Humvee's heavy armor: A lifesaver with a tipping price
The Humvee off-road vehicle is a symbol of the American military. It's used worldwide, including by the Polish Armed Forces, and has received favorable reviews in Ukraine. Despite this praise, the changes made to the Humvee through successive upgrades have been found to pose risks to soldiers.
5:33 PM EDT, October 14, 2024
The Humvee is the American military's basic off-road vehicle. Although its successor, the more modern Oshkosh JLTV, has been developed and ordered, the Pentagon still operates over 100,000 Humvees. Several thousand more are in service in armies worldwide.
At least 3,000 of these vehicles have also been delivered to aid in the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainians commend the Humvee for its ergonomics and the good protection it provides to soldiers, as much as can be expected for its class. The same features surprise the Russians, who, upon testing captured Humvees, are amazed by their high resilience.
Despite these strengths, the Humvee is not without faults. Experience from various wars led to the vehicle being heavily armored. This enhancement improved protection for soldiers but also increased the weight.
The increased weight results in quicker wear on many components and raises the vehicle's center of gravity. According to the Ukrainian service Defense Express, this has led to dangerous consequences.
The Humvee's armor reduces vehicle stability
A report prepared for the Pentagon showed that between 2010 and 2019, one-third of over 3,700 military vehicle accidents involved Humvees.
In 25% of these cases, the vehicles rolled over, and the absence of modern safety systems proved dangerous for the crews. These non-combat accidents resulted in the deaths of 123 soldiers.
The vehicles are prone to rollovers due to the change in their center of gravity caused by additional armor. While this armor saves lives on the battlefield, it also makes the Humvee easy to tip over. In a rolling vehicle without modern safety systems, crew members can hit their heads on the roof, leading to injuries.
One proposed solution to this problem is a special seat equipped with multi-point seat belts, airbags, and a mechanism that, in case of a rollover, pulls the soldier towards the floor. This increases the space between the head and the roof of the vehicle, offering better protection.
