Desert Patrol Vehicle

Desert Patrol Vehicle
United States Navy SEALs operate Desert Patrol Vehicles (DPV) while preparing for an upcoming mission. U.S. Navy photo.
Type	Light attack vehicle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1991 – present
Wars	Gulf War
Production history
Manufacturer	Chenowth Racing Products, Inc.
Produced	1991 –
Specifications
Engine	2.0 litres (0.53 US gal) air-cooled 200 horsepower (150 kW)
Payload capacity	1,500 pounds (680 kg)
Operational range	200 miles (320 km)
Speed	60 miles per hour (97 km/h)

The Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV), formerly called the Fast Attack Vehicle (FAV), is a high-speed, lightly armored sandrail-like vehicle first used in combat during the Gulf War in 1991. Due to their dash speed and off-road mobility, the DPVs were used extensively during Operation Desert Storm. The first U.S. forces to enter Kuwait City were United States Navy SEALs in DPVs.

The DPV was built by Chenowth Racing Products, Inc. The German Volkswagen Kübelwagen was the first military Light Utility Vehicle based on the Volkswagen Beetle which uses rear-wheel rather than four-wheel drive for mobility. Volkswagen components were also the basis for the postwar dune buggy, and its layout is used in the DPV with rear-mounted air-cooled 200 hp (150 kW) Volkswagen engine. This makes the lightweight vehicle capable of accelerating from 0 to 30 mph (0–50 km/h) in only four seconds and able to travel at speeds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h). With its standard 21 gallon (79.5 litre) fuel tank, the DPV has a range of about 210 miles (338 km). An optional fuel bladder can extend the range to over 1,000 miles (1,610 km). Payload capacity is 1500 lb (680 kg).

The DPV is a variant of the Fast Attack Vehicle, which was developed during the 1980s as part of the United States Army's High Technology Light Division (9th Infantry Division). The HTLD was given carte blanche to develop doctrine, decide force structure, and design equipment by then Army Chief of Staff Edward C. Meyer. One of the pieces of equipment created was the Fast Attack Vehicle. Chenowth delivered 120 FAVs to the Army in 1982. HTTB (High Technology Test Bed) in the units in the 9th Infantry were first to deploy these vehicles. Along with light off-road motorcycles, the FAV was intended to provide a highly mobile component to the mostly foot infantry unit.