LiveScience: NASCAR Engineers Help Design New Combat Vehicle

[420inTN]

Probably not "Breaking" news, but I find the headline unusually hilarious. Hopefully, these vehicles will be able to make right turns.

"NASCAR Engineers Help Design New Combat Vehicle"
By Bjorn Carey
LiveScience Staff Writer
posted: 13 September 2005
08:59 am ET

The U.S. military unveiled this week a concept combat vehicle that combines new blast-deflection technology with the safety features of a commercially available truck and NASCAR engineering.

Everything from the materials to seating configuration has been rethought.

Built on the skeleton of a Ford F-350 truck, the vehicle is called the ULTRA AP (Armored Patrol). Its builders melded some of the latest advancements in vehicle defense with the maneuverability and safety features of an "off-the-shelf" truck to develop a concept vehicle that may one day replace the familiar Humvee in the battlefield.

"The idea of using an off-the-shelf vehicle is that it already has that stuff in it," Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) principal research engineer Gary Caille told LiveScience. "The automotive industry has spent a lot of money evaluating these chassis for safety and we can make use of that."

more, full story (including pics) http://www.livescience.com/technology/050913_military_vehicle.html

[Canuckistanian]

1. The only problem is

They can only be driven in large circles...

[420inTN]

4. Ovals, not circles. ;-)

And that's why I posted that I hoped that they could make right turns.

[htuttle]

2. Sounds like Ford wants to dump some of it's surplus trucks

Not surprising, considering they're not selling lately.

Unfortunately, it's also not surprising that the corrupt federal government is willing to bail them out at taxpayer expense, not to mention probably putting US troops into inadequate vehicles.

I'm willing to bet right now this ends badly, like most everything else under this administration.

[alfredo]

6. I hope it does protect our soldiers, but

like you, I have little faith in this government. It could be the perfect vehicle, but bush would find a way to fuck it up.

[420inTN]

7. So do I.

According to the article, it looks like they had IEDs in mind when they designed the vehicle.

[alfredo]

10. By the time it hits the field, the rebels will

have a good idea how to defeat its defenses.

[acmejack]

3. For expeditious withdrawls

and speedy retreats.

[420inTN]

5. For Expeditions, shirley. n/t

[deacon2]

8. Code Name: Shit Howdy 2005

I hope it's better than the crap that came out in the Bradley era. In addition to the "Rolling Bonfire" there was an amphibious truck that liked to capsize and sink. When it wasn't busy sinking, it was hospitalizing drivers with bleeding kidneys from the impossibly rough ride. I hope the 'bacy boys can improve on that design some. Maybe even strap some armor and such on for the occupants. That'd be a nice touch.

[mitchum]

9. Yeehaw! Shitfire!

[bribri16]

11. Why the hell don't these gas guzzlers help design an engine that get 70

miles per gallon. What a fucking waste! NASCAR wastes tons of fuel and all they think about making a better war machine?

[GarySeven]

12. How are they going to get pit crews ...

... to run out into the desert to change the tires and refuel in under 30 seconds?