nastyleg
03-05-2010, 06:12 PM
M-ATVs hit the ground with sticky doors
Since getting the new vehicles in January, the at least one external door latch has failed on all of 2-12 INF’s M-ATVs. Op-sec prevents me from saying exactly how many that is, but its a section-plus.
A sergeant described the problem, “When we get out of the vehicle to shoot a rocket or something, we have to make sure the door stays open.” If it closes, he said (and later showed me) the only way to get the door open is to have someone crawl through the vehicle and use the inside door handle.
He told me that on his truck, it’s the drivers door. On other trucks, it’s different doors. Other members of the platoon were quick to confirm the busted latch problem as a critical problem with the new trucks.
However, they were quick to point out that overall they are very happy with the M-ATV. They like its smaller turning radius, as compared to the MRAPs, that allows them to pull a u-turn to help other vehicles in an ambush.
They went on to say they truck s don’t get stuck and have protected the occupants from small arms fire.
On the downside they would have liked more cargo room in the passenger cab; they don’t like having to get out and grab ammo cans from the truck bed during a firefight.
The unit’s forward observer told me the side windows are too small for him to direct fires. During the first engagement he ran from inside the M-ATV, he ended up kicking the door open so he could see where his rounds were landing. From then on, he’s been riding in the unit’s MRAPs, instead.
http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2010/03/04/matvs/
Since getting the new vehicles in January, the at least one external door latch has failed on all of 2-12 INF’s M-ATVs. Op-sec prevents me from saying exactly how many that is, but its a section-plus.
A sergeant described the problem, “When we get out of the vehicle to shoot a rocket or something, we have to make sure the door stays open.” If it closes, he said (and later showed me) the only way to get the door open is to have someone crawl through the vehicle and use the inside door handle.
He told me that on his truck, it’s the drivers door. On other trucks, it’s different doors. Other members of the platoon were quick to confirm the busted latch problem as a critical problem with the new trucks.
However, they were quick to point out that overall they are very happy with the M-ATV. They like its smaller turning radius, as compared to the MRAPs, that allows them to pull a u-turn to help other vehicles in an ambush.
They went on to say they truck s don’t get stuck and have protected the occupants from small arms fire.
On the downside they would have liked more cargo room in the passenger cab; they don’t like having to get out and grab ammo cans from the truck bed during a firefight.
The unit’s forward observer told me the side windows are too small for him to direct fires. During the first engagement he ran from inside the M-ATV, he ended up kicking the door open so he could see where his rounds were landing. From then on, he’s been riding in the unit’s MRAPs, instead.
http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2010/03/04/matvs/