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Even as the Pentagon scrambles to replace up-armored HumVees with the newest defensive wonder-weapon, the MRAP, an announcement has been made that this vehicle, the Cougar, is vulnerable to EFPs and has to be itself up-armored.

WASHINGTON — New military vehicles that are supposed to better protect troops from roadside explosions in Iraq aren't strong enough to withstand the latest type of bombs used by insurgents, according to Pentagon documents and military officials.

As a result, the vehicles need more armor added to them, according to a January Marine Corps document provided to USA TODAY. The Pentagon faced the same problem with its Humvees at the beginning of the war.

The Cougar was eagerly seized upon by the Pentagon as a solution to larger IEDs that were destroying HumVees, even after they were up-armored. The Pentagon has ordered some 7,500 of these vehicles and is preparing to order 17,000 more, at a total price tag of somewhere north of $25 Billion. (I know the official price has been quoted as between $20 and $25 Billion, but this is government procurement and things always cost more than advertised.)

This larger, heavier armored vehicle is celebrated for its Vee-shaped hull, which is supposed to channel the force of an IED up and away from the vehicle.

But no so much with EFPs. It has been revealed that there have to be add-ons to the present generation of MRAPs.

But the armor on those vehicles cannot stop the newest bomb to emerge, known as an explosively formed penetrator (EFP). The Pentagon plans to replace virtually all Humvees with MRAPs to provide better protection against roadside bombs, responsible for most casualties in Iraq. … Since MRAPs are so much safer against traditional roadside bombs, the document says, Iraqi insurgents' use of EFPs "can be expected to increase significantly."

As a result, the Marine commanders in Iraq who wrote the statement asked for more armor to be added to the new vehicles.

The Army has tested an armor that seems to be resistant to EFPs, according to BG Michael Brogan, head of the USMC Systems Command, the agency charged with obtaining the vehicles. "How rapidly we can engineer that onto these vehicles is yet to be seen because it is significantly heavy," he said.

The Army’s new armor is still in testing, but it appears to shatter the slug of hot metal rusting from an EFP detonation.

Enter the Newest version of the MRAP

Ceradyne, Inc is introducing an armored vehicle called BULL, designed to complement the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle currently produced for the US Marine Corps and Army. The BULL is based on a commercial chassis and uses an armor suite providing superior protection from all types of IEDs.

BULLs can be configured as urban patrol vehicles or logistics transportation vehicles providing logistics crews the same increased level of protection as that being provided to ground forces. The vehicle has already passed limited testing by the U.S. Government, where it demonstrated a high level of performance and crew survivability. According to Marc King, Vice President of Armor Operations for Ceradyne, the vehicle is specifically designed for close urban terrain and can survive the most lethal IED (improvised explosive device) threats faced by ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, including explosively formed penetrators (EFPs). "We feel this is a clear technological leap forward in crew survivability." said King.

Future procurements of the BULL are under discussion with several government agencies, in addition to the Department of Defense, who have expressed interest. The vehicle was developed at Ceradyne's vehicle armor division, in conjunction with its teaming partner, Ideal Innovations, Inc. of Arlington, Virginia.

This newest vehicle is supposed to be resistant to IEDs, VBIEDS and EFPs. The Pentagon is testing the beast, which the manufacturer says can be produced at the rate of 100 units per month.

Oh yes, the Russians are also building an MRAP, the Kamaz, which has been offered to the Iraqi government and private contractors. It is unacceptable for US forces because of the NIH rule.

Articles on MRAPs:

Mine Resistant Vehicles

17,700 MRAPs

Marine MRAPs Mired in Minutiae

A Minor MRAP Problem

The Super-MRAP

The Cougar MRAP

Baby Huey Needs Feeding

A Strategically Influenced Nation