6. Ultra AP
Built on the old chassis of a Ford F-350, this Armored Patrol vehicle was designed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute in 2010 and includes designs developed by NASCAR engineers. The US Office of Naval Research funded several projects to improve vehicles on the front lines and this included testing designs built on commercial truck chassis built to suit military roles.
The Ultra AP needed to be able to survive all the situations that the older Humvee wasn’t designed for, including taking fire and withstanding blasts from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). With a crew pod shielded by steel construction, the six-person team inside is safe from rocket-propelled grenades, IEDS and other explosions.
SEE ALSO: 10 weird military vehicles of World War II (With Pictures)
Consider the passenger pod like the roll cage in a Nascar racer: Using tubular steel, the compartment keeps everyone within fully protected. The undercarriage of the Ultra AP also features a crumple zone shield located there to take the brunt force of any damage in a blast.
With a turbo diesel engine, five-speed transmission and engine power of 350hp, this truck is certainly strong enough to haul its armor and its cargo anywhere it needs to get to. Plans are in the works to come up with a hybrid option of the Ultra AP as well.
Discussion about this post