M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) ASV-150
The Armored Security Vehicle-150 (ASV-150) is an armored wheeled vehicle equipped with a turret and armament system designed to meet the security mission requirements of the Military Police Corps. The ASV-150 is a 4 wheel drive vehicle equipped with a 260 horsepower diesel engine, 6 speed automatic transmision and all wheel independent suspension that offers a quality ride while providing superior mobility, agility and handling. The ASV-150 turret is equipped with an improved 40mm MK 19 grenade launcher and 12.7mm machine gun and can be traversed 360 degrees and the weapons elevated between -10 to +60 degrees. The vehicle features roll-on/roll-off C130 tranportability in the fully operational configuration.
The ASV is a lightly armored, all wheel drive vehicle that provides ballistic protection for the Military Police crew members against various threats. These threats include: 7.62mm Ball for the entire vehicle; 12.7mm AP to the crew compartment, weapons station and ammunition storage area; overhead protection from 60mm mortar fragments at 10 meters radius of burst, as a minimum, and 155m artillery air-burst @ 15m. Protection is also required against anti-personnel mines and anti-tank mines up to an equivalent of 12 lbs. of TNT.
The ASV-150 is designed to provided maximum survivability with IBD Modular Expandable Armor System (MEXIS) utilizing ceramic composite applique on exterior and a spall liner on interior surfaces. Simula has received an order from Textron Systems to produce lightweight ceramic/composite applique armor kits. The external armor panels provide ballistic protection against various small-arms and fragment threats with a minimum weight penalty.
The ASV employs, as organic weapons, the MK-19 grenade machine-gun (MK-19 GMG) (turret mounted); M2 .50 caliber machine-gun (turret mounted); and the M249 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). The ASV has a payload of 3,360 lbs. The ASV operates on standard JP8 diesel fuels, is capable of being towed, performs self-recovery, can recover equivalent vehicles and mounts a tow pintle rated at 500 lb. The system accepts current and programmed tactical radio systems with appropriate encryption equipment. The vehicle operates with specified loads under an on-road/off-road mission profile of 50% primary roads, 30% secondary roads, and 20% cross-country conditions.
The ASV is transportable (roll-on/roll-off) by C-130 and larger aircraft, rail, highway and marine transport modes. The ASV is employed by MP three-man teams designed to perform missions across the entire operational continuum. The MP units programmed to receive the ASV perform their four battlefield missions (area security, battlefield circulation control, enemy prisoner of war operations and law and order operations) regardless of the level of combat intensity on the operational continuum. ASV-equipped units will conduct Air-Land Battle/Air-Land Operations (ALO) (at one end of the level of combat intensity continuum) or they will perform force protection and stabilization operations occurring in a low intensity conflict (LIC)/operations short of war contingency environment (at the opposite end of the continuum).
The ASV payload requirement is established at 3,360 lbs. The payload includes three man crew and one additional soldier, all their combat gear, internal stowage per occupant, cargo, ammunition, ancillary equipment, related hardware, basic issue items with at least 27 cubic feet (0.76 cubic meters) of interior volume per individual.
The ASV is capable of towing and being towed from the front by a like vehicle at its GVW for a distance of at least 100 miles (161 km) at a minimum speed of 35 mph (56.4 km/hr). The ASV is also capable of towing the M1025/M1026, and Up-Armored HMMWV models without damage to either vehicle. The ASV is capable of ascending and descending a 40% slope with no degradation to requirements when towing a two-wheeled M1102 trailer with a GVW of 4,200 lbs., the M1101 trailer with a GVW of 3,400 lbs. or the 3/4 ton M101 series cargo trailer.
The ASV includes an organic winch capable of producing a minimum rated pull capacity of 15,000 lbs. (6,795 kg) to permit self-recovery and/or recovery of other systems as required.
The ASV will be organized in a heavy squad design of a Combat Support (CS) MP company (TOE 19477L). This will equate to three ASVs in each of the four platoons and three ASVs in the reaction force of the company headquarters (a total of 15 ASVs per CS MP company is required, however, initial fielding to each company will be with 12). The 15 ASVs will directly replace 15 M1025/26 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV). The HMMWVs left in the company will remain to complement the ASV, providing flexibility for the MP commander to employ his/her forces in a high/low mix organizational concept. Under this concept, commanders beginning at the company level may task organize as required. The ASV will be utilized specifically for team or squad missions such as convoy escort; area and route reconnaissance and surveillance; counter-incursion reaction force roles; and security of critical assets, key personnel and lines of communication.
The ASV production contract for 94 vehicles was awarded on 30 March 1999. Textron Marine and Land Systems, Division of Textron Inc., New Orleans, La., was awarded $14,021,338 as part of a $149,560,243 firm-fixed-price multi-year contract for 94 Armored Security Vehicles (XM1117), engineering services and logistics support, and an option to buy 156 additional vehicles. Work is performed in New Orleans, La., and was expected to be completed by March 30, 2004. This is a sole source contract initiated on Oct. 1, 1998. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity
First Unit Equipped was achieved in February 1998. The new Armored Security Vehicle is used by military police in V Corps' 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th MP Brigade. Fewer than 50 ASVs had been produced by early 2002. By March 2003 a total of 53 were in the inventory.
Where the Soldiers in the first rotation in Iraq were perhaps unprepared for dealing with deadly roadside bombs and ambushes by plainclothes civilians, the Soldiers who took over were able to prepare with the benefit of lessons learned by their comrades in Iraq. Readying for its yearlong tour in Iraq, in early 2004 the 984th Military Police Company spent more time than usual familiarizing itself with its weapons, vehicles and tactics. Armed with the latest addition to the MP’s arsenal of vehicles, the M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle, each team in the 984th carries more firepower than an entire infantry squad. The 984th was the first MP company on Fort Carson to get the new ASVs, each armed with an MK-19 grenade launcher, a .50-caliber machine gun and a squad automatic weapon. The Guardian is designed to be able to take a direct hit from an RPG and keep its crew alive. Whether the vehicle will make it through the hit is another story. In Iraq, one was hit from behind by an RPG and it pretty much took out the entire engine casing, but there were no deaths, no injuries. With better preparation than their predecessors and a dozen new ASVs, the 984th was better outfitted to take over the task of keeping the peace in Iraq than their compatriot MPs who were already there.
