CHAPTER FOUR

ARMY VEHICLES

The Army uses many powerful, high-tech vehicles. On land and in the air, soldiers rely on state of the art vehicles to carry out missions around the world.

Tanks and Combat Vehicles

Army soldiers operate tanks and other combat vehicles in battle. Tanks have large guns and are covered in armor to protect soldiers. The M1 Abrams Tank is the Army’s main combat tank. It provides significant firepower on the battlefield. Bradley Fighting Vehicles protect and transport soldiers. Fast, armored Strykers deliver troops to the battlefield. When soldiers hit the ground, the Army’s combat vehicles have their backs.

M1 Abrams- M1A1 Abrams Tank in Camp Fallujah, Iraq.

Bradley Fighting Vehicle

A Stryker gunnery on a training mission.

Helicopters

Army helicopters can be part of air assaults, spy on enemies, transport troops, and carry supplies.

The AH-64 Apache Longbow is the Army’s main attack helicopter. It carries missiles and other weapons. It can fly during the day or at night in all weather conditions.

The UH-60 Black Hawk transports troops. It is also used for air assaults and medical missions.

AH-64D Apache Longbow

The four bladed, twin engine utility helicopter known as the UH-60 Black Hawk participated in the largest air assault mission in U.S. Army history in 1991.

UAVs

The latest and most secretive of all military vehicles are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones. UAVs fly without a pilot on board. They are controlled remotely by pilots from the ground. UAVs can fly into areas that are too dangerous for pilots, such as those contaminated by chemical or biological weapons. UAVs can spy on enemies or drop bombs while keeping soldiers safely at a distance.

Support Vehicles

Other support vehicles assist soldiers on a variety of missions. The Humvee travels over difficult terrain. It carries troops, weapons, and shelters. The Humvee can also be used as an ambulance, missile carrier, or scout vehicle. Heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks (HEMTTs) are used to re-supply combat vehicles and weapons systems. They can be used in all weather conditions. The M1070 heavy equipment transport (HET) vehicle can haul the heaviest battle tanks. These vehicles are some of the strongest and most maneuverable in the world.

MQ-9 Reaper

Shadow 200 UAV

Aerial demonstrators at the 2005 Naval Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Air Demo held at the Webster Field Annex of Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

The diesel-electric HEMTT A3 uses a 20mm M61A1 Gatling gun that fires M-940 rounds at a rate of 4,500 shots per minute.

Humvee