The Cherokee Nation is getting taken for a ride....and in a bad way. Not only are those vehicles a pain in the ass to get into, but I can't even imagine how they're going to lift a gurney into the back of it.
Additionally they're big heavy vehicles that will cost more to recover than they realize. Snow covered roads with ditches on the sides? Yeah I can see these ambulances needing a big rig wrecker truck and the sick person still needing a ride to the hospital.
The should have been given Humvee Ambulances...
Or if the terrain is extremely rugged or particularly impassable during snow storms or the rainy season then maybe even a M-113 ambulance....
But an MRAP to do rescue work?
Not gonna cut it. I see trouble ahead.
Allot of the police and local gov orgs getting MRAPS and finding uses for them is because they get them for nearly nothing and most are barely broken in as far as lifespan. They get them near free because there is a peckin order for all mil surplus
ReplyDelete1. US military
2. Reserves
3. Guard
4. Fed Agencies
5. State Agencies
6. City/County/Local Agencies
7. US citizens & companies
Only #7 has to pay anything for the surplus. That is why small town fire/forest/police departments sometimes still have ole 60's and even older 21/5 tn trucks they have converted into all manor of useful vehicles. When you are looking at a tens to hundreds of thousands for a vehicle a mil surp with your kit adapted to it starts looking like a blessing even if its not the best option, budget may dictate its the only option. The humvees the military is cutting loose have been road hard and put away wet for many moon.
Free is hard to beat.
Soloman, I'll take your word for it that an MRAP isn't ideal for winter conditions. But when I see armored vehicle + Oklahoma + severe weather, I'm thinking thunderstorms and tornados in spring and summer. An MRAP seems logical not only for rescue work after a storm, but rescue work during a storm. I can't imagine being afraid of debris or hail in an MRAP.
ReplyDeleteA tornado would roll an MRAP like a dry dog turd and kill half the people in it.
DeleteTornado's have been known to lift locomotive train engines and sit them on top of buildings.
It's too tall, off balance and overweight from the armor and shape of the undercarriage.
You could strip it and mod it into a vehicle for snow and such but it would cost more than a purpose built vehicle.
Hmmm... Caiman Cat-2 ex-Marine I suppose, build on commercial truck parts and chassis. Pretty stable for a MRAP, good solid power pack. One of mod is full ambulance version, no need to get extra cash to turn it in to one.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good deal for Nation, finally not some SpecOps police wannabe in Radiator Springs.
I can see a use for MRAP in states such as Alaska, Montana, Maine, Idaho, Vermont and New Hampshire where their are some of the Toughest terrain for rescue work, law enforcement in the rural/remote areas such as Alaska and Montana.
ReplyDeleteuh you guys do realize that the M-ATV was developed because MRAPS couldn't handle off road conditions well.
ReplyDeleteyou do realize that right????
If they really wanted to help the Cherokee Nation they would give them free Thikol Snow cats.
DeleteThe M-113 would be most useful.
Caiman is based on FMTV chassis, it will be good off road as any other truck with all wheel drive. And it was/is one of the best off road heavy MRAP in arsenal. It's not perfect, that's for sure, we know that every MRAP is not the master of off road. Remember that with more then 85% parts share with truck it will be more cheaper to operate and maintenance then other ones for civilian operator. And cash rule the world, if something will break it will more easy to fix by simple mechanic of Nation without help of someone with tracked vehicles experience and tools.
DeleteCaiman Mk II was tested in Nevada and Michigan with excellent off road performance ( again for a MRAP ) it had a slightly mod suspension and more powerful engine thru. This one would be better choice but Caiman Mk I is not worst in performance then Mk II.
C'mon lads, finally we see some MRAP in good hands. Support civis with medical help and not be some toy for some SpecOps wannabe.
I find these "free" vehicles hard to justify. The biggest problems where I live are people using drugs, DWI, theft and sometimes murder. How will an MRAP help in these situations? These things need fuel and I know that isn't free.
ReplyDeletetotally agree. but the worm is turning. the cops did a no knock raid in texas and the jury refused to convict the drug dealer that shot dead one of the cops.
Deletepeople are tired of some of the bullshit that some of these dept are doing. cops need to get their shit together before they have citizens that are obey the law turning on them like they do thugs on the street.
When that happens, Cops will be in the same set up as in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even in Mexico where cops are becoming easy targets for people & the cartel. That's why cops have to be careful cause the people who obey the law may one day turn on them and do what the cartels do to cops in Mexico.
DeleteNow we know why the Post Office is buying bullets.
DeleteIs it due to the raid, or that the raid was over Marijuana and stolen guns? It seems like a ton of people are against the raid due to it being marijuana related.
DeleteI see where people say they should have waited and stopped him as he left or what not, but then it may put the general public at risk if he runs or if a shoot out happens in a public area.
At Nicky we will never be like Mexico.
Another thought- is the amount of prior military in law enforcement helping push it towards militarization?
In the end though its all about the Feds giving grants for agencies to get this stuff for free or at no cost to them. Maybe if they can get rid of the direct grants to the agencies this would slow down.