Amateurs discuss tactics, professionals discuss logistics. A military force can have all of the flashy combat vehicles it wants, but without a solid underpinning of medium and heavy trucks to handle logistics, that combat force is either dependent or hollow. This truth has been vividly illustrated in Iraq, where the priority level placed on raising the Iraqi Army’s combat power has made it dependent on the mature American logistics force in theater. Discussions of “independent operational capability” for Iraqi units revolve primarily around this logistics gap. While some units are capable now, Iraq is just beginning to implement the logistics tail that will give most of its units this ability to operate independently.
The 14 variants in the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) form the core of the USA’s state-of-the-art medium military transport truck fleet, and serve as the base for key weapons systems like the future MEADS air-defense system and the new HIMARS air-portable multiple rocket launchers. They also serve as the base for BAE’s Caiman MRAP blast-resistant vehicle, which adds armor and a blast-resistant capsule for carrying troops. As of June 1/08, the US military has ordered 2,862 Caimans for use on the front lines.
There have been 3 main phases of the FMTV program, including the last “SO23” open competition in 2003. That ended in 2008, however – hence the necessity for a bridging contract to 2010. All told, over 50,000 FMTV trucks in various models have been delivered to the US Army…
