Buffalo (mine protected vehicle)

Buffalo
Buffalo
	Buffalo being used to dig up an IED during training
Type	MRAP
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Iraq War, Afghanistan War
Production history
Manufacturer	Force Protection, Inc.
Produced	2003
Specifications
Mass	45,320 lb (20,560 kg) (curb weight); 56,000 lb (25,000 kg) (max weight)
Length	27 ft (8.2 m)
Width	8.5 ft (2.6 m)
Height	13 ft (4.0 m)
Crew	2+4
Armor	All wheels and centerline mine protected
Engine	Mack ASET AI-400 I6; 330 KW (450 HP)
Payload capacity	38,680 lb (17,540 kg)
Transmission	Allison HD-4560P automatic
Suspension	6×6 wheeled
Ground clearance	15 in (410 mm)
Fuel capacity	85 US gal (320 L)
Operational; range	300 mi (483 km)
Maximum speed	65 mph (105 km/h)

The Buffalo is a wheeled mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) armored military vehicle built by Force Protection, Inc., a division of General Dynamics. It is the largest vehicle in Force Protection's line-up, followed by the Cougar MRAP and the Ocelot light protected patrol vehicle (LPPV).

History

The Buffalo vehicle was designed based on the successful South African Casspir mine-protected vehicle.^[2] The Casspir is a four-wheeled vehicle, while the Buffalo has six wheels. Buffalo is also fitted with a large articulated arm, used for ordnance disposal. Both vehicles incorporate a V-shaped monohull chassis that directs the force of the blast away from the occupants.^[3]

Buffalo is also now equipped with BAE Systems' LROD cage armor for additional protection against RPG-7 anti-tank rounds.^[4] Glass armor is sufficient at 6 inches thickness. Run-flat tires are mounted on all six wheels. The Buffalo combines ballistic and blast protection with infrared technology to detect the presence of dangerous ordnance and a robotic arm to disable the explosive ordnance. Personnel operate the Buffalo’s 30-foot robotic arm and claw from within the armored hull via a mounted camera and sensory equipment, to safely dispose of mines and IEDs.

In 2004, the United States had a limited number of Buffaloes in service, with an order for 15 more, at a cost of $10 million.^[5] On June 6, 2008 Force Protection, Inc delivered its 200th Buffalo to the U.S. Military.^[6]

In 2009 Force Protection started producing the A2 version, with major changes in the Axle Tech rear axles, Cat C13 engine, Cat CX31 transmission, and suspension, along with additional upgrades to the HVAC system, hood and front bumper. The easiest way to identify an A1 version from the A2 version is that the front bumper of the A2 has a larger profile. The last Buffalo A2 MRAP truck 795 was completed in June 2014. Force Protection was acquired by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in 2011 for $350 million.

Variants

Buffalo H
Buffalo A2^[7]

Operators

Current

United States – 200 A1 version and approximately 450 A2 version
Canada – 5^[8] plus an additional 10 for delivery in 2009.^[9]^[10] 19 in service in Afghanistan. Canada ended its mission in Afghanistan in 2011 and is no longer in use in Afghanistan.^{[citation needed]}
France – 5 vehicles^[11]^[12]
Italy^[13]
Pakistan – 20 Cougar JERRV (Buffalo Explosive Ordnance Disposal version) received from US under Coalition Support Fund in 2010.^[14]^[15]

Future

Ukraine − On August 16, 2024 the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense approved the delivery of Buffalo MPVs to the Armed Forces of Ukraine^[16]

Former

United Kingdom – 18 vehicles used in Afghanistan, no longer in service.^[17]

Notable appearances in media

The Buffalo appeared as the vehicle mode of the Decepticon Bonecrusher in the movie Transformers (2007), and in the sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Production designer Jeff Mann stated, "We found this image of a mine-sweeping vehicle that had a huge arm with what appeared to be a fork on the end. So we called the people who owned it, hoping there was a chance we could rent it or buy it, but when we got the data, it turned out the fork was only 14 inches (360 mm) wide—they had totally cheated the whole thing in Photoshop.... We had to make an appliance to fit over the existing arm, that wouldn’t bounce around too much because it was about 10 feet (3.0 m) wide."^[18]

Buffalo vehicles and JERRVs are used by the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team in the television show Bomb Patrol Afghanistan.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

Buffalo mine-protected vehicle and GI
Buffalo showing remote manipulator arm
A Buffalo that survived with its cabin intact after an IED attack took its two front wheels and axle off
Buffalo in Italian service
Buffalo in British service with additional slat armour

References

^ ^a ^b Buffalo fact sheet Archived March 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Force Protection. (requires login)
^ Buffalo Armoured Vehicle Archived 2008-12-20 at the Wayback Machine. armedforces-int.com
^ "Combat engineers comb streets of Iraq for IEDs" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. August 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20.
^ BAE’s LROD Cage Armor. Defense Industry Daily
^ "Buffalo helps protect from bullets, blasts". Department of Defense. 2004-09-10. Archived from the original on 2006-02-06.
^ "200th Buffalo MRAP delivered to military". Upi.com. 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
^ "Buffalo A2 Undergoes Testing at White Sands". www.asd-network.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
^ "Buffalo vehicle coverage on". Defenseindustrydaily.com. 2007-05-08. Archived from the original on 2007-06-30. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
^ "Force Protection, Inc. IN THE NEWS: Canadian Forces to Receive Additional Force Protection Vehicles". Forceprotection.net. Archived from the original on 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
^ "Force Protection – Orders for an Additional 48 EROC Vehicles: Blast-Resistant Buffalo and Cougars – Industry News Release". Canadian American Strategic Review. November 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
^ (in French) ["TF700". Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2008-06-28. La Task Force 700 se prépare au théâtre afghan, 06/28/2008, TTU
^ French Military Orders Buffalo Vehicles from Force Protection, 07/23/2008
^ "Mine-protected Transports" (PDF). armada international. 2013.
^ "Major U.S. Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan Since 2001" (PDF).
^ "SIPRI Arms Transfers Database". Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
^ "Ukrainian Military Engineers to Receive Buffalo Mine Protected Vehicles". Kyiv Post. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ Chuter, Andrew (2020-07-15). "British Army sheds an Afghan war legacy: blast-proof trucks". Defense News. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
^ "The Making Of The Transformers Movie - Production Design: The Robots, The Vehicles, The Sets". ENI. 2007-06-15. Archived from the original on 2007-09-17. Retrieved 2007-09-13.

External links

Buffalo series ForceProtection.net
Buffalo MPCV EOD Technical Data Sheet and Pictures Army Recognition

[Buffalo_specs-1] Buffalo fact sheet Archived March 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Force Protection. (requires login)

[2] Buffalo Armoured Vehicle Archived 2008-12-20 at the Wayback Machine. armedforces-int.com

[3] "Combat engineers comb streets of Iraq for IEDs" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. August 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20.

[4] BAE’s LROD Cage Armor. Defense Industry Daily

[5] "Buffalo helps protect from bullets, blasts". Department of Defense. 2004-09-10. Archived from the original on 2006-02-06.

[6] "200th Buffalo MRAP delivered to military". Upi.com. 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2011-10-29.

[7] "Buffalo A2 Undergoes Testing at White Sands". www.asd-network.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2022.

[8] "Buffalo vehicle coverage on". Defenseindustrydaily.com. 2007-05-08. Archived from the original on 2007-06-30. Retrieved 2011-10-29.

[9] "Force Protection, Inc. IN THE NEWS: Canadian Forces to Receive Additional Force Protection Vehicles". Forceprotection.net. Archived from the original on 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2011-10-29.

[10] "Force Protection – Orders for an Additional 48 EROC Vehicles: Blast-Resistant Buffalo and Cougars – Industry News Release". Canadian American Strategic Review. November 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2008-11-04.

[11] (in French) ["TF700". Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2008-06-28. La Task Force 700 se prépare au théâtre afghan, 06/28/2008, TTU

[12] French Military Orders Buffalo Vehicles from Force Protection, 07/23/2008

[13] "Mine-protected Transports" (PDF). armada international. 2013.

[14] "Major U.S. Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan Since 2001" (PDF).

[SIPRI-15] "SIPRI Arms Transfers Database". Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2013-04-22.

[16] "Ukrainian Military Engineers to Receive Buffalo Mine Protected Vehicles". Kyiv Post. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[17] Chuter, Andrew (2020-07-15). "British Army sheds an Afghan war legacy: blast-proof trucks". Defense News. Retrieved 2023-10-03.

[18] "The Making Of The Transformers Movie - Production Design: The Robots, The Vehicles, The Sets". ENI. 2007-06-15. Archived from the original on 2007-09-17. Retrieved 2007-09-13.

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