Even to the less experienced eye, the Yankee super trucks, produced by Force Protection, Inc, merged in 2011 into the best known General Dynamics, or the fifth industrial power in the world in the Defense sector.
Cougar TT and Buffalo A2 6X6
They are two similar platforms but with different tasks in the operational context; the first is deputed to the transport of a team while the Buffalo (photo at the bottom) is the most specialized: its main staging for 5 soldiers plus the conductor is deputed to the land reclamation, ie it is a Anti Improvised Explosive Device.
Observing these "trucks" from the ground with all the sophisticated MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected, ed) technology set up, is a little intimidating, not so much for the size and height of almost 4 meters for the Buffalo, as for the line and shapes similar to those of large construction excavators that catch the eye when they are busy with their heavy tasks.
On board, instead, driving these unusual armored vehicles, the feeling is of omnipotence and safety, a perception increased also by the "elongated snout" which, depending on the version, contains two types of engines including the Cat for industrial use.
The engines are not too bulky as per US tradition, but offer an interesting couple that is appreciated at every change of the hydraulic Allison 3000 SP to 5 gears with digital control on the spartan dashboard and the only position of Park it can be inserted with a vacuum pneumatic yellow button placed separately acting on the brakes and not on a spike inside the gearbox, as on light cars.
The Cougar is set up for the transport of military 12, but between the two is the smallest with a length of 6 meters and a mass of 15 tons. It is equipped with a Caterpillar C7 Caterpillar turbodiesel engine to 6 cylinders with 4 valves from 330cv, - a few maybe - but its displacement is not known even if, comparing some Caterpillar data, it should be around the 8.0 liters and in any case not cross over the 10 thousand cc. A noteworthy news if we consider the displacements of overseas trucks' 80 years, often in the order of 20 thousand and more cubic centimeters.
A power unit, that of the Cougar, almost indestructible but certainly not as performing as the Italian FPT Iveco analogs for example Cursor set up on the Astra ACTL and VTMM.
The Buffalo is equipped with a real truck engine, a supercharged Mack ASET AI-400 6-cylinder diesel engine with 4 valves and 450 horsepower, an indispensable power given its 36 tons of mass for more than 8 meters in length.
Its crew is of six soldiers and within it the synergy between the computerized detection systems officer and the conductor is fundamental if its use is configured for reclamation rather than as a command post. With the same platform adopted for Buffalo and Cougar, the US Army uses similar versions with other names also for logistics services in the operational area, such as towing, Armored Wrecker 6X66x.
Thumb to? Let's look at them more closely ...
Their frame with side members is hidden by a shell hull capable of withstanding several kilograms of explosives in the underbody and its three axles, in the 6X6 versions, have rigid axles with leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. On the two rear axles there is the characteristic swing with ample excursion for the stretches off road which, we recall, are traveled with an appreciable ease by the two vehicles, thanks also to the large single Michelin XZL 1600R20 tires. Only the height of the Buffalo and its mass can set limits, but only in the case of extreme use. In addition to the questionable visibility from the driver's seat, it should be emphasized the lack of more comfortable pneumatic solutions for the suspensions, two factors that penalize the great trucks; furthermore, beyond the air-driven seat, the shaking of the staff makes itself felt and the multi-point safety belts also serve to limit this phenomenon, especially on rough and sandy terrains where they can even exceed the 100 km / h . This is one of the reasons that limits its versatility.
As for safety, Buffalo and Coguar have a separate living room and engine cell, a concept that came from the USA with the Humvee.
They hit the frames of the armored crystals protruding about 30 centimeters and it is curious the exhaust pipe placed on the roof, "a bit like the construction vehicles". The opening of the Cougar doors takes place, considering their weight, pneumatically after having activated the consent handle. The driver's sun visor is replaced by an LCD screen where infrared images are shown and getting used to this type of driving requires time, experience and training. Intercom systems also internal, radar, fire and oxygen tanks, gas detection and radiation, are just some of the accessories on board that increase the unit cost to about one million euro.
A lot of modern technology on vehicles with a decidedly outdated line, especially if we consider our Multi-role Medium Tactical Vehicle VTMM!
In addition to the remote control of the parameters of each vehicle (such as the CAN bus system) and the operating theater thanks to the "dashboard camera", it is interesting the front carriage and the arm with hydro-mechanical blade equipped on the Buffalo for land reclamation or for the preventive blasting of the bombs before the passage of the other vehicles.
In force in the Italian Army
A similar super vehicle was also produced by Iveco Magirus under the designation 330. 30 ANW; it was the orange curmudgeon famous for the Overland mission. An excellent and indestructible construction vehicle that had very few limits and was also very popular abroad and in Australia. Equipped with a sixteen-speed gearbox or optionally with hydrotransit system - manual with converter - it is still very popular on the second-hand market today.
Despite our Army in the last decade, it was found in the need to procure about a dozen US trucks with MRAP protection and the motivation would seem clear even if not confirmed: the VTMM Bear, rather than German Grizzly, both 6x6, were not yet ready, while the needs born in the Middle East also required remediation tasks from the European contingent.
At an operational and application level, the Route Clearance Package (RCP) employs two Cougars and a Buffalo 6 × 6, with sonar instrumentation for depth sensing and sometimes a reconnaissance drone. In these missions, a Buffalo of the Italian Army suffered serious damage to the front end caused by the explosion of an IED.
The US vehicles under the Italian Army are in service at the operational departments of the engineers and some sources claim that the majority of them are still permanently posted in the Middle East.
The Made in Italy answer
On the technical scheme and the undisputed success of Iveco Trakker born a revolutionary platform in itself where the VTMM comes to life in the 2010 Bear, the Italian MRAP among the most appreciated in the world
Indeed, some countries including the US wanted to test it for their armies.
I dedicate the article ... to the soldiers of two historical departments, one is the dissolved 20th mechanized battalion Monte San Michele "Ut Brixia Leones" of Brescia, a group still very united online and which offers many nice memories and images on the years of conscription spent at the Achille Papa barracks.
But also to a department that is still active and very useful during calamities but of which very little is said: the 2nd Pontifical Engineer Regiment of Piacenza to which the Sebetia prize was awarded in 2017.
(photo: web / GDLS)
