HUMVEE

High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)
A U.S. Army HMMWV in Saladin Province, Iraq in March 2006.
Type	Unarmored: Light Utility Vehicle Armored: Light Armored Car
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1984–present
Production history
Manufacturer	AM General
Unit cost	$220,000 (2011) (up-armored)
Produced	1984–present
Number built	281,000
Specifications
Weight	5,200–5,900 lb (2,359–2,676 kg) curb weight
Length	15 ft (4.57 m), wheelbase 10 ft 10 in (3.30 m)
Width	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Height	6 ft (1.83 m), reducible to 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)
Main armament	see text
Engine	V8 diesel 6.2 L (380 cu in) or V8 turbo diesel 6.5 L (400 cu in): 190 hp (142 kW) @ 3,400 rpm / 380 lbf·ft (515 N·m) @ 1,700 rpm
Transmission	3-speed automatic or 4-speed automatic
Suspension	Independent 4×4
Fuel capacity	25 U.S. gal (95 L)
Speed	55 mph (89 km/h) at max gross weight Over 70 mph (113 km/h) top speed

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), commonly known as the Humvee, is a four-wheel drive military light truck produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the original jeep, and others such as the Vietnam-era M151 jeep, the M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (CUCV), and other light trucks. Primarily used by the United States military, it is also used by numerous other countries and organizations and even in civilian adaptations. The Humvee's widespread use in the Gulf War of 1991, where it negotiated the treacherous desert terrain, helped inspire civilian Hummer versions.

Since the WWII era Bantam Reconnaissance Car, the United States Army had relied on jeeps to transport small groups of soldiers. The jeep was built around a requirement for a compact vehicle with a folding windshield that was actually shorter than the Volkswagen Beetle. It seated three with a 660 lb (300 kg) payload and weighed just over one ton. By the 1970s, the U.S. Army had tried larger militarized civilian trucks, but even these no longer satisfied newer requirements. In 1977, Lamborghini developed the Cheetah model in an attempt to meet the Army contract specifications.

In 1979, the U.S. Army drafted final specifications for a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV, which was to replace all the tactical vehicles in the 1/4 to 1 1/4-ton range, namely the M151 quarter-ton jeep and M561 Gama Goat, as one "jack-of-all-trades" light tactical vehicle to perform the role of several existing trucks. The specification called for excellent on and off-road performance, the ability to carry a large payload, and improved survivability against indirect fire. Compared to the jeep, it was larger and had a much wider track, with a 16 in (410 mm) ground clearance, double that of most sport-utility vehicles. The new truck was to climb a 60 percent incline and traverse a 40 percent slope. The air intake was to be mounted flush on top of the right fender (or to be raised on a stovepipe to roof level to ford 5 ft (1.5 m) of water and electronics waterproofed to drive through 2.5 ft (0.76 m) of water were specified. The radiator was to be mounted high, sloping over the engine on a forward-hinged hood.