Humvee IED

In recent time people have been hearing more and more about the Humvee IED problems that take place around the world but mostly in Iraq. The problem with humvee IED damages is extremely serious and has become one of the most dangerous threats to the soldiers that fight for peace and freedom abroad. Although countermeasures has been taken they are far from enough and most people think that humvee IED incidents are here to stay. Here you will be able to learn all you need to know about humvees, the IED and what the problem is all about, so stick around.

Humvee IED – The humvee

The humvee is a military light truck that went into service in the middle of the 80s to replace the aging jeeps and trucks of the Second World War. It was then, and in many ways still are if it were not for the humvee IED problem, one of the fastest, most agile and most flexible wheeled vehicle available to military troops of the USA. It was created to transport troops and goods over long distances or work as an ambulance for the wounded. It also was perfect for the role as a tow vehicle, scout vehicle and command vehicle. There never was a problem with humvee IEDs because the humvee were never intended to get close to the enemy. It is an unarmored light truck for transportation, not a combat vehicle although it has proved usable as a close support weapons platform.

Humvee IED – IED

For those that do not know what IED stands for might be surprised to learn that it is a shortening for Improvised Explosive Devices, in other words a home made bomb. The humvee IED problem simply is based on the fact that guerilla troops make home made bombs, either from scratch or using unexploded coalition munitions, and then place them at the roadside or inside a car to create an ambush. The humvee IED are not as crude as one might think as many have remote detonators built out of cell phones or garage door openers.

The humvee IED has proven so effective that it now is the preferred method of choice for terrorists and guerilla to deal with coalition forces since the IED can be detonated to destroy a humvee without the perpetrator ever needing to move from his, or her, hiding place.

Humvee IED – The humvee vs. IED

One might now ask how come there is a humvee IED problem and to tell the truth, it is all about politics and the fact that the world is changing, fast. With the recent anti-track sentiment of the American government the humvee found itself performing tasks that it was not built for such as long range patrols and urban combat. With the humvee being an unarmored light truck it has no chance of surviving a humvee IED thus making it the perfect target for guerilla troops. An add-on armor has been created that withstands humvee IED but it slows the vehicle down and increases the risk of the vehicle flipping over, thus making it useless for any other roles. But for the time being it is the best the American troops has, let us hope it is enough.