Armored Fighting Vehicles: Poland to fortify its MRAP vehicles with Israeli armor

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The MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles the U.S gave the Polish Special Forces are fitted with Israeli-made armor.

The U.S is helping Poland equip its special forces. Among their prospective tasks: with terror attacks. Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) are considered highly suitable for counterterror missions.

45 mine-resistant MRAP M-ATV vehicles, supplied by the US, were handed-off for the Polish Special Forces in Krakow.

Delivery of the MRAP vehicles is being carried out within the framework of the Excess Defense Articles program, the standard way that the U.S. military gives leftover equipment to allies. Earlier Poland had received Oliver Hazard Perry vessels or C-130 Hercules transport planes in that way.

According to Defense 24, the donation is related to the fact that the Americans have excess of the MRAP vehicles at their disposal, after the Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom operations have come to an end. MRAP vehicles have been donated to other allies, including Croatia and Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting against the ISIS terrorists.

The Oshkosh MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (or M-ATV) is a tactical wheeled armored vehicle. It was specially developed to be uses by the US troops in Afghanistan.

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It is worth mentioning that the previous MRAP vehicles fielded in Iraq often proved too heavy for Afghanistan roads and mountainous terrain. Their resistance and survivability makes them more suitable for this theater, too.

A request for a new vehicle was issued in 2008. The Oshkosh Defense beat out several competitors and received an initial order for 2,244 M-ATVs. A follow-on order was awarded for additional 1,700 armored vehicles. Later, an additional 352 MRAP vehicles were ordered, bringing a total to 4,296. Even more vehicles may be procured as funding becomes available. The first vehicles were delivered to the US Armed Forces in 2009. In 2012 United Arab Emirates ordered 750 of these military vehicles.

Armor of the M-ATV was developed in cooperation with Plasan from Israel. It incorporates current MRAP level protection. This new blast-proof truck provides protection against roadside bombs. This remains a major threat for the US forces in Afghanistan.

Each vehicle has a crew of four, plus the gunner. It offers payload capacity of 1,800 kg. The Oshkosh M-ATV can be fitted with remotely controlled weapon station, armed with heavy machine gun or automatic grenade launcher.