US Marines to pay $100K For Retooled Jeep

I found this rather interesting piece on a couple of news sites a few days ago and haven't seen it posted yet. In essence, it seems the US Marine Corps is aquiring these new vehicles to fit the bay of the V22 Osprey.

www.usatoday.com...

Whilst I understand that they can't fit most vehicles in the space, $100K per vehicle, without armour or weapons, which will cost extra, seems to be a little bit steep. But hey, isn't that always the way with military supply contracts?

Eventhough I also think its high, you do have to take into account that this kind of price includes lifelong parts and repair and other things like it.

Just trying to think of any small armoured vehicles that could fit into the Osprey...none springs to mind.Makes you wonder why they didnt consider this type of load when designing the V22,or maybe a larger version should have been made that could have coped with HMMVW type internal cargo's.

Originally posted by bmdefiant
Just trying to think of any small armoured vehicles that could fit into the Osprey...none springs to mind.Makes you wonder why they didnt consider this type of load when designing the V22,or maybe a larger version should have been made that could have coped with HMMVW type internal cargo's.

The HMMWV is a whopping 30 inches wider than the Osprey cargo bay, and depending on the version also too high.
Well, if the Marines only want a light transport vehicle in the lines of the Willys Jeep, I can understand the decision for the new thing. If they however also want a vehicle capable of fighting, they should just try and make the V-22 cargo bay 5 inches wider and higher and then could fit in a couple of german Wiesel 1 or 2 light tanks.

It does seem to be a bit shortsighted of the planners to procure an aircraft for rapid deployment of troops that cannot hold standard sized vehicles already in the inventory.
If I remember correctly, the MH53 could hold two unmodified Jeeps in it's cargo bay. Just fold up the seats, drive 'em in and tie them down.

I suppose it depends on the mission,although the Osprey was designed to allow the Marines longer range insertion so that Amphibious task forces could stand off from the coast in concert with the LCACs.
I guess it will fall on the CH53 Super Stallion to carry the loads required etc LAV25 or other up to 16ton loads.

[edit on 1-1-2006 by bmdefiant]

oy i hate hearing things that come about because of the v-22 i swear to god deaths and now this hell out of all this fuss you could design a things that would actualy work. as for the jeep 100k is a bit salty i think but if it works then its priceless.

Seems a little bit steep?

This is insane. 100k for the little dinky thing? Wow it has a turbo diesel and disc brakes!! So what else does it have to make up for the rest of the $99,000. It ought to shoot laser beams out the headlights and grow wings and fly for that kind of money.

You say thats the price of saving a life? Whos it going to save? The marines armored humvee/hummer whatever it is can barely save lives. This thing looks like its made of tinfoil, and its completely open. Bah, what a joke.

I love looking at my paycheck and seeing how much of my money was stolen to finance BS like this.

Leave the Marines alone. There is no branch of the service that has a better record of providing the most bang for the buck. Civilian reporters are well known for passing judgement on military matériel without sufficient knowledge or understanding of the pertinent issues.

Come on Grady, I have loads of respect for you, but just look at it.

Its a tin can. I have nothing against the marines. I have a few friends that are marines including one that had his leg blown off in Iraq by a suicide car bomber, but look at this thing. Does it look like its worth 100k to you? Take off your goggles for a second and use the part of your brain that has no allegiance to anything and look at it for gods sake!

They say its state of the art, well whats so state of the art about it besides its "modern disc brakes". I dont know how you fit 100k worth of "state of the art technology" in that tiny thing to bring the price up that high. Might as well buy armored ferraris with 50 cals mounted on top of them, would cost the same, and be 100x more stylish

For a *BEEP*n " Vietnam-era jeep", they have got to be out of their *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*n minds!

Excuse my language, but this is exactly like the $100 hammers or $600 toilet seats that didn't even wipe their *BEEP*n *BEEP*!



GRRR, now I'm really going to gove those *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*n
peice of my *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*n mind!

[edit- due to extreame rage and inappropriate language content for viewers]

The UV100DB, which is the same vehicle you can buy from American Growler in a kit and put together yourself for about $7,500

so , where has the other $92,500 going? lifetime support? rubbish - i would rather buy 13 of the things and not be worried about them breaking than spending silly money on each one.

I dont know the details of that American Growler kit that was mentioned but I really doubt you're getting a turbo diesel in it for $7500 and certainly not a new one like the govt gets

If the marines get a brand new truck and require it have certain features or capabilities the company has to design, engineer and build them which becomes pretty expensive. I bet they require ceratin tires, rims, heavy duty electrical system with hookups for radios and other electronics, oversized fuel tank, and possibly even ones that are bullet resistant by being covered in that foam. They probably want other stuff like a snorkel, blackout headlights, skid plates, winch and recovery gear etc. They also have to paint them and outfit them with weapons which all adds up.

[edit on 4-1-2006 by warpboost]

a current news article by the raleigh observer has ststed on january 8th that performance specs were deleted removed and watered down to overcome the incapabilities of this vehicle also states that the pc price of each vehicle is 127,000 not the 100,000 as stated . someone also quotes that the contract was decided months before the solisitation ever came out the observer also shows the rejected designs of the loosing competitor it has a fully integrated roll cage a integrated mortar system common to what the army uses once you see it theres somthing obviously wrong here

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Leave the Marines alone. There is no branch of the service that has a better record of providing the most bang for the buck.

i wont argue that the marines are good, they are but if the marines provide as much bang for the buck as you say they do then i expect them to be taking on the world single handly soon. 100k is an incredible rip off and whoever decide to buy them should be shot publicly, and whoever sold the jeeps to the millatry should be ashamed to call himself american.

Kind of reminds me why they put a 40,000 dollar coffee machine in a C-5 transport.

Shattered OUT...

No one hear including myself knows the details of what this vehicle has yet people keep commenting it's too much $$ etc.. and trying to compare it to a kit is crazy! One major issue with trying to compare a turn key vehicle to some 2 bit kit is assembly!!! I would imagine it would take a few hundred man hours so @ $50 per hour which is cheap rate for a mechanics your looking at another 5K rate there. Also in my expierence with kit cars they don't include an engine let a lone a brand new JP-8 burning diesel!!!! $7500 probably gets you the body as a kit and maybe a chasis or frame and nothing else, so you still need a drivetrain, electrical and you have to have some assemble it!

[edit on 16-1-2006 by warpboost]

Originally posted by Britguy
It does seem to be a bit shortsighted of the planners to procure an aircraft for rapid deployment of troops that cannot hold standard sized vehicles already in the inventory.

Hey, Landrover had to create the "Lightweight" Landrover specially for the British Army because they didn't have a vehicle light enough to be carried by Westland Whirlwind.

And it seems that every project ever created to "standardise" militaries (outside of calibre) has been an unmitigated disaster. (I say seems!).

You have to laugh, don't you?

I mean why use your own highly trained mechanics and fitters and armourers and technicians when you can buy what you want from Jeep?

Oh yeah! If you want it modified for you, but it will cost you $1000,000 a shot.

Sound economics - bit like us Brits and some of the crap we buy for our forces!

anyone know if this overpriced vehicle have special materials that explained the exorbitant cost ? maybe material that is strong and light , so it can be carried by helicopters ?

and as for price, how much one standard military humvee cost ? how much one MRAP cost ?