MRAP
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DARPA is developing smarter, faster armored vehicles
In response to ever-more dastardly IED technologies, America's personnel carriers have become lot more resilient over the past few decades. However the ability for armored transports like the MRAP to take a direct blast comes at the cost of their speed, maneuverability, fuel economy, development and construction costs. That's why DARPA has just awarded contracts to eight institutions for their help in developing a next-generation people mover that's lighter, faster, smarter and more nimble than today's trucks.
Army and Air Force team up for laser-based landmine sweepers
Used to be that if the US military wanted to clear a roadway, runway or airfield of deadly IEDs (improvised explosive devices), they'd have to send in highly-trained and heavily armored explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams a la "The Hurt Locker." Problem is, this method is as ploddingly slow as it is dangerous to the servicemen and women involved. That's is why the Army and Air Force are teaming up to burn those IEDs clean out of the Earth using lasers mounted on MRAP battle trucks.
NASA tests battle trucks as astronaut escape vehicles
If something goes catastrophically wrong during one of NASA's upcoming commercial spacecraft launches, the crew will need to get clear of the launchpad -- and fast. But they won't be doing so in the lumbering old M113 Armored Personnel Carriers that they used during the Shuttle era. Heck no; if these Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are good enough for the LAUSD, they're damn well suitable for our astronauts.
