(credit: Oshkosh Defense)
the name is L-ATV, Oshkosh Defense’s answer to the aging military Humvees that have been in service since 1984. this new vehicle is billed as “the future of light combat vehicles” and it has every reasons to make that claim. this L-ATV has both brain and brawn, so to speak. armored Humvees are great but not the perfect machine in situation like IED attack where its lightly armored under body would likely be torn to shred. the L-ATV builds on what Humvees can do but boasting a much safer environment to its occupants and operators through easy add-on and scalable armor packages. yet, it is able to do all these without sacrificing maneuverability, thanks to its Oshkosh TAK-4i independent suspension system and incredible 20-inches of independent wheel travel that allows the vehicle to transverse easily through rugged terrain and compressed urban areas.
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optionally, the L-ATV can be equipped with what Oshkosh termed as ProPulse hybrid diesel-electric drive which is not so much for eco-friendliness but more for extended range and fuel economy. cos’ the last thing you ever want is to be stuck in the middle of a war zone without assisted mobility, and plus war is a costly affair, so whatever you can save will add up to the overall cost saving for any operations. since it offers the flexibility of a scalable armor configurations, it can be adapted to virtually any mission easily and honestly speaking, it looks pretty sleek for a military vehicle. don’t you think so? they should seriously consider making a civilian version like the Hummer cos’ i’d take one anytime. a few more look at the L-ATV after the break.
