The Most Excellent U.S Military Vehicles Of All Time

December 8, 2022

The U.S. spends hundreds of billions of dollars every year on its military to keepAmerica and its interests safe. After social security, the U.S. government spends the second most on the military, and its budget for the military is more than many countries around the world combined. It is no wonder that the U.S. has some of the craziest military vehicles ever produced. Here is a list of the most badass U.S. military vehicles of all time.

The M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier

This military land vehicle entered service in the early 1960’s. It is an all-terrain vehicle that can travel up to forty miles per hour and has a range of three hundred miles. At least eight thousand of these military vehicles have been produced as well as exported to at least fifty nations. Being all-terrain, it travels in water, on land, and in the air too. The M-113 supported the U.S. military during the Vietnam war. It was the most commonly used armored vehicle during the Vietnam war and was nicknamed Green Dragon for its ability to break through the thickets in the jungle to attack enemies. The M-113 was also used during the Middle East and Iraq conflicts.

The Carrier, Personnel Half-Track M-3

The M-3 Halftrack was a military land vehicle, which entered service in 1941. Over forty thousand of these military vehicles were produced by the end of World War II. By the end of the second World War, production of the M-3 Half-Track had ceased. The M-3 Half-Track was widely used by American allies during the Second World War and the Cold War. These military vehicles played numerous roles including as personnel carriers, communication vehicles, artillery tractors, etc. Some reports showed that some inexperienced troops might have made inappropriate use of the vehicle as complaints had been lodged about its lack of overhead protection and inadequate armor in certain instances.

The Universal Bren Gun Carrier

The Universal Bren Gun Carrier entered service in 1939. It was a crucial piece of technology during World War II because of its versatility. The Universal Bren Gun Carrier transported troops; it was used as a Medivac; it could house a machine gun, flamethrower, or mortar; it was also used as agun tractor. By the 1960’s, production of these vehicles ceased, but over one hundred thousand of these military vehicles had been produced, and the Universal Bren Gun Carrier is the most produced military vehicle in all of history. The Universal Bren Gun Carrier and its variants have been used by over twenty nations around the world including the U.S.

The Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT)-4 Water Buffalo

The LVT-4 Water Buffalo entered service in 1944 and was an amphibious warfare vehicle used during the Second World War when the U.S. Marine Corps landed in the Pacific theater. Originally, they were intended to be used as cargo ships because of the simple backdoor design that allowed for the easy transport of cargo and troops. The military also made use of the LVT as assault troop and fire support vehicles as some of the LVT-4s also had armor kits to protect troops from bullets and shrapnel. The LVT-4 was the most common version of the LVT, and the US army had over six thousand of these vehicles.

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (A.K.A. Humvee)

The Humvee entered service in 1980 and is widely used by the U.S. military. This military vehicle inspired civilian Hummer versions. The Humvee is designed to transport light cargo and personnel behind the front lines. The original Humvee has no armor so is not designed to be a front-line fighting vehicle. Since 1996, a superior design boasted a fully armored passenger area with bullet-resistant glass and encased with hardened steel. Since then, further modifications have been made with more advanced armor kits to protect against all types of attacks. Humvees can reach maximum speeds of 65mph and are currently used in over thirty countries.

The Oshkosh Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Military Vehicles

The Oshkosh MRAP is a type of military vehicle designed to withstand ambushes and improvised explosive device attacks. It is a 13-tonne, 370 horsepower, Caterpillar diesel engine all-terrain vehicle. The vehicles were named after a U.S. Department of Defense program called MRAP, which arose in response to an increased threat of ambushes and improvised explosive device attacks during the Iraq War. The Oshkosh MRAP is especially useful as a special forces vehicle or tactical ambulance, and it has infrared driving lights for invisibility and stealthy navigation. More than twelve thousand Oshkosh MRAPs were deployed between 2007-2012, but its production ended in 2012.

The Oshkosh Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR)

The LVSRs were first utilized in 2006 by the U.S. military. These vehicles weigh 67, 600lbs (30, 663 kilos) and bear ten independently suspended wheels. It is a heavy tactical vehicle covered in a durable armor kit that follows the A-kit/B-kit principle. The standard armor it comes with includes an armored cab floor, but additional protection kits are installable and removable using basic tools on the field. The purpose of the removable kits is to help reduce wear and tear on the vehicle and improve its lifespan. There are three variants in service including a wrecker, cargo, and a tractor truck.

The Oshkosh Heavy Equipment Transport System (HETS)

This military transport system is used to deploy and evacuate self-propelled artillery, armored personnel carriers, armored bulldozers, and other heavy vehicles and equipment. Its main purpose is to transport battle tanks. The Oshkosh HET has 700hp and an 18.8-liter diesel engine. It can travel up to 50mph. At least twelve nations including the following operate Oshkosh HETS: U.S.; Saudi Arabia; Iraq; United Kingdom; Morocco; Egypt; Jordan; Thailand; Greece; United Arab Emirates; Israel; and Oman. On a lighter note, in the 1987 sports drama film, Over The Top, Sylvester Stallone’s character, Lincoln Hawk a struggling trucker and professional arm wrestler, gets to drive an Oshkosh HET.

The Seawolf Class Nuclear-Powered Fast Attack Submarines

The Seawolf Class entered service in 1997 and is among the most advanced and expensive military submarines in existence. The Seawolf Class cost about three billion dollars to produce, and seven million parts were used in its construction. It can carry up to one hundred and thirty-four soldiers, deal with multiple targets simultaneously, and is known for its quiet, stealth nature, even at high tactical speeds. The Seawolf Class was built to help the U.S. Navy maintain superiority over Russia and the old Soviet Union by destroying Soviet ballistic missile submarines before they could attack American targets. Though the Cold War is over, the Seawolf Class continues to safeguard the U.S. by monitoring enemies from a position of safety. It can also participate in land battles.

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit (a.k.a. Stealth Bomber) is among the most expensive U.S. Airforce developments at the cost of approximately $737 million per unit. There are only twenty of these aircraft in operation because of its costliness. The sleek aircraft carries 39,683lbs of weaponry and can fly almost 7500 miles without refueling. It’s sleek, fine-wing design is coated with a radar-absorbing substance, which makes it virtually invisible to radar and allows it to invade sophisticated enemy defenses. The Northrop Grumman B-2 was originally created to attack and defend against Soviet targets during the Cold War.

MORE FROM WaitUp