I uploaded this photo from an Army friend of mine. It is a GMV configuration that I had not previously seen. He took the photo during is OIF tour that stradled 2005-2006.

I tried to upload the photo to my gallery here but it apparently won't accept a .bmp file. So, I can only provide you a link to the image on my site.

Special Forces GMV Iraq 2005-2006

The mounting of the spare tire up high, on the side at the rear seems very unusual to me. Also note what appears to be a hatch or some type of other opening above the front passenger seat.

You need to convert it to a .jpg to upload it.

How do you do the conversion?

Just open the .bmp file with Paint®, or any other graphics editing program, and then save it as a .jpg file...

Et voilà !

Frenchy

What's also interesting is the Casspir in the background. I was under the impression that the US Army only acquired ~2 of these vehicles for testing only, along with a similar number of Lion IIs, and variants of the Lion II were selected (Buffalo and Cougar). Did one actually make it to Iraq, was this some other coalition partner's vehicle, or is this picture actually state-side? From the DUKE antenna (and the gunshield from an M113 armor kit), I would think this suggests some actually made it into the field.

US Casspirs in Iraq :

This one apparently belongs to the 875th Engineer Battalion :





Sorry for the disgression Brent

Frenchy

Interesting, good to know.

hi
very nice pics of casspir

do you have more? may be interrior pics?

PM sent

Frenchy

Hi Brent,

Thanks for sharing this interesting photo. I don't think that is a hatch over the passenger side though. I think it is an optical illusion created by the square base of the Warlock, but the base is askew abit, and so that is the shadow of the base we are seeing.

The railing around the roof is of interest too.

Bob

Looks to be for allowing personnel to ride hanging off the sides, if the large running boards are any indication. The entire roof appears to be non-standard.

Hey Bob....After a closer look, I agree with your hatch/warlock base theory.

Additionally, I agree with Joe...The roof rails are for soldiers to hang on to when they do rapid 'drive by' raids.

The soldiers stand on the oversized side steps and hold onto the upper railings along the roof. As the vehicle pulls up to the raid site/target location, the soldiers jump off and begin their entry sequence.