The M1117 Guardian, also denoted Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), is an internal security vehicle based on the V-100 and V-150 Commando series of armored cars. It was developed in the late 1990s for service with the United States' Military Police Corps.[1] The first prototypes appeared in February 1997 and serial production of the M1117 commenced between 1999 and early 2000.[1]
The vehicle was utilized by American military police and convoy security units in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a more heavily protected and heavily armed alternative to the armored M1114 HMMWV aka "Humvee", which was not originally designed to be a protected fighting vehicle.
The vehicle (originally the ASV-150) is a purpose-built 21st-century version of Cadillac Gage's V-100 Commando family of Armored fighting vehicles which was used by the U.S. Army Military Police during the Vietnam War;[4] whose duties often consisted of providing armed escort for wheeled convoys. The USAF in South Vietnam utilized an open hatched (turret-less) Commando for base security missions.[5] The ASV 150 was a much improved version of the earlier Cadillac Gage vehicle, with improved armor protection and better maneuverability due to the use of Timoney's independent suspension system.
In the 1980s, U.S. military doctrine emphasized two distinct types of equipment. Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles were for frontline combat, and unarmored utility vehicles for transport behind the lines.[6] In 1993, the military had to fight through Mogadishu in unarmored Humvees, leading to the development of up-armored models. Many generals doubted the benefits, but the Military Police Corps, tasked with patrolling the "safe" rear area behind the battle line, insisted that the Army fund a slow but steady production of the bullet-resistant M1114 Humvee.
In 1999, the United States Army began buying a limited number of M1117s for the Military Police Corps. They were field-tested by MP units in Kosovo, mostly by members of the 709th MP Battalion.[7] The program was canceled in 2002 because of budget priorities. The United States Army believed that existing vehicles could be used without an "unacceptable level of risk."[7] (At $800,000 each in 2011, the M1117 was significantly more expensive than the $140,000 price for an M1114 and $220,000 for an armoured M1114.)[8]
When the Iraq War began in 2003, there were 49 ASVs in service, almost all assigned to MP units. The first MP unit to officially use them in a combat zone was the 527th MP Company and other elements of the 720th Military Police Battalion. However, the onset of events in Iraq gave new life to the ASV program as HMMWVs proved vulnerable to attacks and prone to numerous casualties. Up-armored HMMWVs were not designed to be armored cars like the M1117, which are designed to withstand hits from small arms, mines and rockets in front-line combat units. Soldiers who used the M1117s, and some members of Congress visiting Iraq, favored them over other mine-protected vehicles.
In response to urgent United States Army requirements in the mid-2000s, production increased more than forty-fold, from one ASV every three weeks to 56 vehicles per month. The production plant, located in New Orleans, was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The manufacturing facilities were later rebuilt and expanded to five buildings, while the number of personnel at the plant more than doubled.[citation needed] As of mid-2007, 1729 vehicles were delivered or under contract, with many being dispersed not just to MP units, but also to numerous other military units including the Iraqi National Police.[citation needed]
A variant was to be evaluated by the United States Marine Corps as part of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program. In May 2007, after its vehicle submission failed ballistics testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Textron received word that it would not receive further orders as part of the MRAP program.[9] However, in early 2008, Textron was awarded a contract worth $228 million to build 329 ASVs, to be delivered with the latest fragmentation protection kits. The total number of ASVs produced and remaining to be delivered to the U.S. Army at the time was 2,058 vehicles.[10]
In April 2019, the M1117 was added to the Master Divestiture List. In time, they will be replaced with the M-ATV.[11]
At about 15 tons, the M1117 is lighter than the 20-ton Stryker ICV or 25-ton M2 Bradley armored vehicle. It can reach 20 miles per hour in 7 seconds.[12] It is only 7 feet 9+1⁄2 inches (2.375 meters) wide, compared to 11 feet 9+1⁄2 inches (3.594 meters) for a Bradley. Buttoned up, the crew has 360° visibility. In size and capability, it fits between the Humvee and the $5 million Stryker. The crew compartment is fully air-conditioned.
Survivability
The ASV uses an advanced modular expandable armor package from IBD Deisenroth Engineering, consisting of ceramic composite appliqué on the exterior and spall liner on the interior. The Guardian's armor is designed to defeat small arms fire, mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The armor is angled, presenting no vertical surfaces, and deflects many rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hits. If an RPG does hit the vehicle directly, the armor can still function, although crew survivability varies with the location of the RPG hit.[13] Angled armor is more resistant to attack than vertical armor due to the V-shaped hull deflecting explosive forces, as opposed to a single-plane hull which takes the entire impact force.
ASVs in Iraq and Afghanistan have withstood several IED attacks, some vehicles multiple times. One ASV returned 28 miles (45 km) after an IED destroyed all four tires.[citation needed] As for chemical and biological attacks, the ASV's gas particulate air filtration system was designed to provide additional protection, but is currently not in service due to lack of crew masks for the system. The ASV has experienced several rollover incidents. Soldiers have a high survivability rate in rollovers as the turret is fully enclosed, protecting the gunner from ejection. However, there have been at least two incidents of rollovers that resulted in fatalities when the turret broke away from the vehicle.[14][15] Since these incidents, Textron began adding 15 additional bolts to the vehicle turret.
Mobility
A M1117 navigates through an obstacle at a rough terrain driving course
The typical mission profile of an ASV involves 50% travel on primary roads, 30% travel on secondary roads, and 20% cross-country travel. The vehicle has a model MD3560 Allison Transmission. Front and rear independent suspension provides smooth highway speeds of up to 70 mph (110 km/h), while it is capable of fording 5-foot (1.5 m) depths of water,[16] climbing gradients of 60%, negotiating 30% side slope, and overcoming obstacles of five feet. Its turning radius is 27.5-foot (8.4 m), and it has 18-inch (46 cm) of ground clearance.
Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV, alternative name for an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)) – 24 inches longer than ASV, armed with cupola mounting for a machine gun or grenade launcher instead of a turret, carries 3 crew and 8 troops.[18]
With the adoption of the M1117 as the Mobile Strike Force Vehicle (MSFV) by the Afghan National Army, demand increased for much larger-caliber weapon systems mounted on the same chassis, to provide an organic anti-tank and fire support capability.[19] On 22 October 2013, a new fire-support variant of the M1117 was unveiled by Textron at the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition.[19] This model, described as the Commando Select 90mm Direct Fire Vehicle, was designed with an exceptionally large turret ring and carried a Cockerill Mk III 90mm low-pressure cannon.[19]
This provided the M1117 with an extremely potent form of firepower for its size and weight class, firing canister, high explosive, high-explosive squash head, and high-explosive anti-tank shells, as well as an armour-piercing discarding sabot round capable of destroying older main battle tanks.[20] One advantage of the low-pressure cannon was that, in spite of its relatively large caliber, it could be mounted on a vehicle weighing only 18 metric tonnes, or about 40,000 pounds, combat loaded.[20] The new armament was also fitted with a single-baffle muzzle brake and concentric hydro-spring recoil mechanism as standard to reduce the pressure exerted on the relatively light chassis.[1]
According to Textron, it invested in the 90mm Direct Fire Vehicle as a direct response to the Afghan requirement for a more heavily armed MSFV.[21] Afghanistan immediately ordered 50 and offered to purchase the vehicle through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, with grants from the US government.[22] However, since the 90mm cannon and most of the turret components were made in Belgium, US military officials blocked the sale until they could qualify and approve that particular combination for export through FMS.[22]
In 2014, the procurement process was suspended when the US canceled its funding for the sale of almost 300 MSFVs, including the 50 Direct Fire Vehicles, to the Afghan National Army, citing budgetary constraints.[23] The US military had not yet finished its testing of the Belgian weapons system at the time, so none were ever delivered.[22] As Kabul's requirement for a fire support variant of the MSFV remained unfulfilled, Textron agreed to revisit the potential sale with Afghan officials in 2017.[22]
Around the same time, Iraq requested an undisclosed number of 90mm Direct Fire Vehicles from Textron for its ongoing campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The sale was pending review by the US government in February 2017.[24]
Bulgaria uses a variant of the M1117 APC fitted with a NSVT heavy machine gun instead of the M2. Not all vehicles have been converted this way.
The Iraqi Armored Personnel Carrier ASV variant is configured for transport. Iraq has also modified some of its ASV turrets to accommodate an anti-aircraft capability.
Operators
A map showing Textron M1117 Armored Security Vehicle operators in blue, with locally produced operators in light blue
Current operators
A Bulgarian M1117
Afghanistan
An unknown number, at least several dozen, were captured by the Taliban as part of their 2021 offensive.[26]
Bulgaria
17. General Defence Staff of Bulgaria had put a requirement for an additional 30 units to the Parliament in 2008; only 10 were delivered in addition to 7 already present.[27]
39 initially, used by the Army. These vehicles are the Infantry Carrier Vehicle version, purchased to supplement Colombia's recently acquired fleet of BTR-80s; another 39 were expected to enter operational service in 2012.[28] In August 2013, Textron was awarded a $31.6 million contract for 28 Commando APCs with remote turrets. Deliveries were scheduled to begin in November 2013 and be completed by April 2014.[29] On 4 April 2016, the United States Department of Defence revealed that Colombia had acquired 54 new M1117 APCs.[30] In August 2020, a donation of 200 vehicles was approved under the Excess Defense Article (EDA) program. Delivery in batches of 40 was still in progress as of August 2022.[31]
Greece
837 (363 more to be delivered, part of US military support, EDA program).[32][33][34][35]
Iraq
264 (60 more were ordered in April 2016) used by Iraqi National Police units.[36] Some captured by ISIL fighters in 2014.[37]
Kosovo
55 have been reported to be used by the KSF.[38][39][40] The USA has donated a number of vehicles, and more have been purchased by the Kosovo government.
United States
1,836. The vehicle is primarily used by U.S. Army military police units.
^Lansford, Thomas (2017). Afghanistan at War: From the 18th-Century Durrani Dynasty to the 21st Century: From the 18th-Century Durrani Dynasty to the 21st Century. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, publishers. p. 60. ISBN978-1-59884-759-8.
