Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
SOCOM, Allies Buy Lightweight DAGOR Truck; Will Debut At AUSA
http://breakingdefense.com/2014/10/socom-allies-buy-lightweight-dagor-truck-will-debut-at-ausa/SOCOM, Allies Buy Lightweight DAGOR Truck; Will Debut At AUSA
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. on October 07, 2014 at 9:00 AM
WASHINGTON: Its six days until the largest defense conference of the year, the Association of the US Armys annual meeting, and here at Breaking Defense our email runneth over. Amidst the missives touting everything from e-learning solutions to free steak dinners for reporters, though, this one in particular caught our eye. On first sight, its a good old-fashioned Army truck.
Specifically, its Polaris Industriess DAGOR the name doesnt stand for anything the company will admit to which will be officially unveiled at AUSA. Whats old-fashioned about this truck is that it isnt burdened down by thousands of pounds of armor (or even doors), in stark contrast to uparmored Humvees and MRAPs that became the lumbering icons of the post-9/11 wars, or even their relatively streamlined replacement, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).
At two and a quarter tons (4,500 pounds) unloaded, DAGOR is certified as able to fit inside an Army H-47 Chinook or in a sling under the Armys smaller UH-60 Black Hawk. On landing, it can haul a standard nine-man Army squad at high speed over rough terrain, riding on a suspension inspired by cross-desert racing vehicles called trophy trucks. That combination of airborne and cross-country mobility is why DAGORs being bought by unspecified elements of U.S. SOCOM presumably Army Special Operations, given the squad size and aircraft its certified for and unnamed international SOF customers.
This is a growing market niche: Theres an entirely separate program for an Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV) to fit on the Marine Corps and Air Force V-22 Osprey, as well as a somewhat larger SOCOM Ground Maneuver Vehicle (GMV) in development. All these vehicle sacrifice armor protection which grew dramatically in response to roadside bombs for air-transportability and off-road mobility.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 1669 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (0)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
SOCOM, Allies Buy Lightweight DAGOR Truck; Will Debut At AUSA (Original Post)
unhappycamper
Oct 2014
OP
Mopar151
(9,982 posts)1. Explanation of "trophy trucks"
Alpha predator of off-road racing - the only thing that can challenge the purpose-built Class 1 buggies for overall wins in long-distance desert racing.
The short course version is similar - both 2 wd and AWD versions here:
If you are familiar with rally cars - very similar concept here, with 800+ HP @ 4000#
intaglio
(8,170 posts)2. Reminds me of the original British Army Land Rovers n/t
gladium et scutum
(806 posts)3. I wonder
how well it would stand up to a 500 lb. IED.