Afghan National Army Purchases 440 M1117 ASVs

With the phased withdrawal of U.S. forces set to commence, the Afghan National Army in conjunction with the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process, is upgrading its armor with an impressive bulk order.

Up to 440 M1117 ASVs (Armored Security vehicles) will form the backbone of the ANA’s armored forces, with half of the vehicles arriving by June next year. In its current state, the ANA relies heavily on Humvees, 4×4 trucks, and old Soviet era amor.

Manufactured by Textron Marine and Land Systems, the M1117 has the benefit of a proven track record in the Iraq and Afghan wars and has enjoyed limited export success with several countries, notably Columbia and Bulgaria.

The M1117 is a descendant of the ubiquitous V150 (manufactured by Cadillac Gage), a widely exported armored car whose modular features allowed to be used in a variety of roles. In fact, certain design features of the M1117 are unmistakably based on the V150.

The M1117’s that will be deployed with the ANA are capable of transporting 8 passengers and are usually armed with a turret mounted .50 caliber machinegun and an automatic grenade launcher. Aside form this particular weapons package, the M1117 supports heftier weapons and light artillery such as mortars. The different variants for the ANA include up-armored versions with v-shaped hulls to deflect IED blasts.

The total cost of the M1117 purchase, with the acquisition and delivery spanning several years, could total $543 million.

The official press release circulated by Textron earlier this month reads:

The one-year baseline contract, with a potential value of $257 million, authorizes initial funding of $125.9 million to begin work leading to the planned delivery of 240 MASVs and associated support equipment, spare parts, field service representatives, training and training aids. Vehicle production will be performed at Textron Marine & Land Systems’ facilities in the New Orleans area, with an estimated completion date of June 2012.