View attachment 451718
We had contract to buy another Turkish upgraded Ukrainian LAV. It confusing whither we canceled that contract or taking to LAV as our army standardized vehicle.
My understanding that these light LAV's are a lot lighter than US LAV 25, but almost the same size (see below). Meaning more like glorified Humvees rather than like the BTR80 series we have.
Still - I'm curious whether these Cobras come in a variety of roles, such as command and control, cannon-fitted, mortar-fitted and most importantly for us - amphibious versions. Cobra I looked to be more amphibious capable by design than COBRA II does.
LAV-25 with turret (almost same size as the Cobra II)
Amphibious version
Otokar variants (Cobra I and II look to be completely different designs) - please correct if needed.
Cobra I amphibious
Cobra II Amphibious
Cobra II Command and Control
http://data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4...wFKxFC1EI0Ru90IodyTHJ1PT1+KqHSOCcC1NlPbog/9k= http://data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4...wFKxFC1EI0Ru90IodyTHJ1PT1+KqHSOCcC1NlPbog/9k=
Cobra II with Autocannon (20mm)
By the way - the US Army has a fifteen ton vehicle that is in between cost and weight of armored Humvee (Cobra in our case) and Bradley. This vehicle is about the same weight as a BTR80/82. It is called the
M1117 Guardian, also denoted as the
Armored Security Vehicle (
ASV). It is also nicknamed 'Commando'.
Per Wiki:
The M1117 has a specialized
mine-resistant hull, and its armament consists of an
Mk 19 grenade launcher and
M2HB Browning machine gun, mounted in a turret similar to that used on the
U.S. Marine Corps'
Amphibious Assault Vehicle; and a
M240H Medium Machine Gun mounted outside the gunner's hatch.
The vehicle was utilized by American military police and convoy security units in
Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a more heavily protected and heavily armed alternative to the armored
Humvee which was not originally designed to be a protected fighting vehicle. In 2015 Textron Systems rebranded the M1117 as the COMMANDO™ family of vehicles, bringing back the name of the vehicle from which the M1117 was derived.
[5]
Here's a page for the product (Romanians are producing 400 of them under license). IMHO we should stadnardize on these as BTR80 replacements. Same weight but helluva lot better armor protection and modern 4 wheel design.
https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=607
"It may have been 98 degrees with a heat index of about 105 out on Fort Stewart’s Multi-Purpose Range Complex, but Christmas came early for 36 Soldiers of Augusta’s 278th Military Police Company and the Military Police Platoon belonging to Macon’s 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion who are the first to get their hands on 12 of the Georgia Army Guard’s new M1117 Armored Security Vehicles. Manufactured by Textron Marine and Land Systems in New Orleans, the ASV is an armored wheeled vehicle equipped with a turret and armament system designed to meet the security mission requirements (i.e., quick reaction force, main supply route and convoy security) of the Military Police Corps. It is a 4-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with a 260 horsepower diesel engine, 6-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel independent suspension that offers a quality ride while providing superior mobility, agility and handling. Sergeant 1st Class Meara Brown, non commissioned officer-in-charge of training for Decatur’s 170th MP Battalion – the 278th’s parent headquarters – said the battalion took possession of its nine vehicles on June11. The other three ASVs belong to Macon’s 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion. These Georgia Soldiers, and 25 troops from elements of the Puerto Rico Army Guard’s 124th and 125th MP battalions, have already completed the better part of a week of operator and maintenance training.Now the Soldiers are out here getting familiarized with the vehicle’s weapons systems. “I’m here to tell you, it’s like riding in an air-conditioned Cadillac,” said Sgt. James KleinHeinz, a team leader with the 278th’s 1st Platoon and the unit safety NCO. Patting the nose of his vehicle as it sat in the MPRC staging area, he added, “There’s just no comparison between it and the ride you have in a Humvee. It’s like day and night.”