YUMA PROVING GROUND, Ariz. – Joint
forces from the Operational Test Command and Marine
Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity completed
testing of 16 mine resistant ambush protected vehicles
recently.
Nearly 280 members of the test team, including
representatives of all armed forces, spent a month-
and-a-half preparing and training to test multiple
facets of the MRAP vehicles produced by Force
Protection, Inc.
“We successfully executed the testing as planned,” Lt.
Col. Fred Corbin, a test officer with OTC, said.
The MRAP vehicle was designed with a
V-shaped bottom and raised frame in order to protect
Soldiers and Marines from improvised explosive devices,
mines and other volatile threats.
Units from the 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort
Drum, N.Y., and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
provided military members for the operational testing.
The test units encountered simulated IEDs and various
threats during operational missions, Corbin said.
Missions included live-fire engagements, raids, route
clearing, vehicle recovery, cordon and search and convoy
operations.
“The units received an operations order and executed
their mission using normal tactics, techniques and
procedures in a realistic environment,” Corbin said. “We
had Soldiers acting as both civilians and enemy forces
that (the units) would encounter during their mission.”
During testing, the military members gave feedback on
the system through reviews, comment cards and surveys,
Corbin said.
Soldiers and Marines made recommendations about
improvements they would like to see on the vehicle.
MCOTEA will evaluate the collected data and produce the
official test report for this phase of testing.
OTC and MCOTEA will resume testing of the MRAP vehicle
in 2008, using other vendors and different Army and
Marine units.