@longiusaescius2537]

Exact

[@stephenchisadza4975]

I am almost certain he was working with Rhodesian designers as the Rhodesian army was using a number of vehicles with this design in the 1970s. They had vehicles like the Crocodile troop carrier, the kudu police vehicles as well as the leopards.

[@Shylockza]

Indeed, we supplied the creativity that is taken for granted all around the world today. Buffel saved my ass a couple of times :)

[@jacobosgood3513]

Great video! I ran as a Vehicle Commander in the arm control seat in the Buffalo for ~15 months from '07-'09. We used it to safely unearth several dozen IEDs and survived the blast from several more. It beat the hell out of the dismounted route clearance missions we also ran during that time.

[@Steve-ze8oe]

Simon - a suggestion for you to expand on a niche within the MRAP universe would be to cover the mine clearing capability of the Husky 1-man mine clearing vehicle. They were essentially an MRAP built for a single driver/operator with the sole mission of finding IEDs. You briefly covered the Buffalo and its mine clearing mission, but the Husky usually worked in tandem with the Buffalo, where the Husky would find the hidden explosive threat and either deal with it directly or back off and let the Buffalo take care of it if the explosive was too large or complex. I spent a year in the Husky cockpit and can tell you from personal experience that there was no safer place in a convoy than the Husky.

[@PrograError]

that MRAP sound like it'd be perfect for Ukrainian de-mining efforts... tho it might need to be cheaper...

[@jwallace410]

@Steve-ze8oe Amen Bro, I loved those things! Had guys fighting over who'd drive the Husky for the next mission😂 Aco 2bstb 101st Sapper Beast!

[@jaelwyn]

​@PrograError As far as the mines go, sure. The problem is when the shells start dropping on your head while you're sitting there trying to deal with the mines. Or the attack helicopter pops up and you're smack in their crosshairs.

[@michaelhughes7668]

I second that. Why are there hardly any of these in Ukraine? It's not like as if you need to hoard those many hundreds for anything...

[@JPKyle-ro3sn]

It would be great if a comparison between the MRAP and the Bushmaster could be done. The Bushmaster trucks are currently in Ukraine at the moment.

[@thomasbrand2650]

My entire company once got stuck in a massive dune. The hmmwv's, the LMTV's, and the MaxxPros. But not me. I was driving an RG33. Flipped the switch into 6-wheel drive and moved right up to the front. Then I spent the next few hours pulling every damn vehicle out lol. Mine was definitely a bit of a death trap though. The pneumatics to open the doors didn't work, so I had to get in and out via the gunners hatch, and it *did not* have a fire suppression system in it either. The HALON bottles had been removed at some point and we couldn't get new ones. But damn I loved that thing.

[@SV-Flying-Tigress]

My first cousin, a Marine, Marty was killed in Falluja by an IED that blew his hummer up. I'm glad they are getting the guys something better.

[@yojanrixl3630]

I thought marines were on the water

[@SV-Flying-Tigress]

@@yojanrixl3630 no, they are under the department of the navy. Used mostly in land warfare, as aircrew, at embassy's and on ships as well.

[@Slipzedits]

@@yojanrixl3630the marines are their own branch but operate under the navy so basically the navy’s infantry

[@Braxton-m8w]

​@@yojanrixl3630marines are basically armed frogs, as they operate in both water and on land

[@DirtySlapper99]

It's a bloody disgrace that he was in a hummvy. Hummer is the civilian version and with the trimings they'd have been alot better but still not something you'd send blokes out in. I do business daily with afgan hazara,s and I can tell you they're hearts break for your loss. I truly believe he didn't die in vain. I'll meet you in the middle of the air marty

[@jmanj3917]

I know several people, including myself, who are still alive because of these vehicles made by OshKosh. Those things were awesome.

[@MrSGL21]

you were lucky. a freind of mine from high school, Capt Dan Eggers US army was killed when his humvee hit a russian antitank mine in Afghanistan. he was one of the the 1st deaths there.

[@jamesjross]

B'Gosh!

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Yet people insist it was a waste of money. Too heavy. Too expensive. Easy for them to say. They weren't the ones patrolling routes daily ready to get slammed by a bunch of 155mm shells. Nothing against the JTLV. I have no idea how effective it is at protecting people. Yet give me an IFV or an MRAP please. I wonder how hard it is to drive. Not much vision.

[@robertduluth8994]

What nation did you invade?

[@nicholasbrown668]

​​​@@dianapennepacker6854to be fair with benefit of hindsight it kind of was a waste of money in the long term, MRAPS are getting torn up in Ukraine, they just aren't viable vehicles for a peer to peer conflict but they are remarkable vehicles for insurgencies. there was just never a reason to produce as many as we did (and now after the fact, the DOD is trying to offload as many MRAPS as they can) the JLTV has for all accounts been praised as a platform and shows remarkable mine resistant capabilities. pretty much every MRAP sent yo Ukraine is taking HEAVY casualties and losses with I believe almost 200 destroyed in the last half year according to Oryx

[@REELxMULLINS]

one major thing you didn't cover about the MRAP was how much more comfortable they were compared to everything that came before it. I absolutely loved my swing/hammock seat as a gunner. 50% of my time was either in that seat or just sitting on the roof in the turret with gun between my legs.

[@ShepherdOfTheSilkies]

Pretty sure they got those seats from the MTVR and LVSR.

[@boddaboom77]

I've heard the AC in an MRAP is actually uncomfortably cold if left running for a long time.

[@KillaAkuma]

Thanks for the video. I drove a maxxpro and a up armored caiman while I was deployed to Iraq. Maxxpro has the worst suspension ever made, whoever thought putting coil spring suspension on a truck that weighs that much is an idiot. Every pot hole was a nightmare for this truck. Caiman was like driving a very large sports car, it handled like a dream. With the up armor hanging off the sides it was very top heavy but it was a great truck.

[@TheLantzMann]

The Maxxpro in Iraq was the first variant and had leaf spring suspension and solid axles and yes it was a very rough ride. They did make a variant with independent suspension and coil springs that was a very smooth ride but those only went to Afghanistan so I think your memory of the Maxxpro is wrong. I was there in both Iraq and Afghanistan for almost a decade with counter terrorism and used just about all of them at onetime or another

[@WaywardVet]

I am so glad I served at the time MRAPs were just being fielded. No final design had been settled on, so we had maybe 6 different types fielded to my unit. Some similar but made by different contractors, others wildly specialized for specific tasks. Good times!

[@thomashaapalainen4108]

I'm not sure what your role was but I'm sure the maintenance and logistics guys didn't enjoy having to field 6 different type to one unit.

[@WaywardVet]

@@thomashaapalainen4108 LOL, 19D. We had at least 1 platoon on route clearance most of the time. So we had the Buffalo, the Cougar, whatever the thing that looks like a sand grader is... essentially nothing with the same parts as the next thing, and we are breaking things, baby!!

[@WaywardVet]

(Buffalo is still the Cadillac of MRAP. Air Conditioning, remote turret, handy-dandy scooping arm. Plenty of room.)

[@jamesjross]

why are you talking about "your service" in KZbin comments? You're either lying or betraying a code. You don't talk about your service on anonymous social media. Because (as you should know). it encourages every fantasist with a keyboard to claim they served after playing cod. Do better Silverback

[@WaywardVet]

@jamesjross Umm, because we talk facts here? And Silverback isn't me, that was one of my 1SGs, named after the gorilla, because he'd crush idiots. Like you.

[@randallreed9048]

I am very proud of the work that I did on the Cougar I and II and the Buffalo Route Clearance vehicle. I was the team lead for the Operator and Maintainer documentation for the Buffalo that topped out at 12,800 pages of technical manual. The inside joke was that there was so much documentation for the vehicle that a paper copy of all 12,800 pages could not even fit inside the very large (8 energy-absorbing seats) crew compartment! Not a week went by that the employees of Force Protection did not receive a letter, email, or text that began, "Your MRAP saved my life (or my husband, son, daughter, etc.) today when we were hit by an IED." Those messages kept us going through some very high-pressured and stressful times. Good video (although more than a few MRAP photos shown in the video attributed to other manufacturers were actually early Cougar I 6x6 MRAPS)!

[@jaelwyn]

And here I expected the joke to be that the documentation was the anti-mine protection...

[@PigSticker-wm2tq]

Would you support a a peace deal to end the Ukraine war?

[@randallreed9048]

@@jaelwyn Good one!

[@johnwick8756]

After doing route clearance in Iraq September 06 to December 07 I honestly do not believe that I know a lot of my friends would be alive today without these trucks I have seen them take massive hits. I once had a 1555 mm artillery shell along with about 80 lb of HME (home made explosives) go off less than 10 feet from me ended up with a collapsed lung and concussion but I lived

[@B0tch0]

They would all be alive and many others, if the US didn't invade a sovereign country without reason...

[@nomercyinc6783]

terrorist supporting nations serve the world no purpose and are not sovereign nations. the middle east serves the world no purpose outside of its oil. @@B0tch0

[@HIFLY01]

1555mm? They brought out the death star with that

[@alexreitler]

For anyone who is confused, he probably meant 155mm shell, those are common.

[@ArizonaHotSauce]

I hear ya and glad to know you made it out alive and Ok today. My convoy ran into a pressure plate IED with 3x 155mm rounds. 4x KIA happened right in front of me. And later my own truck hit another IED with 50lbs of HME, but luckily no injuries. Simon could do a standalone video of the types of IEDs on this channel. Pressure plates, daisy chains, command det, remote det, HME variants, EFPs (which I saw a few of the rhino mounts in this video used to trigger them), and more...

[@jawsdawg1]

I saw a Cougar JERRV (EOD variant) that took an IED made of 3 russian rockets. All 4 occupants returned, with no critical injuries, to Kandar Air Base. The vehicle, although disabled, was repaired at the base and returned to service.

[@monty11bravo]

I am in a wheelchair due to an IED, my MRAP, saved our asses in Afghanistan in 2009. God Bless Saint MRAP

[@WeimerResearch]

We’re beyond thankful for your sacrifice to our way of life. Thank you brother.

[@monty11bravo]

@@WeimerResearch i appreciate you and thank you.

[@danahan01]

Thank you for your service sir!!

[@janpapai9205]

Shouldnt have been there in the first place tho

[@freakygardener8033]

God bless our veterans!!! 🇺🇸👍🇺🇸👍🇺🇸

[@seanpurdy8230]

I have to make a comment on the timing of MRAPs for the US. The US Army Combat Engineers were using two Buffalos in Iraq based out of Camp Victory as early as 2004. This was used with different escorts (Bradleys and M1A2s) solo. By late 2005 the RG-31 (direct copy of Mamba) was being used in Afghanistan by Combat Engineers in very limited capacity, usually 3-4 per engineer company. The Cougar was mostly used by EOD. The Engineers continued to used newer iterations of the RG-31 and eventually adopted it as THE vehicle for route clearance with the Mk5E being mixed with the IVMMD and Buffalo. Another caveat: Maxxpro MRAPs were never approved for use by Engineers due to their very limited survivability when the NEW (net explosive weight) exceeded 50 lbs. RG-31 Mk5e could handle 250lbs with ease and no breach of the hull. I mention all this reference to Combat Engineers because it was these Route Clearance Platoons that intentionally sought out IEDs to remove and destroy them from the roads and needed the best protection above all other units during GWOT.

[@CptSideSlider]

Fun fact: during the South african border war the Recces (SOF) were often tasked with going back to an incapacitated Casspir to lay charges and utterly demolish the hull to stop the Soviets getting their grubby mitts on the design and welding techniques.

[@machspeed5025]

Hey Simon, if you're taking requests, I'd love to see a video on the Bushmaster, Australia's armoured personnel carrier which has been in service for almost 2 decades and has recently seen action in the Ukrainian Russian war.

[@playeah1]

no thank you but thanks for watching

[@justins21482]

who are you?@@playeah1

[@joshklaver47]

I second this. The Bushmaster was just adopted by the New Zealand Army as well.

[@skf4skf47]

​@@playeah1idiot.

[@brendanwright5621]

Another vote for this one. Bushmaster is a well designed vehicle.

[@ulisesurbina7184]

On my third and last deployment to Iraq, we had some MRAPs, that were always parked in the front of our RAS, and on one occasion a MRAP came back after surviving an IED. And yeah that MRAP, kept going out.

[@SenorGato237]

I did convoy protection in Iraq. The MaxxPro was trash, couldn't handle the desert well. But that Caiman? That was a sweet truck. So was the RG33, the short bus. You might want to also check out the M1117 ASV, I'd love a video on those.

[@smorris410]

Msn, I miss my Caiman. I deployed to Iraq in 2009 and was the only one in our squad that stuck with my Humvee until they said we couldnt go out the wire with them anymore. Like Simon said in the video, I'd much rather be in a Caiman for an IED, but that Humvee was nice for visibility and mobility. I figured out a way to get out of every ASV class we had. They always seemed like a deathtrap, especially after my rollover with my Caiman.

[@ShadowOppsRC]

We had caimans on flight line that spent most of the time being aircraft support equipment generators when I was in Iraq in 2010 to 2011. We were on the Iran border where it was a hot zone for being engaged bybthe enemy so outlr drone platoon was always flying to try to help prevent ambushes.

[@casual9982]

The force protection MRAP literally saved my life, I'll forever have a soft spot for these beasts❤💪🏼

[@johnsaunders8315]

Simon, if you're going to sing the praises of the MRAP, then you need to deal with the king of IED survivability - the Australian Bushmaster PMV. Not one Aussie life was lost in Afghan or Iraq when an IED was initiated by or near a Bushmaster. There are/were quite a few beaten up vehicles but everyone survived. This is a credit to the advanced engineering and design of the vehicle, not only the armour. Cheers from Down Under!

[@diedampfbrasse98]

"king" ...yawn, practicly the same as the KWM Dingo or a couple of other such wheeled APCs ... none of those are exceptional on the market when it comes to protection levels and adaptations for different tasks. Waste of time trying to rank these vehicles or crown a king, with these kind of military vehicles every few years a new model comes out which makes a small step forward and soon after most of the competition still in production will at least have caught up or overtaken whatever you picked as your king.

[@bradbarker8286]

​@diedampfbrasse98 The Bushmaster is the "King" because it was the catalyst for mass production of these vehicles. The US military witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of the Bushmaster in Iraq and Afghanistan and requested the acquisition of it immediately. Sadly lobbyists insisted the US military continue with their death trap Humvees until they designed their own. It was an extremely shameful chapter.

[@offensivebias1898]

You guys did not deploy even fraction of the MRAPS the US did. It's the whole "Look how good my driving skills are, i've never been in an accident! Uh sir its because you never drive." that the Brits do time to time when comparing to U.S. machines of war.

[@bradbarker8286]

@offensivebias1898 Who is "You guys"? Are you speaking about the Australians? The Australians did develop a highly effective vehicle that inspired the ubiquity of these styles of military vehicles. The Bushmaster was deployed in the war zones alongside the Humvees, and the Americans insisted on adopting the same configuration due to its effectiveness. The sad part is that whilst the US military leaders insisted on adopting the Bushmaster, the politicians refused them and continued to send their soldiers out to die in death traps until they could manufacture their own. The V shaped hull was created by South Africans. The Australian's Bushmaster was the catalyst for their ubiquity.

[@diedampfbrasse98]

just another fool who thinks producing something before others or in larger numbers would make that product the best (or "king" in toddler speech)... utter idiocy with these armchair generals. Joke here is that the Bushmaster wasnt even at the beginning of that development, so you cant even call it the grandpa of that type of vehicle. And by the time they finally saw action direct competition like the Dingo was right with them. Just hilarious these ignorant kids

[@SAPPERJASON1]

I survived a bunch of IED’s in Mosul Iraq because of my truck. We had the first generation RG31 gun truck, Buffalo and cougar. I wouldn’t want to go out in anything but that truck.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

14:40 Bar armour doesn't protect against explosives, it's designed to trigger HEAT warheads early, greatly diminishing their effectiveness both through increased distance to the passengers as well as the air gap not being conducive to the copper jet HEAT creates staying stable and compact before it reaches the inner layer of armour.

[@CCM1199]

Man, I was hit by an IED in the Caiman and RG33 myself. They can take a beating for sure. last deployment was my 4th and final in iraq from 2009-2010. FOB Kalsu, FOB Hammer (for Iraqi Army Training on M1A1 Tanks) and CSC Scania. I was glad when we shut down the bases we need to (Hammer, Scania) before we went home. I help establish most of the bases along Tampa (Scania, Talil AB, Taji, Speicher both at Tikrit and moved later to a stand alone base, Anaconda, Warhorse, Summerall and Caldwell) I dont miss the place as I was in that country for 4 deployments and 45 total months....

[@CowboyTech]

I was working at Camp Pendleton when the Marines received their first deliveries. They signaled their approach by causing all the auto alarms to sound due to the vibration that those vehicles cause by their weight. I was impressed.

[@axelode45]

Can you please make a more in depth video on the process of mine field clearing? And maybe one on underwater mines?

[@nomercyinc6783]

mraps arent designed for mine clearing. at all. the attachment to the front of them can be mounted to tanks and even humvees.

[@axelode45]

@@nomercyinc6783 I didn't know that, interesting

[@NoOne-gm4ml]

@@nomercyinc6783 I was with an engineering unit in '03-04, and we got some of the first stuff from South Africa. 3/4 of the vehicle types were for mine clearing: a Buffalo (lower-right@9:41), and two others that looked like a "Husky VMMD"

[@MisterPlanePilot]

​@@nomercyinc6783yes, certain variants are.

[@EK14MeV]

That cage around the Buffalo is actually to defend against 2-stage penetrator RPGs.

[@ShadowOppsRC]

Yep!

[@strandloper]

I was a Casspir and Buffel (original one built on Mercedes Unimog chassis) driver in the SADF in 1982-83. The video misrepresents the history somewhat, suggesting that the South African Casspir was the first landmine-protected vehicle when it was simply the pinnacle of design in that era. There were numerous other vehicles before it and the original work on this type of vehicle was undertaken by Rhodesia. If you're interested in the early history, I suggest getting a copy of Peter Stiff's 1986 book Taming the Landmine.

[@Ghoulza]

SA and Rhodesia were working closely together but Rhodesia was the first to develop mine-resistant vehicles SA just took and adapted the design and made it better. I'm just amazed it took so long for the US to figure out what we had done in the 70's and 80's. USA and SA were working closely during the border wars so it wasn't like the US had ever seen them before it was new to them

[@strandloper]

@@Ghoulza I imagine that they saw no need for such vehicles in the Cold War era and it was only after 9-11 when they started getting into more asymmetric warfare with enemies deploying IEDs that they saw the need for these types of vehicles.

[@badgermacleod5588]

The Unimog was such a versatile platform. What they couldn't do, field engineers would rig them up to do what they were never supposed to do. I'm not entirely sure, but I think they're still being used in some places.

[@kingsman3087]

@@strandloper those vehicles are expensive and top-heavy

[@JosephDawson1986]

​@@badgermacleod5588unimog is just so very German. Well made, versatile and dependable.

[@MercShame]

I drove the maxxpro plus, Caiman, and rg33. I hated them all because our area in Iraq was mainly farming with very narrow roads. The mraps couldn't go off road because they were all very very top heavy, especially the maxxpro. The weapon also couldn't aim very far down because they were so tall or the turret was close to the front. We tried to take out the Humvees as much as possible and no matter what had one in the convoy. In my opinion the Caiman was the best. Not very top heavy, like the maxxpro, and wasnt a darn bus like the rg33.

[@garyhumphrey8936]

I was a Buffalo operator during OIF 06-07. Very impressive how much they take and then drive away.

[@BlaQBetty2018]

I've been blown up in an up armored humvee, an ASV, and an MRAP. I'll take an MRAP any day!

[@dinsdalemontypiranha4349]

Wow. I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm just glad that you survived all of those disasters.

[@52Ford]

Where'd you serve?

[@frankobarressi7919]

I’d stay away from you.

[@52Ford]

@@frankobarressi7919 😂

[@jaredchamberlain5709]

@@frankobarressi7919at least don’t ride with him 😂 “I’ll meet you there bro I’m just gonna Uber”

[@JamesCooperCrackers2Caviar]

Great video...as always! At an average cost of 500,000, the US spent $13.87B on MRAPs. WOW! That's a huge program! I am thankful for all the lives saved and injuries prevented. I served long before these wars and I can't imagine running over an IED in anything less.

[@russellmcphee72]

The Casspir was originally designed for the South African Police (SAP at the time) The army was using the Buffel.

[@mr-js9is]

Being Marine Corps Infantry, Al Anbar Province 07/08 We were always amazed at the different Mraps that we patrolled with, on foot, IN FRONT OF. Motor T did an incredible job to say the 😘Incredible machines. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@danielm6049]

I live in southern Illinois where the biggest town population is less than 30,000 and most less than 5,000. I know of at least 3 MRAPs, two used by police departments and one for municipal use. They are generally used when the weather gets too rough for the Chargers and Explorers (flooding mostly).

[@philswift791]

We had one of these vet hit by approximately 1500 lbs of explosive in a culvert. It picked the vehicle up like a toy and threw it through the air. When it hit the ground we were certain everyone was dead. Other than a broken leg, and some bruises and small cuts everyone was alive. Just thinking about it makes me almost tear up. Thank you to the designer's and builders of this beast. My friends are still alive because of you. I can never repay that.

[@DogmaticAtheist]

Cage armor (slat armor) is not used for shielding against generic explosions. It's used specifically for anti-tank shoulder fired rockets (RPG, etc). The slats only defeat shaped charge projectiles. Also, wheels are not tires and tires are not wheels. Those are two seperate parts of a whole.

[@tommissouri4871]

For those not understanding how such "flimsy" protection could protect against RPGs and such, these types of weapons explode on contact, some firing a shaped charge designed to burn through the armor, similar to TOW missile. But by having this cage a couple of feet out from the body, the charge goes off early and the shape charge is burning in open air rather than into the armor plating. This was observed early on with simple chain link fencing protection in hostile areas and was designed as a more permanent solution with the slats and bars to intercept these explosives.

[@ntdfmaverick]

By far and wide, the two dominant and most numerous designs were the Maxxpros and the MATVs. Late in the wars, others were considered obsolete, by comparison, and reserved for specific roles only. The MATV deserved a place in this discussion; being one of the most ubiquitous and evolutionary designs.

[@mybirds2525]

The MRAP is a product of the Prototype Integration Facility PIF (Redstone Arsenal Alabama) They gave one of their guys a big chunk of cash to build one in 45 days! He drove off base went to the local drag race track and snapped up every mechanic he could find. Today we have an MRAP that you can remove the engine and transmission and install a new one in 45 minutes! (Think Pit Stop) The mechanics were from around the "Tony International Speedway". I worked around the guys who built it and I have worked on the electronics of the MRAP's and in fact I invented the software diagnostic methods that kept MRAP's in the US fleet. I have been at the Red River Arsenal where they serviced them and did testing etc for the US Army.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

I wonder if they worked on the JTLV. I was just reading people in r/army ranting on that, and that it is a pain in the ass to work on. Also it takes time to start or boot up?

[@PrograError]

@@dianapennepacker6854 prob deign by committee

[@__498]

I would love to see some more in depth infor on the husky and a clear definition of the difference between MRV (mine resistant vehicle) and a MRAP (Mine resistant ambush protected). Personaly I work closely with Huskys, MMPV type 1 & 2 and Buffalos in a route clearance patrol format and woukd love to see that more recognised as i had no clue that my specialty exaosted untill my career began in 2020

[@michaellawrance226]

I'd love to see an episode into modern British armour. The vast majority of videos you see focus on either American or Russian hardware but the UK, at least prior to 2010, would produce some truly world class systems

[@paulpennington2239]

Yep it would good to see a comparison of the Mastif and other UK MoD MRAPs

[@carlinshowalter1806]

I hope it would be better than their shitty cars

[@Leo137156]

Thank you for your service. Much respect. I was there too, but the IEDs missed me. God be with you and your buddies brother. Leo

[@JamesFromTexas]

I tested the MAXXPRO and the MAT-V (later called JLTV) during my time with the Army Evaluation Task Force. Those were good times!

[@nomercyinc6783]

the replacement of the humvee, is not an mrap

[@JamesFromTexas]

@@nomercyinc6783 who said that?

[@ricky1231]

The V land mine resistant bass concept started in Southern Rhodesian Civil war actually

[@markaxworthy2508]

Yup. The origins lie in Rhodesia in the 1970s, where they were known as MAPs (Mine and Ambush Protected). There were several types, such as the Puma and Crocodile based on Japanese Nissan and Isuzu trucks, and 2.5s, 4.5s and 7.5s based on German Mercedes AWD trucks of those tonnages. The Rhodesians themselves got their original experience from British Bedford RL trucks in which the driver's cab was armoured against mines, which were used in Aden in the early 1960s. The Rhodesians also had several types of smaller MAPs, such as the Leopard, Cougar, Rhino, Kudu, Kudu Ram, Kudu X, etc, based on Volkswagen Kombis and Land Rovers. South Africa also had such vehicles before 1980, including the Hyena, which was also used in Rhodesia. All the above vehicles (and others) had V-shaped hulls against mines and armoured sides against ambush.

[@shawnwilcox9618]

I think it’s important to separate mounted from dismounted IEDs, that being said I was like one of five people who DIDN’T get blown up. They might be ugly but we didn’t lose a single person to a mounted IED because of the MRAPs. IEDs that shouldn’t have been survivable were and with only concussions, that and Humvees are the most uncomfortable military vehicle ever made. You hit 60 mph in one and you’ll need a new spine from the rattling

[@TheBooban]

Are humvees still that bad? How did they become procured at all? Basic utility vehicle shouldn’t be like that.

[@shawnwilcox9618]

@@TheBooban imagine a lawn chair bolted to the frame. That’s essentially what you’re sitting in

[@TheBooban]

@@shawnwilcox9618 seems pointless. They should buy jeep wranglers, landrovers or cybertruck or something instead. Since the humvee is no good in combat anyways.

[@kolinmartz]

@@TheBoobanthey bought the humvee before some of those even existed and the comparable models (of the brands you said) in the early 80s when the humvees came out we’re not much better.

[@felipeds3021]

@@kolinmartz they used what before? willy jeeps?

[@michaelsparks1265]

They should have looked at the South African Ratel IFV, it's unstoppable

[@TheVoicesThatShouldntExist]

And let's thank south Africa for giving us the v shape design

[@canis2020]

The Rhino I believe is where it started for them. Always gets left out of the military talk circles but should.

[@zachaliles]

He literally mentions that in the first five minutes of the video.

[@TheBooban]

Yes, and is but just one example of how the US military industrial complex fails. Well known technology that they constantly ignored when building the humvee and strykers. US has the best combined arms. But not the best trained and equipped.

[@williamreffett5862]

The v shape design was a great thing. But it wasn't just South Africa that came up with it. There was a lot of us that went into it. And I'm not from South Africa and I know about it.

[@00tree]

Yep. They don’t get nearly the credit they deserve in many things.

[@phillbosque2183]

Very nice. I drove a MAXXPRO in 08 and 09. Stark contrast compared to standing exposed in the back of a humvee in 04 and 05. I remember the big issue was the shift from IEDs to EFPs, as these were basically MRAP killers, they would melt right through the side armorer and take out the driver and crew.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:30 - Chapter 1 - Designing a war beast 4:25 - Chapter 2 - Origins of the MRAP 10:00 - Chapter 3 - MRAPS of the world 15:55 - Chapter 4 - Weapon of war 19:00 - Chapter 5 - A machine of many roles

[@chimrichalds1422]

The company I worked for made the front and rear axles for the mrap. Im very proud to be part of something that protected people.

[@oceanic8424]

Simon, The so-called “cage armour” is more aptly referred to as Slat-armour and is much more designed to prematurely detonate RPG HEAT rounds at a stand-off distance so the hot metal jet cannot penetrate the vehicle’s armour. The deflection of shrapnel is incidental, and secondary to its primary purpose.

[@armablign]

And South Africa still plays a huge role in either joint projects with MRAP programs, or straight out exports them! One of the few industries not completely lost in South Africa due to government incompetence

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

We don't have enough ammunition for our cops🤨 They not a profit in years, didn't pay salaries, medical benefits, tax and have gotten constant bailouts from our government 🇿🇦

[@znorman23]

I was in Afghanistan in 2011 and the MRAP I was driving took 2 direct hits from RPGs, one of which blew a huge chunk of the front tire off. It barely slowed it down and after fighting through tbe ambush, we were able to drive it back to base about a mile away with no casualties.

[@displacedyankee7819]

We were very happy when we got our Maxxpro. So much better than a Humvee. That was, until I drove over a median in Baghdad and got stuck. Had to be pulled out by the Stryker guys we were with. Later we got the Maxxpro Plus. That was a nice improvement. Extra armor and dual rear wheels. Loved the A/C. Really enjoyed driving that until the motor for the rear ramp died and there were no replacements.

[@briansteehler843]

Dude! You mentioned it, so do a video on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle!

[@damienblythe20]

As a Proud saffa 87/88. 1SSB and 61 Mech 88 in Angola, You are on the money with this, Buffels and all the previous vehicles. I was Driving Ratels, and the same philosiophy ruled. Hit a mine , vehicle draged out if wheel off, tiffies swopped the axel, then on your way, with broken ears !Look at Swaspers with twin 50's.......they never lost!

[@alancox5777]

A program showing the British variants along with the extra armour and ecm would be good

[@JamesSeale2575]

Brilliant video thanks Simon

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

05:20 it’s a shame you didn’t show more of that clip. The Casspir is demonstrating how it can withstand a triple-stacked anti-tank mine. When the dust settles, the back door opens and it’s designer, Dr Vernon Joynt, is seen getting out of the vehicle wearing a jacket and tie…

[@grantfitz2047]

The maxxpro was waaaay more comfortable for patrol than the others. The asv was also being fielded and used in Afghanistan between 09 and 12 too. The knight variant is still kicking around too

[@batboy-xf3ki]

My second deployment, I was a passenger in the back of a cayman. "MRAP" over trips for several months. It was like being sealed in a huge school bus where you spent time looking across at another soldier than looking outside. Harnesses were required to be worn while in transit incase of an IED.

[@miikapekk5155]

The v shaped blast Hull was created by Rhodesia during the Zimbabwean war of liberation. South Africa is taking credit for something that so many young Rhodesian Zimbabweans died over. Zimbabwe should get the credit for this invention they have very little else.

[@TimKapow]

As a South African I just want to say that the pronounciation of the CASSPIR is Casper like the ghost not Cas spear....✌🏼🇿🇦

[@DJ-lc5fe]

Thank you thank you mrap and matv blew up 5 times and still here

[@chrisayers9502]

Not to downplay the role of these vehicles with respect to protection from mines, but with the employment of drones carrying shape charge RPGs, I hope that these vehicle manufacturers are designing outer fences to stop direct contact from drone carried ordinance.

[@cantgoslow]

I spent two years of 12hr shifts 6 days a week CNC maching the 'up-armouring' of the Ridge Back and the Mastiff for the British Army so the trucks could be shipped to Afghanistan etal. All those billets wieghed a ton (figuritvely speaking) but as someone who spent years making do with the snatch landrover I appreciated how important the work was.

[@flipeverything2734]

I live in a small town in California and we have approximately 1-2 murders a decade yet our sheriffs department has 3 of these.

[@woodwaker1]

Sounds like they work, now to send them to San Francisco

[@flipeverything2734]

@@woodwaker1 San Francisco has a bunch of them. My point is a local sheriffs department has 3 of these, 2 just sitting in a storage yard and one that gets used for parades. That’s it.

[@ashvandal5697]

Better police units have them. We did go way overboard on production and better they find some use. Probably would be great moving most of them to ICE and units policing the southern border. Still, I would think most police units would want at least one or two mraps for their response units.

[@zackmuller2077]

I'd love it if you made a video of the Husky VMMD. It's probably one of the coolest engineered mine detection vehicles, seeing how it was specifically built to be blown apart and just put back together.

[@jmanj3917]

12:23 Meh. It's pretty good. It kept me alive from an IED. My back is permanently f'd, but... 1. I'm alive; 2. I still have all of my Original Issue parts; 3. All of the parts still work (for the most part); and, 4. The Number One function is still there, too, so I'm Good... And so are the Ladies...🤣 MATV is Way better, though.

[@SoloRenegade]

Cougar is FAR tougher against IEDs than a MATV.

[@guerreroa85]

I used to build these like 15 years ago (probably more), when they first came out. We built the MRAP Caiman version. At my station we were the 4 guys that installed the engine/ trans assembly and front and rear drive shafts. We also built the LSAC and lots of other models. Cool stuff.

[@bobrobertson6514]

They do not do well with drones, anti tank mines, well placed rpg's . The blue and yellow flag demonstrated this, all hype for the Military Industrial Complex. Drones have changed warfare forever. I've seen them burn, like sparklers.

[@richardmeo2503]

As always a great show

[@ajax8m]

You should look into the Austrailan Bush master

[@BigHunt450]

The first RG-31 I sat in on tour was nice, even though it'd been ridden hard and put away wet for about four years at that point... then I saw a 7.62 round encased in the two inches of glass right in my eyeline across from me... that gave me an immediate appreciation for how well built these types of vehicles are.

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

Loosing wheels and the capacity to go forward does not qualify as "Eating Landmines for Breakfast"

[@jwallace410]

You forgot one of the most important MRAP's, The "Husky". It's a One Man Vehicle with No guns, but has Metal detecting panels with Paint sprayers on it to mark IEDs for the Buffalo to dig up. Also, it's designed in a way that you can tow along new Front & Rear sections of it including the drive shaft and steering column, called "Red Packs" if I remember correctly, that you can reassemble in the field if the front or rear of the husky gets blown off. Usually led all Route Cleasance/Iron Claw missions in country. Also, while Mraps good for IED'S (when THE MAXXPRO isn't overheating) and small arms, even with the Addl bolt-on armor is not good against HEAT rounds, which typically lead an "ambush", Ask me how I know.....

[@NSA-admin]

Jesus christ I was just watching you on a different channel about the russian woodpecker signal. Didn't know this was one of you 38000 channels.

[@charles9571]

As a MEDEVAC pilot, I saw a huge difference in survivability of troops once going to MRAPS and Stryker vehicles.

[@katanabluejay]

If you don't know what an MRAP is, it sounds like it could be tasty

[@zach-EchoesForAges]

We had some max pros and the larger caymen type. I prefer the larger one but it does have far worse blind spots for the gunners. We used this from mosul to mayson area during my two deployments. Solid vehicles

[@AmalgamationofMan]

Fun fact : to launder money our go government military industrial complex has been scrapping brand new MRAPs directly off the assembly line for the last 3 years.

[@leandroflaherty]

We also wouldn't need them if we kept troops out of foreign entanglement$

[@brodriguez11000]

@@leandroflaherty Might need for internal coups.

[@cy8ercat771]

I remember filling sandbags to put on the floor of the cabs of our 7-tons and LVS'. Then they gave us "armor" that turned out to be 1/4" steel panels for our doors that were just useful enough to not do anything

[@JonnyCobra]

As a Namibian, it makes me proud to see our Casspir (later upgraded to the Wolf, btw) has contributed to the MRP's genesis. Too bad local production fell to the reverse golden Midas touch.

[@Philbrey]

Your Casspir? My bra. Ons Casspir 😄

[@PhansiKhongoloza]

Developed and built in South Africa. Namibia had nothing to do with either it's design or construction.

[@vejet]

6:24 Ah yes, the ol "Get of my farm energy" It's the next best thing to dig bick energy.

[@thekeytoairpower]

My boss had the wheel fall off of his hmmwv. The armor kit added to it weighed more than the entire capacity of the truck, add in 4 guys, gear ammo, m16s and a m2 and the truck was a slow pos. Then the entire wheel sheared off.

[@jeffprice6421]

I think the rationale for the bar armor is to catch RPGs and detonate the shape charge at distance to defeat them. You didn't cover the single seater MRAP. They look like a road grader, very cool. I used to watch the Route Clearance Patrols rolling out and there was always one of those in the consist.

[@watarota]

You can find dozens if not 100s of these all over the battlefields in Ukraine showing just how resistant to mines they are :)

[@philipjones3599]

That's not the point of them though the purpose is crew protection not fighting ability.

[@watarota]

​@philipjones3599 true but the title of this video appears to suggest otherwise

[@michaelf.2449]

​@@watarotathey are resistant to mine though the crew survived the vehicles can be replaced or repaired

[@watarota]

@michaelf.2449 not gonna lie but the ones I saw didn't look so resistant. Crew surviving yeah I can believe that but resistant to mines not by a long shot.

[@michaelf.2449]

@@watarota honestly I know they look horrid but easily repairable 🤷

[@dinsdalemontypiranha4349]

I saw your video on the Hmmv, and of course it was excellent. Thanks! I'd be interested in seeing one about Joint Light Tactical Vehicles too.

[@fredbowles4721]

The U.S. "interventions"..... adorable word salad

[@natebrubaker69]

I live in American Georgia, just outside a town called calhoun, along one of the oldest rail lines in the country. It’s the one the great locomotive chase went down on. But I remember them shipping these on the rail road back when they decided to ship them out after procurement, (which took too long in my opinion.)to Iraq and Afghanistan. It was a sight to behold. It’s crazy, if they’re sending something overseas it usually comes right though here, on down to Brunswick or Savannah. Always thought that was neat.

[@bamacopeland4372]

Big Shanty?

[@joeg5414]

used to live in Calhoun. way back in 1991. Also lived near Savannah in a town called Richmond Hill

[@Seandude05]

My friend and three others died in one of these in Afghanistan. They’re not impenetrable

[@AUBREYTHOMAS1979]

Never gets old hearing Simon say South African words 😂. He nails it better than most okes.....

[@jaketheauroran]

Simon has relatives in South Africa. He talks about his visits in his other channels, like The Casual Criminalist

[@TangleWireEnjoyer]

Lets go oshkosh! (Wi resident)

[@djr2078]

Thank you for the mind blowing and knowledge

[@КириллМирченко]

может быть, просто США не будет оккупировать чужие страны и тогда не надо будет создавать МРАП?

[@leonvanderlinde5580]

The Casspir is used by the South African Police since 1980 something, up to today.