yup

I'm in the CAP here in Tucson and have become quite proficient at communications as well as airplanes and I casually mentioned to a Lt. Col. that I'd give my neighbors left arm to have a mobile communications vehicle so that if and when we're actually called out on a real event, we're able to mobilize and get to the best possible area to set up a command post, be mobile enough to move across terrain and deal with weather.

I was originally thinking about asking for an old box ambulance from Davis Monthan, ripping out the liter fixtures and installing radios and antennas. It had to be road worthy, mechanically sound and able to be registered.

Apparently my idea went to a Lt. Col. down at Ft. Huachuca and he happened to come across an MRAP they weren't using and he said he's be glad to figure out how to have that asset re-assigned.

Its a big bruiser. He said the one he was thinking of was 8'wide, 10' high, 20' long and weighed in at 14 tons. Low mileage because for long trips its always been trailered. Not exactly agile, but I don't need to worry about minor flooding. Driving on roads may not be a problem but I will have to plan routes and look at bridges.

This could get fun. I hope to know in about six weeks what I might be able to get. I hope it has that new MRAP smell.

Do they have another spare?
I would like one too.
I promise to use it as my daily driver.

I hope it comes with a roof mounted mini-gun.

I hope you don't have to go through any real rough terrain with it, they are so top heavy that you'll never want to do it again after trying it once. We used them during my third deployment to Iraq in 2009/10 and while they offered better blast protection (for the rear occupants only), they were so top heavy that you constantly felt they were going to tip over. We switched back to HMMWVs so we could actually use them off road.

Also have you considered the maintenance that a MRAP requires? Good luck obtaining spare parts when those things break. I truly think if you go this route you will end up regretting it.

quote:

Originally posted by PossibleZombie:
I hope you don't have to go through any real rough terrain with it, they are so top heavy that you'll never want to do it again after trying it once. We used them during my third deployment to Iraq in 2009/10 and while they offered better blast protection (for the rear occupants only), they were so top heavy that you constantly felt they were going to tip over. We switched back to HMMWVs so we could actually use them off road.

Also have you considered the maintenance that a MRAP requires? Good luck obtaining spare parts when those things break. I truly think if you go this route you will end up regretting it.

+1, also the fuel cost is gonna be ridiculous

Hopefully you have an oversized garage and driveway rated for a semi. The local streets might be another concern too.
What did your insurance agent quote for a premium? You really don't need collision, just a hefty liability policy.

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:

quote:

Originally posted by PossibleZombie:
I hope you don't have to go through any real rough terrain with it, they are so top heavy that you'll never want to do it again after trying it once. We used them during my third deployment to Iraq in 2009/10 and while they offered better blast protection (for the rear occupants only), they were so top heavy that you constantly felt they were going to tip over. We switched back to HMMWVs so we could actually use them off road.

Also have you considered the maintenance that a MRAP requires? Good luck obtaining spare parts when those things break. I truly think if you go this route you will end up regretting it.

+1, also the fuel cost is gonna be ridiculous

Yeah, I'd seriously look into the costs and practicality involved. I know a few PDs that got "free" ones that now regret it. If you're org is on the hook for any of the maintenance costs...look into something as simple as what a new tire would cost.

I would suspect there are a ton of civilian vehicles that would be much better suited for what you want.

Sounds cool, but reality may say otherwise on this one.

MRAP - Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (vehicle)
CAP - Combat Air Patrol
HMMWV -High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle

quote:

Originally posted by Eponym:
MRAP - Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (vehicle)
CAP - Combat Air Patrol
HMMWV -High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle

I always took CAP to be: Civil Air Patrol?

Uh, ok...

The thing will be taking up space in the unit parking lot forever.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
I always took CAP to be: Civil Air Patrol?

It depends.

In the military, it means Combat Air Patrol. Fighter Aircraft fly them when on missions to destroy enemy / opposition aircraft.

In this case, it's the Civil Air Patrol - a USAFish organization that flies civie planes around for search and rescue and other missions.

We see their aircraft tied down on tarmacs across the country while flying missions for the military.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by Eponym:
MRAP - Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (vehicle)
CAP - Combat Air Patrol
HMMWV -High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle

I always took CAP to be: Civil Air Patrol?

You may be correct. I used the Wikipedia definition.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_air_patrol

This dictionary lists 387 acronyms and abbreviations for CAP.
https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/CAP

MRAPs are not the easiest vehicles to mount antennas on.

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:
MRAPs are not the easiest vehicles to mount antennas on.

Its the USAF. They'll spend more than a new car to mount antennas on a MRAP they have no need to have. Because it looks 'cool'.

Our tax dollars being flushed down the toilet.

I drove a Maxx Pro MRAP during my deployment to Afghanistan.

We took our MRAPS and MATVs all over Southern Afghanistan and I had a blast driving them.

There were a few draw backs to them:
1.) They were heavy
2.) There was no way you were going to enter/exit the vehicle in a rapid fashion.
3.) The front doors were air assisted, and you had to pay constant attention so it would not slam shut on you.

But even with the few negatives I volunteered for a couple extra deployments just to go back and be a driver for an MRAP team.

According to many members here, either expressed or implied, if you encounter an acronym or abbreviation you don’t understand, it’s your responsibility to research it on your own and then try to decide which of the (usually) countless meanings applies to the context. I mean, why would the original poster want others to understand what he’s referring to? That’s just crazy talk.

Great. More wasteful government spending.

Try doing the job with fewer superfluous resources, not more.

It's our money, too, you know...

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
Great. More wasteful government spending.

But it's free, right?

Several local LE agencies fell into the same trap with surplus Hummers.

Free Hummers! Sweet! Oh, wait... We have to pay to maintain them? They want how much to paint them? Tires are how much? Plus they get single digit MPGs? And turns out, they're really uncomfortable to drive, Chief. They want how much to ship it back? Okay... Let's just park them in the back lot indefinitely. (I mean, the mice gotta live somewhere.)

I wonder if it has good cup holders.