The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV;
colloquial
Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom norm ...
: Humvee) is a family of
light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 tera ...
,
four-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 ...
,
military trucks
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
and utility vehicles produced by
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle and contract automotive manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee that are assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana. For a relatively brief period, ...
. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the
original jeep, and others such as the Vietnam War-era
M151 jeep, the
M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the
Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle
The Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (CUCV) (later Light Service Support Vehicle (LSSV)) (CUCV ) is a vehicle program instituted to provide the United States military with light utility vehicles based on civilian trucks.
CUCV/COTS
The Commerci ...
, and other light trucks. Primarily used by the
United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
, it is also used by numerous other countries and organizations and even in civilian adaptations. The Humvee saw widespread use in the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
of 1991, where it navigated the treacherous desert terrain; this usage helped to inspire civilian
Hummer
Hummer (stylized as HUMMER) is a brand of pickups and SUVs that was first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. Although discontinued in 2010, Hummer returned as a sub-brand of GMC in 2020. ...
versions. The vehicle's original unarmored design was later seen to be inadequate. The vehicle was found to be particularly vulnerable to
improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mecha ...
s in the
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The U.S. hastily up-armored select models and replaced front-line units with the
MRAP
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States Armed Forces, United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IE ...
. The U.S. military
sought to replace the vehicle in front-line service under the
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a United States military (specifically U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps) and United States Special Operations Command program to partially replace the Humvee fleet with a family of more survivable vehicl ...
(JLTV) program. In 2015 the
Oshkosh L-ATV
The Oshkosh L-ATV (Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle) is a light utility/combat multi-role vehicle that won the US military's Army-led Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program. In the very early stages of the program it was suggested t ...
was selected for production.
History
Since the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Willys MB reconnaissance truck was used for mass-deployment and became known as the "jeep", the United States military had continued to rely heavily on jeeps as general utility vehicles and as a mass-transport for soldiers in small groups. Although the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
had let
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
redesign the jeep from the ground up during the 1950s, and the resulting
M151 jeep incorporated significant innovations, it firmly adhered to the original concept: a very compact, light enough to manhandle, low profile vehicle, with a folding windshield, that a layman could barely distinguish from the preceding Willys jeeps. The jeeps were shorter than a
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle—officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in German (meaning "beetle"), in parts of the English-speaking world the Bug, and known by many other nicknames in other languages—is a two-door, rear-engine economy car, ...
and weighed just over one metric ton, seating three to four, with an payload. During and after the war, the very light, -ton jeeps were complemented by the -ton
Dodge WC and Korean War
Dodge M37
The Dodge M37 -ton 4x4 truck (G741) was Dodge's follow-up to their successful WC Series from World War II. Introduced in 1951, it was used extensively by the United States armed forces during the Korean war. In the 1970s, they were replaced ...
models.
By the mid-1960s, the U.S. military felt a need to reevaluate their aging light vehicle fleet.
For starters, from the mid-1960s, the U.S. Army had tried to modernize, through replacing the larger, purpose-built
Dodge M37
The Dodge M37 -ton 4x4 truck (G741) was Dodge's follow-up to their successful WC Series from World War II. Introduced in 1951, it was used extensively by the United States armed forces during the Korean war. In the 1970s, they were replaced ...
s by militarized, "commercial off the shelf" (COTS) 4×4 trucks — initially the
M715 Jeep trucks, succeeded in the later 1970s by several
"CUCV" adapted commercial pickup series, but these did not satisfy newer requirements either. What was wanted was a truly versatile light military truck, that could replace multiple outdated vehicles. When becoming aware of the U.S. Army's desire for a versatile new light weapons carrier/reconnaissance vehicle, as early as 1969
FMC Corporation
FMC Corporation is an American chemical manufacturing company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which originated as an insecticide producer in 1883 and later diversified into other industries. In 1941 at the beginning of US involvemen ...
started development on their
XR311 prototype and offered it for testing in 1970.
At least a dozen of these were built for testing under the ''High Mobility Combat Vehicle'', or HMCV program, initially much more as an enhanced capability successor to the M151 jeep, than as a general-purpose vehicle. In 1977,
Lamborghini developed the
Cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
model in an attempt to meet the Army contract specifications.
![Humvee wnetrze](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Humvee_wnetrze.jpg)
In 1979, the U.S. Army drafted final specifications for a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), which was to replace all the tactical vehicles in the 1/4-ton to 5/4-ton range, namely the M151 quarter-ton jeeps, M561 Gama Goats, and the CUCVs, as one uniform "jack-of-all-trades" light tactical vehicle series, to better perform the roles of the impractically mixed fleet of outdated existing vehicles.
The specification called for excellent on and
off-road performance, the ability to carry a large payload, and improved survivability against indirect fire.
[Pat War]
The changing role of the Humvee
. ''Telegraph'', 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2015-01-27 Compared to the jeep, it was larger and had a much wider track, with a ground clearance, double that of most
sport-utility vehicles. The new truck was to climb a 60 percent incline and traverse a 40 percent slope. The air intake was to be mounted flush on top of the right fender (or to be raised on a stovepipe to roof level to ford) of water and electronics waterproofed to drive through of water were specified. The radiator was to be mounted high, sloping over the engine on a forward-hinged hood.
Out of 61 companies that showed interest, only three submitted prototypes.
In July 1979, AM General, a subsidiary of
American Motors Corporation
American Motors Corporation (AMC; commonly referred to as American Motors) was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 1954. At the time, it was the ...
, began preliminary design work. Less than a year later, the prototype was in testing. Chrysler Defense and Teledyne Continental also produced competing designs. In June 1981, the Army awarded AM General a contract for the development of several more prototype vehicles to be delivered to the government for another series of tests. The original M998 A0 series had a curb weight of , a payload of , a V8 diesel engine and 6.3 L gasoline, and a three-speed automatic transmission.
The three companies were chosen to design and build eleven HMMWV prototypes; the vehicles were subjected to over 600,000 miles in trials which included off-road courses in desert and arctic conditions. AM General was awarded an initial contract in 1983 for 2,334 vehicles, the first batch of a five-year contract that would see 55,000 vehicles delivered to the U.S. military, including 39,000 vehicles for the Army; 72,000 vehicles had been delivered to the U.S. and foreign customers by the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and 100,000 had been delivered by the Humvee's 10th anniversary in 1995.
Ft. Lewis, Washington, and the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division was the testing unit to employ HMMWV in the new concept of a motorized division. Yakima Training Center in Yakima, Washington, was the main testing grounds for HMMWVs from 1985 through December 1991, when the motorized concept was abandoned and the division inactivated.
Use in combat
HMMWVs first saw combat in
Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
, the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. The HMMWV was designed primarily for personnel and light cargo transport behind front lines, not as a front line fighting vehicle. Like the previous jeep, the basic HMMWV has no armor or protection against
chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats. Nevertheless, losses were relatively low in
conventional operations
Conventional warfare is a form of warfare conducted by using conventional weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more states in open confrontation. The forces on each side are well-defined and fight by using weapons that target primari ...
, such as the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. Vehicles and crews suffered considerable damage and losses during the
Battle of Mogadishu in 1993 because of the nature of urban engagement. However, the chassis survivability allowed the majority of those crews to return to safety, though the HMMWV was never designed to offer protection against intense small arms fire, much less
machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) ar ...
s and
rocket-propelled grenades. With the rise of
asymmetric warfare
Asymmetric warfare (or asymmetric engagement) is the term given to describe a type of war between belligerents whose relative military power, strategy or tactics differ significantly. This is typically a war between a standing, professional ar ...
and
low-intensity conflicts, the HMMWV was pressed into service in urban combat roles for which it was not originally intended.
After
Operation Restore Hope
The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...
in Somalia, the military recognized a need for a more protected HMMWV and AM General developed the M1114, an armored HMMWV to withstand small arms fire. The M1114 has been in production since 1996, seeing limited use in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
before deployment to the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
. This design is superior to the M998 with a larger, more powerful
turbocharged engine,
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 a strengthened
suspension
Suspension or suspended may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Suspension (topology), in mathematics
* Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics
* Suspension of a ring, in mathematics
* Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspende ...
system. More importantly, it boasts a fully
armored
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 f ...
passenger area protected by hardened steel and
bullet-resistant glass. With the increase in direct attacks and
guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or Irregular military, irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, Raid (military), raids ...
in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, AM General diverted the majority of its manufacturing power to producing these vehicles.
Humvees were sent into
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
following the
9/11 terrorist attacks, where they proved invaluable during initial operations. In the early years before
IEDs
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mecha ...
became prevalent, the vehicle was liked by troops for its ability to access rough, mountainous terrain. Some soldiers would remove features from Humvees, including what little armor it had and sometimes even entire doors, to make them lighter and more maneuverable for off-road conditions and to increase visibility. With the onset of the Iraq War, Humvees proved very vulnerable to IEDs; in the first four months of 2006, 67 U.S. troops died in Humvees. To increase protection, the U.S. military hastily added armor kits to the vehicles. Although this somewhat improved survivability, bolting on armor made the Humvee an "ungainly beast", increasing weight and putting a strain on the chassis, which led to unreliability. Armored doors that weighed hundreds of pounds were difficult for troops to open, and the newly armored turret made Humvees top-heavy and increased the danger of
rollovers. The
U.S. Marine Corps decided to start replacing Humvees in combat with Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (
MRAP
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States Armed Forces, United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IE ...
) vehicles in 2007, and the U.S. Army stated that the vehicle was "no longer feasible for combat" in 2012.
However, Humvees have also been used by
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...
insurgents for
suicide bombings against the
Afghan National Security Forces in the country.
The HMMWV has become the vehicular backbone of U.S. forces around the world. Over 10,000 HMMWVs were employed by coalition forces during the Iraq War. The Humvee has been described as a vehicle with "the right capability for its era": designed to provide payload mobility in protected (safe) areas. However, deploying the vehicle to conflict zones where it was exposed to a full spectrum of threat which it was neither designed to operate, or be survivable in, led to adding protection at the cost of mobility and payload.
On 22 April 2022,
Pentagon Press Secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage.
Dut ...
John F. Kirby described a package of military equipment being transported to
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
to assist in its war with Russia, including "100 armored Humvee vehicles". An additional 50 were promised on 19 August 2022.
Modifications
![Marine humvee with bolt-on armor x2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Marine_humvee_with_bolt-on_armor_x2.jpg)
In December 2004, Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld (July 9, 1932 – June 29, 2021) was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under president Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under Presi ...
came under criticism from U.S. troops and their families for not providing better-equipped HMMWVs. Rumsfeld pointed out that, before the war, armor kits were produced only in small numbers per year. As the role of American forces in Iraq changed from fighting the
Iraqi Army to suppressing the guerrilla insurgency, more armor kits were being manufactured, though perhaps not as fast as production facilities were capable. Even more advanced kits were also being developed. While these kits are much more effective against all types of attacks, they weigh from and have some of the same drawbacks as the improvised armor. Unlike similar-sized civilian cargo and tow trucks, which typically have dual rear wheels to reduce sway, the HMMWV has single rear wheels because of its independent rear suspension coupled with the body design.
Most up-armored HMMWVs hold up well against lateral attacks when the blast is distributed in all different directions but offer little protection from a mine blast below the truck, such as buried IEDs and
land mine
A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
s.
Explosively formed penetrator
An explosively formed penetrator (EFP), also known as an explosively formed projectile (EFP), a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is the product of a shaped charge designed to penetrate armor effectively. As the name suggests, the ...
s (EFPs) can also defeat the armor kits, causing casualties.
![Humvee equipped with four snow treads](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Humvee_equipped_with_four_snow_treads.jpg)
The armor kits fielded include the
Armor Survivability Kit The Armor Survivability Kit (ASK) is an armor kit developed by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in 2003 to protect vehicles like the Humvee from small arms, explosive device fragments, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
Armor
The Armor ...
(ASK), FRAG 5,
FRAG 6, as well as upgrade kits to the
M1151
The M1151 Enhanced Armament Carrier is an improved version of the standard Humvee (HMMWV) designed to replace the M1025A2 used by the United States Armed Forces as a response to United States Central Command requirements.
The M1151 HMMWV has a h ...
. The ASK was the first fielded in October 2003, adding about to the weight of the vehicle.
Armor Holdings
Armor Holdings, Inc. was an American manufacturer of military, law enforcement, and personnel safety equipment. It was acquired by BAE Systems on July 31, 2007 and renamed BAE Systems Mobility & Protection Systems. The divisions have been reorgani ...
fielded an even lighter kit, adding only to the vehicle's weight. The Marine Armor Kit (MAK), fielded in January 2005, offers more protection than the M1114 but also increases weight. The FRAG 5 offered even more protection but was still inadequate to stop EFP attacks. The FRAG 6 kit is designed to do just that, however its increased protection adds over the vehicle over the FRAG 5 kit, and the width is increased by . The doors may also require a mechanical assist device to open and close.
![SAM-HMMWV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/SAM-HMMWV.jpg)
Another drawback of the up-armored HMMWVs occurs during an accident or attack, when the heavily armored doors tend to jam shut, trapping the troops inside. As a result, the U.S. Army
Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center developed the Humvee Crew Extraction D-ring in 2006. The D-ring hooks on the door of the HMMWV so that another vehicle can rip the door off with a tow strap, chain, or cable to free the troops inside. The D-ring was later recognized as one of the top 10 greatest Army inventions of 2006. In addition, Vehicle Emergency Escape (VEE) windows, developed by
BAE Systems, were fielded for use on the M1114 up-armored HMMWV, with 1,000 kits ordered.
![Crows-M153CommonRemotelyOperatedWeaponStationOnHumvee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Crows-M153CommonRemotelyOperatedWeaponStationOnHumvee.jpg)
The soldier manning the exposed
crew-served weapon
A crew-served weapon is any weapon system that is issued to a crew of two or more individuals performing the same or separate tasks to run at maximum operational efficiency, as opposed to an individual-service weapon, which only requires one pe ...
on top of the vehicle is extremely vulnerable. In response, many HMMWVs have been fitted with basic gun shields or
turrets, as was the case with
M113 APCs after they were first deployed in Vietnam. The U.S. military is currently evaluating a new form of protection, developed by BAE Systems as well as systems designed by the Army, which are already in theater. The new gunner's seat is protected by high steel plates with bullet-proof glass windows. Additionally, some HMMWVs have been fitted with a remotely operated
CROWS
The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) is a series of remote weapon stations used by the US military on its armored vehicles and ships. It allows weapon operators to engage targets without leaving the protection of their vehicle. T ...
weapon station, which slaves the machine gun to controls in the back seat so it can be fired without exposing the crew. The
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
anti-
sniper
A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
system was also fielded by some HMMWVs in Iraq to immediately give troops the location of insurgents firing on them.
Another weakness for the HMMWV has proven to be its size, which limited its deployment in Afghanistan because it is too wide for the smallest roads and too large for many forms of air transport compared to jeeps or Land Rover-sized vehicles (which are, respectively, 24 and 15 inches narrower). This size also limits the ability of the vehicle to be manhandled out of situations.
Alternatives
The Army purchased a purpose-built armored car, the
M1117 Armored Security Vehicle
The M1117 Guardian, also denoted Armored Security Vehicle (''ASV''), is an internal security vehicle based on the V-100 and V-150 Commando series of armored cars. It was developed in the late 1990s for service with the United States' Militar ...
also known as an armored personnel carrying vehicle (APC), in limited numbers for use by the
United States Army Military Police Corps
The United States Army Military Police Corps (USAMPC) is the uniformed law enforcement branch of the United States Army. Investigations are conducted by Military Police Investigators under the Provost Marshal General's Office or Special Agents ...
. In 2007, the Marine Corps announced an intention to replace all HMMWVs in Iraq with
MRAP
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States Armed Forces, United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IE ...
s because of high loss rates and issued contracts for the purchase of several thousand of these vehicles, which include the International
MaxxPro, the
BAE OMC RG-31, the BAE
RG-33 and
Caiman
A caiman (also cayman as a variant spelling) is an alligatorid belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae, one of two primary lineages within the Alligatoridae family, the other being alligators. Caimans inhabit Mexico, Central and South America f ...
, and the
Force Protection
Force protection (FP) refers to the concept of protecting military personnel, family members, civilians, facilities, equipment and operations from threats or hazards in order to preserve operational effectiveness and contribute to mission succes ...
Cougar
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large Felidae, cat native to the Americas. Its Species distribution, range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mamm ...
,
which were deployed primarily for mine clearing duties. Heavier models of
infantry mobility vehicle
An infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) is a wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC) serving as a military patrol, reconnaissance or security vehicle. Examples include the ATF Dingo, Iveco LMV, Oshkosh M-ATV, AMZ Dzik, AMZ Tur, Mungo ESK, and B ...
s (IMV) can also be used for patrol vehicles.
The MaxxPro Line has been shown to have the highest rate of vehicle rollover accidents because of its very high
center of gravity
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the balance point) is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. This is the point to which a force ma ...
and immense weight.
Replacement and future
The Humvee replacement process undertaken by the U.S. military focused on interim replacement with
MRAP
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States Armed Forces, United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IE ...
s and long-term replacement with the
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a United States military (specifically U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps) and United States Special Operations Command program to partially replace the Humvee fleet with a family of more survivable vehicl ...
(JLTV). The HMMWV has evolved several times since its introduction and was used in tactical roles for which it was never originally intended. The military pursued several initiatives to replace it, both in the short and long terms. The short-term replacement efforts utilized
commercial off-the-shelf
Commercial off-the-shelf or commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) products are packaged or canned (ready-made) hardware or software, which are adapted aftermarket to the needs of the purchasing organization, rather than the commissioning of ...
vehicles as part of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) program. These vehicles were procured to replace Humvees in combat theaters. The long-term replacement for the Humvee is the JLTV which is designed from the ground up. The
Future Tactical Truck System
The Future Tactical Truck System (FTTS) was a United States Armed Forces program for which the Operational Requirements Document was drawn up during 2003. FTTS was a proposed two vehicle modular family that was to replace the AM General High Mob ...
(FTTS) program was initiated to analyze potential requirements for a Humvee replacement. Various prototype vehicles such as the
MillenWorks Light Utility Vehicle, and the
ULTRA AP
The ULTRA AP (Armored Patrol) is a concept combat vehicle that was unveiled in September 2005 by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology, under contract from the Office of Naval Rese ...
have been constructed as part of these efforts. The JLTV contract was awarded to Oshkosh in August 2015.
The U.S. Marine Corps issued a
request for proposals in 2013 for its Humvee sustainment modification initiative to upgrade 6,700 expanded capacity vehicles (ECVs). The Marines plan to field the JLTV but do not have enough funding to completely replace all Humvees, so they decided to continue sustaining their fleet. Key areas of improvement include upgrades to the suspension to reduce the amount of force transferred to the chassis, upgrading the engine and transmission for better fuel efficiency, enhancements to the cooling system to prevent overheating, a central tire inflation system to improve off-road mobility and ride quality, and increased underbody survivability. Testing of upgraded Humvees was to occur in 2014, with production and installation occurring from 2015 through 2018. Older A2 series Humvees make up half the current fleet, and 4,000 are to be disposed of through
foreign military sales
The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defens ...
and transfers. By 2017, the Marines' light tactical vehicle fleet is to consist of 3,500 A2 series Humvees, 9,500 ECV Humvees, and 5,000 JLTVs, with 18,000 vehicles in total. Humvees in service with the Marine Corps will be upgraded through 2030. The Marines shelved the Humvee modernization effort in March 2015 because of budget cuts.
Several companies are offering modifications to maintain the remaining U.S. military Humvee fleets. Oshkosh Corporation is offering Humvee upgrades to the Marine Corps in addition to its JLTV offering, which are modular and scalable to provide varying levels of capabilities at a range of prices that can be provided individually or as complete packages. Their approach is centered around the
TAK-4 independent suspension system, which delivers greater off-road profile capability, improved ride quality, an increase in maximum speed, greater whole-vehicle durability, and restored payload capacity and ground clearance.
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...
developed a new chassis and power train for the Humvee that would combine the mobility and payload capabilities of original vehicle variants while maintaining the protection levels of up-armored versions. The cost to upgrade one Humvee with Northrop Grumman's features is $145,000.
Textron
Textron Inc. is an American industrial conglomerate based in Providence, Rhode Island. Textron's subsidiaries include Arctic Cat, Bell Textron, Textron Aviation (which itself includes the Beechcraft, and Cessna brands), and Lycoming Engin ...
has offered another Humvee upgrade option called the Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle (SCTV) that restores mobility and survivability over armored Humvee levels. Although the SCTV costs more at $200,000 per vehicle, the company claims it can restore the Humvee for operational use, combining Humvee-level mobility and transportability with MRAP-level underbody protection as a transitional solution until the JLTV is introduced in significant numbers.
[Textron Land Systems presented Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle System at AUSA 2014](_blank)
– Armyrecognition.com, 21 October 2014
One suggested a future role for the Humvee is as an autonomous
unmanned ground vehicle
An unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is a vehicle that operates while in contact with the ground and without an onboard human presence. UGVs can be used for many applications where it may be inconvenient, dangerous, or impossible to have a human op ...
(UGV). If converted to a UGV, the vehicle could serve as a mobile scout vehicle with armor features removed to enhance mobility and terrain accessibility, since there would be no occupants needed to protect. Because there will still be tens of thousands of Humvees in the U.S. inventory after the JLTV enters service, it could be a low-cost way to build an unmanned combat vehicle fleet. Autonomy features would allow the Humvees to drive themselves and one soldier to control a "swarm" of several vehicles.
Although the Army plans to buy 49,100 JLTVs and the Marine Corps 5,500, they are not a one-for-one replacement for the Humvee, and both services will still be left operating large fleets. For the Marines, 69 JLTVs will replace the 74 Humvees in all active infantry battalions to cover its expeditionary forces. The Marine JLTV order is planned to be completed by 2022, leaving the remainder of the Corps' 13,000-strong Humvee force scattered around support organizations while soft-skinned Humvees will provide support behind the forward-deployed
Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit (MEU, pronounced as one syllable "" IPA: ) is the smallest air-ground task force (MAGTF) in the United States Fleet Marine Force.[Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...]
and is considering options on how many of its 120,000 vehicles will be replaced, sustained, or modernized. Even if half of the force is replaced by JLTVs, the entire planned order will not be complete until 2040. If upgrades are chosen for the remaining Humvees, the cost would likely have to not exceed $100,000 per vehicle. The Humvee is expected to remain in U.S. military service until at least 2050. Ambulance variants of the Humvee will especially remain in active use, as the JLTV could not be modified to serve as one due to weight issues.
Design features
![USAFHMMWV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/USAFHMMWV.jpg)
The Humvee seats four people with an available fully enclosed metal cabin with a vertical windshield. The body is constructed from lightweight and rust-resistant aluminum, instead of conventional steel. It has all-wheel drive with an
independent suspension and helical gear-reduction hubs similar to
portal axles which attach towards the top rather than the center of each wheel to allow the
drivetrain
A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...
shafts to be raised for a full of ground clearance. The body is mounted on a narrow steel frame with boxed rails and five cross members for rigidity. The rails act as sliders to protect the drivetrain which is nestled between and above the rails. Raising the drivetrain into the cabin area and lowering the seats into the frame creates a substantial chest-high transmission hump which separates passengers on each side and lowers the overall center of gravity compared to most trucks where the body and passengers are above the frame.
The vehicle also has
double-wishbone suspension
A double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design for automobiles using two (occasionally parallel) wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuck ...
with
portal gear hubs on all 4 wheels; and all-around inboard
disc brakes. The brake discs are not mounted at the wheels, as on conventional cars, but are inboard of the half-shafts, attached right outside of the differentials. The front and rear differentials are
Torsen
Torsen Torque-Sensing (full name Torsen traction) is a type of limited-slip differential used in automobiles.
It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a portmanteau of Torque-Sensing. ''TO ...
type, and the center differential is a regular,
lockable type. Torque-biasing differentials allows forward movement as long as at least one wheel has traction. It runs on specialized 37 × 12.5 radial tires with low-profile
runflat devices. Newer HMMWV versions can be equipped with an optional
central tire inflation system (CTIS) kit in the field. While it is optimized for off-road mobility, it can drive at highway speeds of at maximum weight with a top speed of .
HMMWVs are well suited for airmobile operations as they are transportable by C-130 or larger combat transports, droppable by parachute, and can be sling-loaded from helicopters, though there are smaller vehicles such as the
Growler which were designed to fit into smaller craft such as the V-22. In combat conditions, the HMMWV can be delivered by the
Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System
The low-altitude parachute-extraction system (LAPES) is a tactical military airlift delivery method where a fixed-wing cargo aircraft can deposit supplies in situations in which landing is not an option, in an area that is too small to accur ...
which pulls the vehicle out of the open rear ramp just above the ground without the aircraft having to land.
There are at least 17 variants of the HMMWV in service with the U.S. military. HMMWVs serve as cargo/troop carriers, automatic weapons platforms,
ambulance
An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport.
Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...
s (four litter patients or eight ambulatory patients), M220
TOW missile
The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided") is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, and a greatly ...
carriers,
M119 howitzer
The M119 howitzer is the American version of the British L119 light gun, a lightweight British 105 mm howitzer also used by the United States Army. The M119 is typically towed by the M1097 or M1152 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehic ...
prime movers,
M1097 Avenger
The Avenger Air Defense System, designated AN/TWQ-1 under the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, is an American self-propelled surface-to-air missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units agains ...
Pedestal Mounted Stinger platforms, MRQ-12 direct
air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movemen ...
vehicles, S250 shelter carriers, and other roles. The HMMWV is capable of
fording 2.5 ft (76 cm) normally, or 5 ft (1.5 m) with the deep-water fording kits installed.
![Hmmwv-036](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Hmmwv-036.jpg)
Optional equipment includes a winch (maximum load capacity and supplemental armor. The M1025/M1026 and M1043/M1044 armament carriers provide mounting and firing capabilities for the
M134 Minigun
The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features a Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly with an external power source, normally an electric ...
, the
Mk 19 grenade launcher
The Mk 19 grenade launcher (pronounced Mark 19) is an American 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher that was first developed during the Vietnam War.
Overview
The Mk 19 is a belt-fed, blowback-operated, air-cooled, crew-serve ...
, the
M2 heavy machine gun, the
GAU-19A/B gatling gun, the
M240G/B machine gun and
M249 LMG.
The M1114 "up-armored" HMMWV, introduced in 1996, also features a similar weapons mount.
In addition, some M1114 and M1116 up-armored and M1117 Armored Security Vehicle models feature a
Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS), which allows the gunner to operate from inside the vehicle, and/or the
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
anti-
sniper
A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
detection system. Recent improvements have also led to the development of the M1151 model, which quickly rendered the previous models obsolete. By replacing the M1114, M1116, and earlier armored HMMWV types with a single model, the U.S. Army hopes to lower maintenance costs.
The latest iteration of the Humvee series can be seen in the M1151A1 and later up-armored A1-versions. It has a stronger suspension and larger 6.5 liter turbo-diesel engine to accommodate the weight of up to of additional armor. The armor protection can be installed or taken off depending on the operating environment, so the vehicles can move more efficiently without armor when there is no threat of attack. There is some underbody armor that moderately protects against mines and roadside bombs. Other improvements include Vehicle Emergency Escape (VEE) windows that can be quickly removed so troops inside can escape in the event of a rollover, jammed door, or the vehicle catching fire, and a blast chimney that vents the force of a bomb blast upwards and away from the occupants. The M1151A1 has a crew of four, can carry of payload, and can tow a load. On roads, it has a top speed of and a range of .
Variants
Major HMMWV A0/A1/A2 versions
''With the introduction of the A1 series the number of models was reduced, with further designation revisions when the A2 series was introduced''.
![USMCAmbulance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/USMCAmbulance.jpg)
*
M56/M56A1 Coyote Smoke Generator Carrier (mounted on an HMMWV; not a Type Classified HMMWV)
*M707 Knight (replaced, originally mounted on an M1025A2 HMMWV; not a Type Classified HMMWV)
*M966/M966A1 TOW Missile Carrier, basic armor, without a winch
*M996 Mini-ambulance, two-litter, hardtop (type classified but not produced)
*M997/M977A1/M977A2 Maxi-ambulance, four-litter, basic armor
*M998/M998A1 Cargo/Troop Carrier without a winch
*M998 HMMWV Avenger (mounted on an HMMWV; not a Type Classified HMMWV)
*M1025/M1025A1 Armament Carrier, basic armor, without a winch
*M1025A2 Armament/TOW Missile Carrier, basic armor
*M1026/M1026A1 Armament Carrier, basic armor, with winch
*M1035/M1035A1/M1035A2 Soft top Ambulance, two-litter
*M1036 TOW Missile Carrier, basic armor, with winch
*M1037 Shelter Carrier, without a winch
*M1037 Shelter Carrier MSE
*M1038/M1038A1 Cargo/troop Carrier with winch
*M1042 Shelter Carrier, with winch
*M1043/M1043A1 Armament Carrier, supplemental armor, without a winch
*M1043A2 Armament Carrier, supplemental armor
*M1044/M1044A1 Armament Carrier, supplemental armor, with winch
*M1045/M1045A1 TOW Missile Carrier, supplemental armor, without a winch
*M1045A2 TOW Missile Carrier, supplemental armor
*M1046/M1046A1 TOW Missile Carrier, supplemental armor, with winch
*M1069 Tractor for M119 105-mm Gun
*M1097/M1097A1 Heavy Hummer Variant (HHV)
*M1097A2 base platform
*M1097A2 Cargo/Troop Carrier/Prime Mover (replacing the M998A1)
*M1097A2 Shelter Carrier
*
M1097 Heavy HMMWV Avenger (mounted on an HMMWV; not a Type Classified HMMWV)
* Packhorse – Attachment to convert an M1097 to tractor version for semi-trailers
*XM1109 Up-Armored Heavy Hummer Variant (UA-HHV) (replaced by M1114)
*M1123 Troop/cargo (U.S. Marines specific M1097A2)
*
Active Denial System
The Active Denial System (ADS) is a non-lethal directed-energy weapon developed by the U.S. military, designed for area denial, perimeter security and crowd control. Informally, the weapon is also called the heat ray since it works by heating t ...
(mounted on an HMMWV)
*
Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV) —
USSOCOM Special Ops variants — initially based on the M1025; later GMV models based on the M1113 chassis. Another model, based on the M1165 HMMWV can be fitted with armor kits to create an 'up-armored' GMV with additional armor plating and an optional ballistic shield around the top gunner's turret.
:Variants are: GMV-S (Army Special Forces), GMV-R (75th Ranger Regiment), GMV-N (Navy SEALs), GMV-T/GMV-SD/GMV-ST -
AFSOC
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...
variants, and the GMV-M (
Marine Corps MARSOC) variant.
*
IMETS
Integrated Meteorological System (AN/TMQ-40 IMETS), developed by Northrop Grumman is the meteorological component of the Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (IEW) an element of the Army Battle Command System (ABCS). IMETS provides Army commanders ...
(mounted on an HMMWV; not a Type Classified HMMWV)
*
ZEUS-HLONS (mounted on an HMMWV; not a Type Classified HMMWV)
*Scorpion – Single unit version, fitted with
2B9 Vasilek 82 mm automatic
mortar. This is a heavy chassis HMMWV developed in 2004 by engineers at the U.S. Army's
Picatinny Arsenal
The Picatinny Arsenal ( or ) is an American military research and manufacturing facility located on of land in Jefferson and Rockaway Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, encompassing Picatinny Lake and Lake Denmark. The Ar ...
. The mortar itself can fire on single shots or automatic using 4 round clips. The range for direct fire is 1,000m and the indirect fire is 4,000m. It is also intended to provide another means of destroying roadside bombs but at a safer standoff range. Only one has been produced.
M1113 Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV)
Under contract to the US Army, AM General developed the M1113 Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV). The M1097A2 is the basis for the Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV).
The ECV provided the payload capacity allowing for larger and heavier communications shelters, improved armor protection level for scouts, military police, security police, and explosive ordnance disposal platforms.
![M1114 cruising by mrkoww](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/M1114_cruising_by_mrkoww.jpg)
In late 1995, the production of the M1114 based on the improved ECV chassis began. The M1114 meets Army requirements for a scout, military police, and explosive ordnance disposal vehicle with improved ballistic protection levels. The M1114 provides protection against 7.62 mm armor-piercing projectiles, 155 mm artillery air bursts and anti-tank mine blasts.
In June 1996, the U.S. Army purchased an initial 390 M1114s for operations in Bosnia. The U.S. Air Force has several M1114 vehicles that differ in detail from the U.S. Army model. Under the designation M1116, the type was specifically designed and tailored to the needs of the U.S. Air Force.
The M1116 features an expanded cargo area, armored housing for the turret gunner, and increased interior heating and air conditioning system. The M1114 and M1116 received armor at
O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Company of
Fairfield, Ohio
Fairfield is a suburban city located in both Butler and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. Fairfield is located approximately 25 miles north of Cincinnati and is situated on the east bank of the Great Miami River. The population ...
. The M1145 offers the protection of the M1114 and M1116 for Air Force
Air Support Operations Squadrons (ASOS). Designed to protect Forward Air Controllers, modifications include perimeter ballistic protection, overhead burst protection, IED protection, mine blast protection, and 'white glass' transparent armor. Before the introduction of the latest armored HMMWV variants, and between 1993 and June 2006, Armor Holdings produced more than 17,500 armored HMMWVs (more than 14,000 between 2003 and 2007), all but about 160 of the earliest models were M1114, with smaller numbers of M1116 and M1045.
These extended capacity HMMWVs can drive over an vertical wall and carry a payload.
![M1165a1 (22057048871)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/M1165a1_%2822057048871%29.jpg)
*M1113 Shelter Carrier - base for special operations vehicles and communications shelter carriers
*M1114 Up-Armored Armament Carrier
*M1115 TOW Carrier (no evidence of fielding)
*M1116 U.S. Air Force Up-Armored Armament Carrier
*M1121 TOW Carrier
*M1145 U.S. Air Force
FAC
*
M1151 Enhanced Armament Carrier (Up-Armored Capable)
*M1152 Enhanced Troop/Cargo/Shelter Carrier (Up-Armored Capable)
*M1165 Up-Armored HMMWV
*M1167 Up-Armored TOW Carrier
![Hybrid Humvee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Hybrid_Humvee.jpg)
*Composite HMMWV – A prototype developed by
TPI Composites
Pearson Yachts was a sailboat manufacturer founded by Everett Pearson and Clinton Pearson in 1956. One of the first fiberglass sailboat manufacturers, they grew rapidly during the 60s and 70s, while also developing and designing new boats. Howe ...
of
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
and AM General. The purpose of the concept vehicle is to reduce the vehicle's weight so that it may more easily carry an up armor kit. TPI's all-composite HMMWV saves approximately when compared to a current steel and aluminum HMMWV.
*A prototype XM1124 Hybrid-Electric Humvee on an M1113 Humvee chassis powered by a diesel-series hybrid featuring an all-electric drive train has been developed by
RDECOM/TARDEC. The vehicle has a full-electric range for silent operations. It may have less emissions, save fuel in the battlefield, and can increase the survival rate in emergencies such as if one of the engines is destroyed or fails.
*NXT 360 Humvee - This variant is available as an independent vehicle or upgrades for the M1100 Humvee series since June 2018.
International versions
![Pozegnanie V zmiany PKW Irak 06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Pozegnanie_V_zmiany_PKW_Irak_06.jpg)
*
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
– Bulgarian HMMWVs have been fitted with
PKS general-purpose machine guns. Bulgaria usually replaces Western machine guns on its vehicles to simplify maintenance, since the country is an active producer of Russian weapons.
*
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
-
EQ2050/SQF2040 – See also
Humvee clone manufacturing in China
There are at least three Chinese automobile manufacturers building Humvee clones. One of these, the Dongfeng "Hanma" rely on imported U.S. made parts including Hummer H1 chassis and GM V8 6.5L diesel engines. Currently, these companies have the ...
. Early generations of the vehicle are license-built
Hummer H1
The Hummer H1 is a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle based on the M998 Humvee, which was developed by AM General when it was a subsidiary of American Motors Corporation (AMC). Originally designed strictly for military use, the off-road vehicle was ...
, while later generations of the vehicles are of indigenous design. The licensed-built version rely on imported U.S.-made parts, including the chassis, gearbox, and diesel engine, while it gradually increase the percentage of indigenous-made content on the vehicles recently since China's
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
is unlikely to accept any equipment that relies largely on foreign-made parts.
*
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
–
AOI equips HMMWVs with anti-armor weaponry, including TOW, Milan, or HOT missiles.
*
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
– Georgian HMMWVs have been fitted with PK general-purpose machine guns.
*
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
– Greek HMMWVs, built entirely by
ELVO
The Elvo (Piedmontese: ''Elv'') is a torrent (an intermittent stream) in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy and is the principal tributary of the Cervo. It runs through the communes of Sordevolo, Occhieppo Superiore, Occhieppo Inferiore, Ce ...
in Greece, are equipped to fire the Russian
9M133 Kornet
The 9M133 Kornet (russian: Корнет; "Cornet", NATO reporting name AT-14 Spriggan, export designation Kornet-E) is a Military of Russia, Russian man-portable anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) intended for use against main ...
ATGM
An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder ...
. They have a storage room for 10 missiles. Another version, the M1115GR, is equipped with the
HK GMG 40. Israel's
Plasan
Plasan ( he, פלסן) (incorporated as Plasan Sasa Ltd. and formerly as Plasan Sasa (ACS) Ltd.) is an Israeli based vehicle manufacturer.
History
Plasan Sasa, established in 1985, develops, manufactures, and assembles custom-built vehicle armor ...
has developed armored versions of the HMMWV, assembled by ELVO in Greece as the M1114GR, M1115GR and M1118GR. ELVO also produced the Ambulance version, a SOF version, and an engineering version of the HMMWV for the Hellenic Army.
*
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
– Plasan has also designed and supplied an HMMWV armored protection kit for the Portuguese Army, and a different version assembled by
Automotive Industries in
Nazareth
Nazareth ( ; ar, النَّاصِرَة, ''an-Nāṣira''; he, נָצְרַת, ''Nāṣəraṯ''; arc, ܢܨܪܬ, ''Naṣrath'') is the largest city in the Northern District of Israel. Nazareth is known as "the Arab capital of Israel". In ...
for the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
.
*
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
– The Dirección General de Industria Militar (DGIM), the Mexican Army's prime wholly owned military manufacturer, builds the HMMWV under license in Mexico
after a small number of American-built Humvees proved to be reliable within the Mexican army. Mexican HMMWVs are similar to the American built models but are slightly longer. They feature a standard selective shift automatic transmission connected to a Mercedes Benz diesel engine and an anti-spalling layer in the passenger cabin. Many are equipped with bulletproof windows and a layer of armor unique to these Mexican HMMWVs. In 2010, Mexico displayed a wagon variant with a second gun hatch to cover the rear of the vehicle.
This version also featured a more powerful
V-12 engine
A V12 engine is a twelve-cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines.
The fir ...
and civilian road wheels to increase top speed capabilities in urban areas.
*
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
–
Polish Land Forces operate 222 HMMWVs (5 unknown variants are operated by
Polish Special Forces
The Special Troops Command (Pol.: ''Wojska Specjalne'') is the special forces command of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (SZ RP). The command was formed in 2007 and is the fourth military branch of the SZ RP.
Composition
The Special ...
). Over 200 are used by the 18th Airborne Battalion which is a part of the 6th Airborne Brigade. The used variants are designated as follows: Tumak-2 – M1043A2, Tumak-3 – M1025A2, Tumak-4 – M1097A2, Tumak-5 – M1045A2, Tumak-6 – M1097A2 (variant used for transport of special containers), Tumak-7 – M1035A2. All vehicles are modified to meet Polish road regulations and are equipped with Polish communication devices. 140 HMMWVs are equipped with a Fonet digital internal communication device. 120 Tumak-2s and Tumak-3s have a rotatable mount which can be fitted with either the UKM-2000P 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun or the
NSW-B 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. Tumak-5s are used by anti-tank subunits and are armed with a dismountable
Spike missile.
Additionally Polish forces of
ISAF
' ps, کمک او همکاري '
, allies = Afghanistan
, opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda
, commander1 =
, commander1_label = Commander
, commander2 =
, commander2_label =
, commander3 =
, command ...
operate 120 HMMWVs on loan from the U.S. forces.
*
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
– Early
MOWAG Eagle
The MOWAG Eagle is a wheeled armored vehicle designed by the Swiss MOWAG corporation. It has gone through several generations of development. The current vehicle, introduced in November 2003, is the Eagle IV, which is based on the Duro IIIP chass ...
light armored vehicles utilized the HMMWV chassis, although the latest uses a
Duro III chassis. The Eagle is an NBC-tight, air-conditioned, and armor-protected vehicle. It is in service and available in several configurations with varying levels of armor protection. The Eagle can be fitted with a wide assortment of armaments.
*
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
–
Otokar Cobra
The Cobra is a family of armored vehicles produced by Otokar of Turkey. It is produced in two generations.
The Cobra ( tr, Kobra) is an armoured tactical vehicle developed by Turkish firm Otokar.
Durability
The monocoque steel v-hull provides pr ...
– is a wheeled armoured vehicle developed by Turkish firm Otokar which uses some mechanical components, sub-systems and some parts of the HMMWV.
Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle
![USMC-09503](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/USMC-09503.jpg)
Textron's Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle (SCTV) is a protective capsule that can increase Humvee survivability to MRAP levels while significantly improving mobility; the modifications come in five kits, but all five need to be installed before the vehicle can be properly called an SCTV. The vehicle features a
monocoque
Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell".
First used for boats, ...
V-shaped hull and angled sides to help deflect
rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) with scalable levels of protection. It has greater engine power, replacing the 6.5-liter diesel engine with a
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air ...
6.7-liter diesel and
Allison
Allison may refer to:
People
* Allison (given name)
* Allison (surname) (includes a list of people with this name)
* Eugene Allison Smith (1922-1980), American politician and farmer
Companies
* Allison Engine Company, American aircraft engine ...
6-speed transmission, as well as a stronger suspension, improved brakes, higher ground clearance, and new onboard instrumentation. Fuel capacity is increased from and the battery and fuel cells are moved from under the rear seat to the rear of the vehicle. Also included are a powerful air conditioner and heating system,
run-flat tire
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 ...
s, a thermal guard liner under the roof, sharp edges removed from inside the cabin, blast attenuating seats, and a folding gunner's turret allowing rapid deployment from a cargo aircraft or shipboard below deck. Although heavier than the Humvee, the SCTV is half the weight and costs $150,000 less than a comparably survivable MRAP. The basic version is a four-passenger armament carrier, but it can be configured as a nine-passenger troop carrier, air-defense vehicle, flatbed cargo truck, or field ambulance depending on the type of Humvee it is converted from.
[Textron Pitches Upgrade To Extend Life of Surplus Humvees](_blank)
– Defensenews.com, 13 October 2015[In a Groundbreaking Deal, Ukraine May Buy US Armor for Its Humvees](_blank)
– Defenseone.com, 13 October 2015
Work began on the SCTV in 2008 in anticipation of U.S. military upgrades, but it was shelved once they made the JLTV a priority. Textron then focused on selling the SCTV upgrade package to up to 25 countries operating the global fleet, a potential market of up to 10,000 vehicles. The upgrade can enhance the survivability of previously soft-skinned versions, sometimes sold by the U.S. as Excess Defense Articles, while costing and weighing less than a comparable MRAP. By 2015, Colombia had installed the SCTV into three Humvees for testing, and Ukraine had shown interest in upgrading their old-model Humvees recently supplied by the U.S.
Ukraine ordered three SCTVs in February 2016.
Operators
![Bahrain army in a village](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Bahrain_army_in_a_village.JPG)
* – An unknown number, estimated in the hundreds, were captured by the
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...
in their
2021 offensive,
and have been in use by the new government's
Islamic Emirate Army.
* – 248 on order, gifted by US.
* – +100 for the
Algerian Special Forces and the
Parachute Commando Regiments M1097A2/M1116/M1097A2/HISAR/K-TaCS.
* - 400+ in the Argentine Armed Forces.
* – 100+ HMMWV use by Azerbaijani army and peacekeeping force.
* – 10 HMMWV use by Armenian peacekeeping force.
* – Vehicles sold under the U.S.
Foreign Military Sales
The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defens ...
program.
*
* – 25 in 2010 and 44 donated by the U.S. in 2017. 30 in 2021, 99 in total. More donated this and the past year.
* – 52 vehicles, 50 are the up-armored M1114 variant, and two are ambulances.
* – Small numbers (M1113 and M1117) in use by
Joint Task Force 2
Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2; french: links=no, Deuxième Force opérationnelle interarmées, FOI 2) is an elite special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces, serving under the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. JTF 2 is known to wo ...
(JTF-2) and
Special Operations Regiment
The 21st Special Service Group (Abbreviation, Abbr.: 21 SSG, ) is a Command (military formation), command for Malaysian Army special forces, the ''Gerak Khas (Malaysian Army unit), Gerak Khas''. The 21 SSG and 10th Parachute Brigade (Malaysia), 10 ...
(CSOR). Used in Afghanistan.
* – Vehicles sold under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
*
565 in the
Chilean Army
The Chilean Army ( es, Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 80,000-person army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade.
In recent years, and ...
and 100 in
Chilean Marine Corps.
*
* - 112 vehicles.
* – Mainly used by the
601st Special Forces Group.
* - 102 vehicles.
* – 30 vehicles.
* – Vehicles sold under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
They have seen combat in the 1990s during the
FRUD rebellion.
*
*
*
* - 681 vehicles ≈276 built in Greece by ELVO with designations M1114GR to M1119GR.
* – Vehicles procured via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
* - Acquired from Afghanistan in August 2021 from ANA soldiers fleeing from the Taliban takeover.
* – During the
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
, stockpiled U.S. military HMMWVs were given to the
Iraqi Army,
Iraqi Security Forces
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) is a term used by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to describe law enforcement and military forces of the federal government of the Republic of Iraq. During the Iraq War, these entities received trainin ...
. The Iraqi military has more than 10,000+ Humvees. Some of these have been captured by the
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
in 2014. Most of them were recaptured by the
Iraq Armed Forces as well as other regional actors after IS defeat in 2017. While the remainder were lost through combat.
*
*
* – Several vehicles in use by security forces.
* – 200+ vehicles
* – Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
*
* – 1,300+ vehicles
*
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
– 200 donated by the U.S. Army in July 2013.
* – 200 vehicles
* – 10 to 90, modified at Eurokompozit, armed with PK 7.62 x 54R heavy MG
* – Morocco has 4000+ vehicles in the
Royal Moroccan Army
zgh, ⵜⴰⵙⵔⴷⴰⵙⵜ ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⴰⵏⵜ
, image =
, caption = Flag of the Royal Moroccan Army
, start_date = active since: 1088 CE
current form: 14 May 1956
, ...
, some of them are fitted with
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided") is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, and a greatly ...
ATGM.
* – 90 vehicles
* – Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
3,000 vehicles in service.
*
* – Borrowed U.S. vehicles in Afghanistan were modified by
New Zealand Special Air Service
The 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment, abbreviated as 1 NZSAS Regt, was formed on 7 July 1955 and is the Special forces unit of the New Zealand Army, closely modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS). It traces its origins ...
and replaced by
Pinzgauer. The Army used a small number of U.S. either free/leased vehicles in Afghanistan until 2013.
*
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
– Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
* - 30+ donaded for Taiwan in 2016.
* – 34 vehicles (12 M-1151A1 deployed in Haiti as part of the UN peacekeeping contingent, 22 M-1165A1 Special Ops operated by the 19th Commando Battalion). There is possibly an upcoming purchase of 100 additional vehicles.
* – 300+ vehicles
*
* – 47 vehicles used by
Portuguese Army and 3 by the
Portuguese Air Force.
* – 322 of M1113/M1114/M1165/M1151 variants
* – Limited number of USMC vehicles which were stationed at Georgian port of Poti and were waiting to be shipped to US, were captured by Russian troops. One other vehicle was captured from the Ukrainian
95th Air Assault Brigade in 2015 during
War in Donbas
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
. The said vehicle after being operated for several years by the so-called
People's Militia of the
LPR was seen in late February 2022 in
Rostov Oblast in Russia in the course of the
Russo-Ukrainian crisis.
* – Vehicles were sold to Saudi Arabia by the U.S. under the Foreign Military Sales program.
* – 23 vehicles donated by the U.S. seen in action as recently as 2017.
* – 123 vehicles, used only by the
Infantería de Marina
The Spanish Naval Infantry ( es, Infantería de Marina) is the naval infantry unit of the Spanish Navy () responsible for conducting amphibious warfare by utilizing naval platforms and resources. The Marine Corps is fully integrated into the ...
. The
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century.
The ...
, the
Spanish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
and the
Spanish National Police use the
URO VAMTAC
The URO VAMTAC () is a Spanish four-wheel drive military vehicle manufactured by UROVESA. Externally it is similar in appearance and design to the Humvee of the United States Military due to similar requirements. More than 2,000 of the vehicles hav ...
, a similar vehicle, produced in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
* – 40 vehicles, 17 unarmored and 4 armored vehicles, donated to the Serbian Armed Forces by the US government in 2013, 19 more donated in 2017.
* –
Slovak Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic were divided from the Czechoslovak army after dissolution of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined NATO on 29 March 2004. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization a ...
used 6 vehicles in Iraq.
* –
Slovenian Armed Forces
The Slovenian Armed Forces or Slovenian Army (SAF; sl, Slovenska vojska; 'SV'' are the armed forces of Slovenia. Since 2003, it is organized as a fully professional standing army. The Commander-in-Chief of the SAF is the President of the R ...
use as patrol vehicle.
* – Vehicles sold by the U.S. under the Foreign Military Sales program.
* – One example obtained for evaluation by army in 1989.
*
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
– Captured from ISIS
**
Syrian National Army
***
Hamza Division
* – Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
9,000+ vehicles.
* - An unknown number of M1152A1 HMMWV "Gun trucks" were obtained by the Tajik Border Guards from fleeing ANA soldiers after the Taliban reestablished itself.
* – sold by the U.S. under the Foreign Military Sales program.
* :
Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
History
Origin
The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's ...
(M998, M1038A1, M1097A1, M1037, M1042, M1025, M1026A1, M966, M997, M997A2)
* – 52 vehicles donated by the U.S. in May 2015 and some sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
* – 342 vehicles (since 2001) of М1097А2/М1114/М998/M1152/М1116/M1025/HMMWV variants. Out of all vehicles around 110 are at the
95th Airmobile Brigade, 10 vehicles were donated to the
Polish–Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion (POLUKRBAT). Reports say that after the
Battle of Debaltseve insurgents
An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irreg ...
were seen driving around in 'Humvee-like' vehicle. "Hundreds" of vehicles were pledged to be donated to Ukraine due to the
Russian invasion in 2022. Over 200 vehicles were sent to Ukraine in October 2022.
* – 230,000 (US Army and US Marine Corps) Some used by various law enforcement agencies purchased through civilian sales.
*
*
* – M1123 and M1151 variants
Former user
*: The former
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ordered 3,334 more in 2010 and 2011 for its
National Police National Police may refer to the national police forces of several countries:
*Afghanistan: Afghan National Police
*Haiti: Haitian National Police
*Colombia: National Police of Colombia
*Cuba: Cuban National Police
*East Timor: National Police of ...
,
National Army and other military. 950 M1114 vehicles delivered to the army by November 2012. Others were taken by surviving Afghan troops who joined up with the
National Resistance Front.
Non-State Actors
![Taliban Humvee in Kabul, August 2021 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Taliban_Humvee_in_Kabul%2C_August_2021_%28cropped%29.png)
*
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
– 2,300 (captured)
*
Kataib Hezbollah
Kata'ib Hezbollah ( ar, كتائب حزب الله, lit=Battalions of the Party of God)—or the Hezbollah Battalions—is a radical Shia Islam in Iraq, Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group which is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces backed by ...
*
Syrian Democratic Forces: Equipped with at least 20 Humvees from 2017 with further details not revealed.
**
People's Defense Units
The People's Defense Units (YPG), (YPG) ; ar, وحدات حماية الشعب, Waḥdāt Ḥimāyat aš-Šaʽb) also called People's Protection Units, is a mainly-Kurdish militia in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democr ...
*
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...
: An unknown number, estimated in the hundreds, were captured by the
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...
from the
Afghan National Army.
Civilian sales
In December 2014, the Department of Defense began auctioning off some 4,000 used Humvees to the public. While some have been transferred to domestic law enforcement agencies, this is the first time the military vehicles have been made available for civilian ownership. The idea is to sell them with starting bids at $10,000 each, rather than simply scrapping them as a way to save money and repurpose them. M998, M998A1, M1038, and M1038A1 model Humvees are available, which are out of U.S. service and lack armor. AM General has been opposed to the resale of military Humvees to the general public, primarily because surplus government vehicles would have cut into sales related to the civilian Hummer model, whose production ended in 2010. The first sales from auction occurred on 17 December 2014 for 25 of the Humvees. Bids ranged from $21,500 for a 1989 M1038 to $41,000 for a 1994 AM General M998A1. The average bid was around $30,000 and the sale of the 25 vehicles netted $744,000 total. GovPlanet has since taken over the contract and sells Humvees at its weekly online auctions.
HUMVEE C-Series
In 2017, it was announced that AM General signed a contract with
VLF Automotive
VLF Automotive is a small American-based automotive company formed in January 2016. It was founded as VL Automotive in 2012 by Bob Lutz and Gilbert Villarreal, then renamed after Henrik Fisker joined the company.
Company history
The company wa ...
to build a new
civilian version of the HMMWV for sale outside of the US. The initial contract calls for up to 100 a year to be built and sold overseas to places such as China, Europe, Middle East, and Australia. These are essentially updated
Hummer H1
The Hummer H1 is a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle based on the M998 Humvee, which was developed by AM General when it was a subsidiary of American Motors Corporation (AMC). Originally designed strictly for military use, the off-road vehicle was ...
s, but cannot use the
Hummer
Hummer (stylized as HUMMER) is a brand of pickups and SUVs that was first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. Although discontinued in 2010, Hummer returned as a sub-brand of GMC in 2020. ...
-brand owned by
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
. These vehicles have not been approved for sale in the US due to safety or emission standards.
Replicas
Kits have been produced for the general market to turn a
sedan into a Humvee lookalike. An alternative is to buy a preconstructed (or "
turnkey
A turnkey, a turnkey project, or a turnkey operation (also spelled turn-key) is a type of project that is constructed so that it can be sold to any buyer as a completed product. This is contrasted with build to order, where the constructor builds ...
") model. Various kits exist, but one of the more well known is the
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle—officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in German (meaning "beetle"), in parts of the English-speaking world the Bug, and known by many other nicknames in other languages—is a two-door, rear-engine economy car, ...
-based "Wombat". This was previously named "HummBug", until the threat of a lawsuit from General Motors forced changes to the name and the grille design to make it look less like the real thing. It can be purchased/built for about US$18,000; this puts it considerably cheaper than the actual HMMWV ($56,000), or
Hummer
Hummer (stylized as HUMMER) is a brand of pickups and SUVs that was first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. Although discontinued in 2010, Hummer returned as a sub-brand of GMC in 2020. ...
.
In Australia, a Gold Coast-based company called Rhino Buggies produces replicas of the Hummer H1 based on the
Nissan Patrol
The is a series of full-size SUVs manufactured by Nissan in Japan and sold throughout the world.
The Patrol has been available as either a short-wheelbase (SWB) three-door or a long-wheelbase (LWB) five-door chassis since 1951. The LWB versio ...
4WD vehicle for around A$30,000.
In the U.S., four companies offered Hummer-look-alike body kits that can be mated to GM full-size trucks and Suburban chassis and, in some cases, Ford, Dodge, and even Cadillac applications. Some models are
Urban Gorilla from Urban Manufacturing Endeavor SB400 and SB4x400 from Forever Off-Road, the Jurassic Truck Corporation T-Rex, and the Bummer from Tatonka Products An additional company offers plans so for chassis building. The kits range from two-door fiberglass models to steel tube and
sheet metal
Sheet metal is metal formed into thin, flat pieces, usually by an industrial process. Sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes.
Thicknesses can vary significantly; ex ...
constructions.
Similar vehicles
*
Agrale Marruá
The Marruá ("Wild Bull") is a family of four-by-four wheeled transport and utility vehicles, built by Agrale in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Developed in the early 2000s to serve as a replacement for ageing jeeps and other vehicles i ...
– Brazil
*
BJ2022
The Beijing BJ2022 is a 1/2 or 3/4 ton 4×4 utility vehicle developed by Beijing Automobile Works and used by the PLA. The BJ2022 has been in production since 2005.
It's also referred as "Yongshi" or Brave Warrior. It was jointly developed by Be ...
– Chinese military vehicle, currently in service
*
Dongfeng EQ2050
The Dongfeng EQ2050 is a Chinese-made armored vehicle based on the Humvee, manufactured for government use by the Dongfeng Motor Group. It is known to be sold by the company for 700,000 Yuan ($93,000). The vehicle was created after People's Libe ...
– Chinese military vehicle
*
FMC XR311
The XR311 was a prototype military vehicle of US origin that was procured in limited numbers during the 1970s. It was originally developed as the ''High Mobility Combat Vehicle'', or HMCV (not to be confused with the JGSDF MCV, which was also ...
– an early prototype, as the successor to the M151 jeep, that led to the HMMWV
*
Mohafiz ASV -
HIT
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
made
Armoured security vehicle of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
i origin.
*
GAZ Tigr – Russian military vehicle, currently in service
*
Hawkei
The Hawkei is a light four-wheel-drive protected mobility vehicle originally designed to meet an Australian Defence Force (ADF) requirement for a light armoured patrol vehicle to replace some of its Land Rover Perentie variants. The Hawkei is ...
– Australian military vehicle
*
Iveco LMV
Iveco LMV (Light Multirole Vehicle) is a 4WD tactical vehicle developed by Iveco, and in service with several countries. After its adoption by the Italian Army as the ''Veicolo-Tattico-Leggero-Multiruolo'' (VTLM) ''Lince'' ("Light tactical multi ...
– Italian military vehicle
*
Komatsu LAV
The is a Japanese military vehicle first produced in 2002. Currently used exclusively by the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), it has seen use in the Iraq War. It is built by Komatsu Ltd. Defense Systems Division in Komatsu, Ishikawa, Japan. Koma ...
– Japanese military vehicle
* Lamborghini Cheetah, an Italian prototype contender for the original HMMWV contract. Forerunner of the "Rambo Lambo" Lamborghini LM002.
* TATA LSV (Light Specialist Vehicle) – a new vehicle by Tata Motors of India.
* Mahindra Marksman, Mahindra Rakshak and Mahindra Armored Light Specialist Vehicle – vehicles manufactured by Mahindra & Mahindra, Mahindra in India for operating in similar roles like the HUMVEE.
* Kia KLTV - South Korean light tactical vehicle
* Marine Multi-purpose Vehicle (MMPV) – Philippines
*
MOWAG Eagle
The MOWAG Eagle is a wheeled armored vehicle designed by the Swiss MOWAG corporation. It has gone through several generations of development. The current vehicle, introduced in November 2003, is the Eagle IV, which is based on the Duro IIIP chass ...
– Swiss military vehicle
*
Otokar Cobra
The Cobra is a family of armored vehicles produced by Otokar of Turkey. It is produced in two generations.
The Cobra ( tr, Kobra) is an armoured tactical vehicle developed by Turkish firm Otokar.
Durability
The monocoque steel v-hull provides pr ...
– Turkish light armored vehicle with HMMWV parts
*
Oshkosh L-ATV
The Oshkosh L-ATV (Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle) is a light utility/combat multi-role vehicle that won the US military's Army-led Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program. In the very early stages of the program it was suggested t ...
– U.S. military vehicle
* Pindad Maung – Indonesian military vehicle
* Predator SOV
* SPECTRE light vehicle – U.S. light air-portable utility/special forces-type vehicle proposed as a possible HMMWV replacement.
* T-98 Kombat – Russian civilian SUV
* AMZ Tur – Polish military vehicle
* Tiuna – Venezuelan military vehicle
* Toyota Mega Cruiser – Japanese military vehicle in service with the Japan Self Defense Forces. AKA "Koukidousha".
*
URO VAMTAC
The URO VAMTAC () is a Spanish four-wheel drive military vehicle manufactured by UROVESA. Externally it is similar in appearance and design to the Humvee of the United States Military due to similar requirements. More than 2,000 of the vehicles hav ...
– Spanish four-wheel tactical military vehicle by UROVESA
* VECTOR - Dutch tactical military vehicle
* VLEGA Gaucho – Argentinian-Brazilian military vehicle
* Weststar GK-M1 – Malaysian military light vehicle
* Kozak (armored personnel carrier), Kozak – Ukrainian military vehicle
See also
*List of "M" series military vehicles.
*
Hummer
Hummer (stylized as HUMMER) is a brand of pickups and SUVs that was first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. Although discontinued in 2010, Hummer returned as a sub-brand of GMC in 2020. ...
Hummer H1, H1, Hummer H2, H2, and Hummer H3, H3. The H1 is a civilian derivative of the HMMWV, while the H2 and H3 are based on regular GM truck chassis and styled after it.
*Interim Fast Attack Vehicle
*Sandstorm (vehicle), Sandstorm, an HMMWV modified into an autonomous vehicle.
Notes
Bibliography
*
External links
Army fact fileAM General HMMWV pageHMMWV ManualsHUMVEE C-Series brochure
{{Hummer
1980s cars
All-wheel-drive vehicles
Military vehicles of the United States
Military trucks of the United States
Off-road vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s
Plug-in hybrid vehicles
Diesel-electric cars
Military light utility vehicles
Hummer