WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- The Army has nearly 900 of the most advanced up-armored Humvees available but they are not being sent to Iraq immediately.
Instead, they will be delivered to Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division when that unit replaces the 3rd Infantry Division, Army officials told the House Armed Services Committee Thursday.
At issue is the M1114 Up-Armor HMMWVs, the latest version of the troop transport vehicle used daily in Iraq. The vehicle is specially built with bullet proof glass and additional armor to protect soldiers and Marines from roadside bombs, which are growing increasingly large and sophisticated.
The vehicles are slated to move over to Iraq with the 4th ID at the beginning of 2006.
"Why is a Division that is still based here in the United States, and not scheduled to complete deployment to theater until the first of next calendar year, receiving 824 new production Up-Armor Humvees while there remains an immediate need in theater for these vehicles for both the Army and the Marine Corps?" asked Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., at a hearing.
The Humvees are not only equipped with special armor they also sport new communications equipment that would require extra training for the troops already in Iraq if they were sent over early, Army officials said.
According to Hunter, the 3rd Infantry Division has only one-fifth of the vehicles it requires. The Marines are short some 2,100 up-armored vehicles.
