Quote History Quoted:At least theirs has a windshield.
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It will probably be Day 2 of the first FTX with these things when Joe drills some holes in some plexi glass then ties it to the rollbar with 550 cord.
The first rain shower when Joes will tie their issue Tarpaulin, Field, Individual, Reversible (Ponchos haven't been issued in over a decade) to the rollbar
The Ranger B Company RSOV Ranger Special Operations Vehicles used a modified M66 gun ring from the M35 series 2.5ton trucks; wouldn't take much more than a few U bolt clamps, a piece of 1/4" or 3/8" aluminum plate and some HMMWV turret parts or LWS Lightweight Weapons Station parts to mount Mk19, M2A1, etc for mobile SBF platform.
The Special Forces GMV-S modified HMMWV had break-away Barracuda camo net systems for Strategic Reconnaissance missions.
The CIF Commander's In Extremis Force GMVs had aluminum running boards (removable for transport in MH-47), roof grab handles and step bumpers (to ride like Firefighters) to carry as many Assaulters to as close to the X as possible.
You could even mount up to 5 M240 or M249 on the A Pillar for the front Navigator; on the B or C Pillars for the two back seaters and even 2 on the cargo bed D Pillars for mobile fire support.
Its all been done already in the past 20years.
The M113 was never intended to be an Infantry Fighting Vehicle by design or doctrine, just a Taxi to deliver the Dismounts one terrain feature away from the Objective, but it was deployed as such by necessity or circumstances.
MRAPS didn't magically appear in theatre the day after the first IED deaths happened, it was months and months and hundreds of deaths and disfigurements later. If they are smart they would have designed the ability for bolt on applique armor kits that can be quickly forwarded to the deployment zone as the tactical situation dictates.
Big Army tends to repeat its mistakes over and over, costing casualties each and every time. But it is never the politicians' kids being sent in, they show up later pulling a 6 month TDY safely on the FOB to check a box for their own political careers