US Plans to Transfer 8,000 Hummers to Iraq
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“RESET of the US Army’s Vehicle Fleet Continues” covers the USA’s HMMWV RECAP program, while noting that the extra weight of the add-on armor was wearing out Hummers to the point where even RESET/RECAP programs may not be able to extend their life much. One solution is to turn them over to Iraqi forces, who are often driving unarmored pickup trucks.
On Jan 17/08, a ceremony in Taji, Iraq marked the beginning of a program to refurbish and transfer more than 4,244 up-armored Humvees from US inventory to the government of Iraq by the end of 2008, and reach more than 8,000 Hummers transferred by the end of 2009. So, how are they doing?
Baghdad
These Humvees start the transition process at the Camp Taji Redistribution Property Assistance Team Yard, a few miles north of Baghdad. By the time the January 2008 ceremony took place, 627 vehicles were already staged in the holding yard. They’ll receive a maintenance overhaul of brakes, belts and fluids, and can need to be shipped out for more extensive work if necessary. Once the vehicles are deemed fit, the appropriate paint scheme is applied, and quality assurance checks are conducted. Then the vehicles are be transferred to the government of Iraq.
The 13-month contract can be extended by an additional 6 months, and is expected to generate more than 500 jobs, while serving as an on-the-job training mechanism for Iraqi soldiers who have completed their initial training. US DSCA release.
Updates:
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July 7/09: AECOM Government Services Inc. in Fort Worth, TX received a $28.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for maintenance and repair of the final 2,200 M1114 up-armored vehicles for transfer to the Iraqi Army.
Work is to be performed in Iraq, with an estimated completion date of Jan 31/10. One bid solicited with one bid received by the Rock Island Contracting Center in Rock Island, IL (W52P1J-05-D-0004).
April 22/09: The transfer of the 5,000th M1114 HMMWV to the Iraqi Security Forces. According to MNF-I:
“The M1114 Transfer Program employs over 521 Iraqi local nationals from across the country…. This two year program refurbishes M1114’s in accordance to the Inspect and Repair Only as Necessary standards. The IROAN process comprises three phases cumulating [sic] in painting the M1114 with the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Ministry of Interior color schemes.
Initially, the production goals were to deliver 200 vehicles in March 2008 and 400 vehicles per month from April 2008 onwards. The M1114 Transfer Program goal is to deliver over 8000 M1114 HMMWV’s to the GoI by July 2009.”
Jan 16/09: A Multi-National Force – Iraq release covers ongoing progress with this program.
Col. Michael Sage, MNSTC-I supply division, manages an approximate $200 million contract to refurbish the vehicles before they are sold to the Iraqis.
The USAF-controlled RPAT main office validates cleared humvees at a rate of 50 per week, and assigns a batch number for transfer to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. Since the program’s inception, it has transferred more than 3,000 humvees to the Iraqis to date, at an average rate of 400 vehicles per month.
March 13/08: The Iraqi Army’s 5th Division receives the first 45 up-armored Humvees through the HMMWV transfer program, following a graduation ceremony of the first HMMWV driver training course held in Taji, Iraq. Taji is also the home of Iraq’s lone armored division (9th division). DSCA release.
