could someone clarify what vehicles are currently being used for ambulances? i see the stryker variant, but is the m113 still being used? how about the m557 amat? are the next generation amev and amat dead? thank you in advance.

kawika

The M113A3 and M577A3 are the current armored ambulances. The M977 HMMWV Ambulance and the Stryker Ambulance are in use with lighter forces as well. As far as I know, the Bradley and M4-based ambulances have been cancelled. Check here for more info on the M113A3 Ambulance.

There are different ambulances for different types of units. Armor and mechanized infantry units use M113A2/A3 vehicles as ambulances. They also have a pair of M577 vehicles that are set up as aid stations.

Support battalions have wheeled HMMWV ambulances to evacuate the wounded from the forward units' aid stations. They also have a few M113 ambulances to plus up the combat battalions when necessary.

A Stryker unit would have Stryker based ambulances. Most of these ambulance types serve side-by-side and cross paths based on the echelon doing the medical evacuation.

It is much quicker to transfer wounded to a wheeled ambulance than it would be to evacuate them in a tracked vehicle all the way to the rear area. Plus by transfering the wounded to the HMMWV ambulance, the tracked or Styrker ambulance can return to the front to evacuate more wounded.

In a conventional battle, the wounded tank crews would be placed in an M113 and brought to the M577 aid station for stabilization treatment. Wheeled HMMWV ambulances from the support battalion would be there to evacuate the wounded to the medical company in the brigade support area (BSA).

thanks to everyone for their prompt answers. i was reading that the regular m997 is no longer allowed in forward areas, and as a result m1114s are being modified to carry litters? is this true? thank again.

kawika

It wouldn't suprise me that commander's don't authorize Maxi's as a medevac, but I bet they are still being used occasionally to transport wounded from one FOB to another. However, air transport - heliborne in country and then cargo aircraft regionally and across continents - is used more often in routine transports.

Because of the nature and tactics of an IED attack, you want to get out of the kill zone as quickly as possible, so virtually all vehicles have a backboard and most have an aid bag. I know of a couple of units that mandated that every vehicle have a Combat Life Saver and at least one medic in the convoy. The vehicles aren't meant to triage the wounded like an M997 or a M113 could, but just to stabilize them enough to get them to a safer place and a better CASEVAC.

Jeff

thanks for the information.