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December 21, 2004

The U.S. Army has ordered another 50 M117 ASVs (Armored Security Vehicles). Originally developed in the 1990s for use by MPs in combat zones, only a few were bought. It was found that for peacekeeping, existing armored vehicles were sufficient. Then Iraq came along, and the MPs were often in charge of guarding convoys from attack. The six ton ASV runs on wheels and cost $720,000 each. The MPs like them, finding the ASV more robust than an armored hummer. As a wheeled vehicle, the ASV can keep up with the trucks it is escorting. The army currently has 132 ASVs, with 77 of them in Iraq. Originally, the army wanted to buy 696. Unlike trucks with armor added by the troops, the ASV was designed to handle the armor. Unfortunately, with all those thousands of armored hummers in service, there is no incentive to buy a lot of much more expensive special armored cars.