Hummers for the Holidays!
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Who could turn down a nice Hummer or two to celebrate the season and create a more festive mood? Certainly not the generals running the US Army! Indeed, the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) remains the main source of mobility for US land forces. Despite vastly accelerated wear cause by the extra weight of up-armoring the vehicles, and the steady movement of US allies to more survivable options designed for the non-linear battlefield, the size of the existing fleet ensures that the “Humvee” (or “Hummer”) is expected to remain in that leading role for some time to come. This will remain true even after the coming expiration of its contract and fielding of a replacement. There is no shortage of mine-resistant replacement contenders – though DID readers will also recall that up-armored is not the same thing as mine-resistant.
Meanwhile, production of various HMMWV versions, including the no longer mysterious “M1165” variant, is continuing at AM General LLC. Recent US contracts over the last 2 weeks have totaled $336.6 million, and include different variants of the vehicles…
The New Hummers
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Note that M1151 Hummers are 4-door Enhanced Armament Carriers, while M1152s are 2-door Enhanced Troop/ Cargo/ Shelter Carriers and M1152P1s are ambulances. They’re based on the same “A2” chassis as the M1114 up-armored Humvee and the M1151 in particular may be hard to tell apart, but there are important differences… and this DID article explains them. The M1151 & M1152 HMMWV models were formally announced on October 20, 2004; and AMC reported first fielding of these vehicles in Iraq on March 20, 2006.
The ongoing mystery of what exactly the M1165 HMMWV is, and what modifications it incorporates, may have been partially solved with help from DID reader Pedro Lucio. While the manufacturers offer no information, Olive-Drab.com describes the M1165 as a 4-door HMMWV Enhanced Troop/ Cargo/ Shelter Carrier on an ECV (Expanded Capacity Vehicle) chassis, contracted in 2006 to combine the roles of the M1097A2 ‘HMMWV Truck’ (vid. its shortcomings) and M1113 models.
Recent Contracts
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Unless otherwise noted, these awards take place under a sole source contract initiated on July 17, 2000 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI, and issued to AM General LLC in South Bend, IN.
Jan 3/07: A $60.1 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the addition of M1165A1 HMMWVs. Unfortunately, quantities were not specified. Work will be performed in South Bend, IN and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2007 (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
Jan 3/07: AM General LLC in South Bend, IN was awarded on Dec. 28, 2006, a $41.7 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the addition of M1152A1 HMMWVs. Unfortunately, quantities were not specified. Work will be performed in South Bend, IN and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2007 (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
Jan 3/07: AM General LLC in South Bend, IN was awarded on Dec. 28, 2006, a $10,236,349 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the Addition of M1151A1 HMMWVs. Unfortunately, quantities were not specified. Work will be performed in South Bend, IN and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2007 (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
Dec 29/06: AM General LLC in South Bend, IN was awarded on Dec. 22, 2006, a $108.6 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the addition of HMMWVs. Unfortunately, types and quantities were not specified. Work will be performed in South Bend, IN and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2007 (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
Dec 26/06: AM General LLC in South Bend, IN was awarded on Dec. 22, 2006, a $115,944,188 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the addition of HMMWVs. Unfortunately, types and quantities were not specified. Work will be performed in South Bend, IN and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2007 (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
