M-ATVs deployed to Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The first set of more than 6,000 mine-resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles shipped to the battlefield in Afghanistan to support U.S. troops.

Riding on their successful deployment of similar vehicles in Iraq and contracted only earlier this summer, Washington lauded the delivery as a major achievement for the Defense Department.

"That is just the first wave of a massive production and transportation program that will see at least 6,644 of these life-saving vehicles delivered to our forces in Afghanistan over the next year or so, making it one of the fastest and highest-priority acquisition programs in the history of the Defense Department," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell.

The military loaded seven of the M-ATVs onto cargo aircraft at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., on Tuesday for delivery to the troops in Afghanistan.

The M-ATV features the V-shaped hull used to deflect roadside bombs in a small, maneuverable vehicle designed to replace the up-armored Humvee in Afghanistan.

The U.S. military contracted defense group Oshkosh Corp. to deliver the M-ATVs earlier this summer.