New U.S. vehicles rushed to Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. military says it is rushing its new M-ATV blast resistant vehicles to Afghanistan to protect its troops from weapons including roadside bombs.

The Pentagon said the vehicle, with a base price of $437,000 and reduced weight of 25,000 pounds, has independent suspension and a better turning radius, CNN reported. The MRAP-All Terrain Vehicle will have more power and give the troops more maneuverability in Afghanistan's difficult terrain and tight spaces, the report said.

Taliban violence in Afghanistan has escalated sharply, taking a heavier toll of U.S. troops, mostly from more sophisticated roadside bombs. Almost half of the 59 U.S. soldiers killed In October were victims of roadside bombs.

The military has been using the bulkier 40,000-pound Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles in Afghanistan but the country's mountainous terrain has made MRAPs less effective than in Iraq where there are more paved roads and open areas, the report said. The Pentagon developed the M-ATV on a priority basis for use in Afghanistan, the report said.

"It will be a life-saver in Afghanistan," Ashton B. Carter, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told CNN.

There are 41 M-ATVs in Afghanistan but the Pentagon plans to have 5,000 more by March, the report said. The vehicles are made by Oshkosh Corp. in Wisconsin.

Pentagon officials said with all the combat equipment installed, the price tag of an M-ATV will go up from a base of $437,000 to more than $1 million.