The Cadillac Gage Peacekeeper II (PK II) is a four-wheeled, lightly
armoured vehicle, developed by
Textron Marine and Land Systems. The Peacekeeper II is designed primarily for the use of law enforcement agencies in urban environments for SWAT operations, base security, convoy protection, counter-terrorism and riot control. The vehicle is an evolution of the
Cadillac Gage Ranger.
The vehicle can carry eight personnel including the driver, and has a thick
armour
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or fr ...
that can provide protection against
7.62mm armour-piercing ammunition.
It is developed at a unit cost of approximately US$170,000.
The vehicle is no longer offered by Textron with trademarks cancelled.
History
A working model of the Peacekeeper II was first shown to visitors at the Law Enforcement Tactical Response Show & Conference (TREXPO) West exhibit in 2003 after Textron representatives announced that the vehicles was in development back in 2002 at TREXPO East.
In 2018, the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron in Whiteman Air Force Base acquired a Peacekeeper II for static display purposes.
Design
Armor
The Peacekeeper II is equipped with thick armour rather than the armour available in most vehicles of its class. During tests, the armour proved to be capable of withstanding impacts from twenty two different types of ammunition, the highest caliber ammunition out of these being 7.62 mm armour-piercing round.
The windows are made of
ballistic glass, and the Peacekeeper II is equipped with
run flat
A run-flat tire/tyre is a pneumatic vehicle tire that is designed to resist the effects of deflation when punctured, and to allow the vehicle to continue to be driven at reduced speeds - under – and for limited distances – usually , depending ...
inserts on its tires.
Capabilities
The Peacekeeper II can carry a maximum of 8 personnel. This consists of the driver, one passenger in the front seat and six passengers in the cabin at the rear.
The vehicle is powered by a
V8 gas engine. Optionally, this can be replaced with a diesel engine. It is equipped with
4-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...
, an
Allison automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
, and
power steering
A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds.
Hydraul ...
. It can reach a maximum speed of 70 mph (112.5 km/h)
Apart from law enforcement, the vehicle is intended for use in
counter terrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or ...
operations,
SWAT
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
operations, convoy protection, and base security.
Features
In addition to the high level of protection, the vehicle also provides a high degree of comfort. It is equipped with
air conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
and
heaters, and the interior is fully insulated. Bucket seats are provided for the driver and front passenger, while bench seats are provided for the rear cabin.
Large windows made of ballistic glass and eight view vision blocks in the rear cabin are provided for visibility. Eight pistol ports are located below each of the vision blocks.
Foldable
running boards
A running board or footboard is a narrow step fitted under the side doors of a tram ( cable car, trolley, or streetcar in North America), car, or truck. It aids entry, especially into high vehicles, and is typical of vintage trams and cars, w ...
with handrails are included on each side of the vehicle and at the back, offering mobile tactical advantage and protection to the crew.
Armament
The addition of weapons is supported by a rotating cupola. The cupola is optional, and removable, and mounted atop the roof. This is rotatable 180 degrees, and allows the addition of a
Squad automatic weapon
A squad automatic weapon (SAW), also known as a section automatic weapon or light support weapon (LSW), is a man-portable automatic firearm attached to infantry squads or sections as a source of rapid direct firepower. Weapons fulfilling this ...
(SAW), or
M240 machine gun. or
MK19 Mod3
40mm
40 mm grenade (also styled 40mm grenade) is a generic class-name for grenade launcher ammunition ( subsonic shells) in caliber. The generic name stems from the fact that several countries have developed or adopted grenade launchers in 40 ...
automatic grenade launcher.
The firing ports also allow the accommodation of various weapons, and have the capability to disperse crowd control devices such as smoke grenades, with minimum risk to the crew.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Archived Textron brochure
Armored fighting vehicles of the United States