I have heard rumors that the Guardian ASV has made an appearance in Iraq. Can "this rumor be affirmed or denied", as they say? Does anyone have any photos of such deployment? I believe there were two test platoons, one at Hood (4ID) and one in Germany with the 18th MP BDE, which usually meant downrange in Kosovo. I understand the procurement of these units was terminated due to on-going operations cost in Iraq. Any info?

Jim Peterson

The Guardian is in fact in Iraq. They were there during OIF 1 when I was there. I would be in heaven if someone (Tamiya hello!!!) would make it in plastic.

I would be suprised if procurement is terminated. Those things are ideal for the operations that are on going in Iraq. The MP's loved them because they are so quiet, heavily armed and armored.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Guardian, they are basically the Cadillac-Gage V-100 afv with what is mainly the AAVP-7 .50 cal/mk. 19 turret mounted on top.

I have some pictures somewhere. It will take me a while to find them. They were painted in a NATO 3-color(brown, black, green) scheme.

This is what they look like, but it is not quite true. Only basic hull parts were "borrowed" from old V-100 / M706 Commando design. But even those are not the same, as the hull was lengthened. All internal components, weapons systems, powerpack and suspension are new and different from those in old Commando vehicle. Guardian also has additional armor attached to the modified old armor shell.

I would also love to see Guardian in 1/35 plastic kit form, but honestly I would prefer to get plastic model of V-100 / M706 first.

Pawel

From the hard-working Mr. Don Busack @ PrimePortal:
http://www.primeportal.net/teasley/m1117.htm
Description and several shots in-country.
HTH!
RobH

From what I heard they have been there for some time. But used in limited numbers by MP units. The company of Cadillac Gage produces them. On the outside they look similar to a V-100 but they are an entirely different vehicle on the inside. Several months ago the company was producing one vehicle every two weeks to fill orders but said production could increase to two vehicles a week if additional orders (which seemed likely) were made. Of the vehicles in Iraq they had taken hits from small arms and RPG's with no vehicles destroyed or crew killed. They can also withstand mine blasts equivilent to ten pounds of TNT. Cadilliac Gage people believe the M1117 is the perfect answer for the situation now in Iraq and it seems based on the performance so far that they are correct. I hope the Department of Defense orders more of them for issue to units other then MP's They do cost more than an uparmored Humvee but they are superior to them. It would also make one outstanding model in my opinion as well.

Some more info found on Globalsecurity.org :
"Where the Soldiers in the first rotation in Iraq were perhaps unprepared for dealing with deadly roadside bombs and ambushes by plainclothes civilians, the Soldiers who took over were able to prepare with the benefit of lessons learned by their comrades in Iraq. Readying for its yearlong tour in Iraq, in early 2004 the 984th Military Police Company spent more time than usual familiarizing itself with its weapons, vehicles and tactics. Armed with the latest addition to the MP’s arsenal of vehicles, the M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle, each team in the 984th carries more firepower than an entire infantry squad. The 984th was the first MP company on Fort Carson to get the new ASVs, each armed with an MK-19 grenade launcher, a .50-caliber machine gun and a squad automatic weapon. The Guardian is designed to be able to take a direct hit from an RPG and keep its crew alive. Whether the vehicle will make it through the hit is another story. In Iraq, one was hit from behind by an RPG and it pretty much took out the entire engine casing, but there were no deaths, no injuries. With better preparation than their predecessors and a dozen new ASVs, the 984th was better outfitted to take over the task of keeping the peace in Iraq than their compatriot MPs who were already there. "

HTH
Frenchy