Arrowpointe Dragoon-300

    Notes:  The Dragoon-300 is based on the hull of the LFV-90 Dragoon reconnaissance car and fire support vehicle.  Preliminary design work began in the late 1970s, with Arrowpoint and a partner company, Verne, and was based broadly on the Cadillac Gage V-100 and V-150 vehicles.  The Dragoon-300 (and the LFV-90) was designed in response to a US Army requirement, but the US Army and Navy acquired only 13 of them between them; however, Turkey, Thailand, and Venezuela use several variants of the Dragoon-300.  US Army versions (six of them) were procured in several configurations for use in the 9^th ID when it was still a test division -- 9^th ID was particularly interested in the MEWS version. Some US police departments also use unarmed versions of the Dragoon-300. Production took place most of the 1980 decade, but has long since stopped, and most spare parts for the Dragoon-300 are actually made in Spain.  It should be noted that Arrowpointe was taken over by GDLS in the 1990s.  Further development led to the Textron ASV-150 (see below).

The Basic Dragoon-300

     The driver and commander are in the front, with the driver on the right and commander beside him.  They have a small bullet-resistant windshield in front of them, and vision blocks to the sides.  Vision blocks are also present in front of the hatches for use when the vehicle is buttoned up. They have hatches above them and can also reach their stations trough the troop compartment.  Their hatches have night vision blocks, which can be removed and replaced with an armored block.  The driver has a conventional control set, though he has power brakes.  The driver and commander have electrically-powered raising and lowering of their seats.

     Troops enter and exit through wide doors on either side, and they have three hatches on the hull deck.  The troops sit down the sides of the vehicle and have two firing ports on each side and one in the rear. These are not true firing ports, but merely shuttered openings in the hull. They have folding seats, allowing for more cargo or standing troops to be carried in an emergency. The Dragoon-300 has air conditioning as standard.  The Dragoon-300 has a heater, and this heater has a booster for the driver/commander compartment.

     The gunner’s station and armament can vary greatly, from a simple cupola with a pintle-mounted weapon to a turret with a heavy machinegun.  Armament includes a pintle-mounted APC, a turret-mounted heavy machinegun, the LFV-40 and LFV-50 have either a turret similar to that of the AAPV-7A1 or a modified version armed with a heavy and light machinegun, and three which are armed with progressively heavier autocannons.  Vision equipment varies by turret, but they all have similar fire control and stabilization features.  All are one-man turrets with a hatch on top for the gunner.

     The Dragoon-300 borrows the starter, vision blocks, bilge pumps, control knobs and electrical and hydraulic components from the M-113A2 APC; automotively, many components are the same as on the M-809 medium truck, particularly in the suspension.  The engine of the Dragoon-300 is a Detroit Diesel 6V-53T 300-horsepower turbocharged diesel engine (again, a modified version of that of the M-113), coupled to an automatic transmission. The Dragoon-300 has a flood-type Halon fire suppression system, but this must be manually triggered.  There is one for the troop/front compartment and one for the engine compartment.  The suspension is 4x4 and of the off-road-type, and the Dragoon-300 has run-flat tires and central tire pressure regulation.  Armor is moderate, but angling of the front and sides helps the situation, giving it protection greater than might be expected for such a vehicle.  Armor is acceptable for such a vehicle, though appliqué armor kits are available.  All Dragoon-300s and variants have a front-mounted winch with a capacity of 5 tons and 53.34 meters of cable.  The Dragoon-300 is amphibious, powered by wheel rotation in the water, and steered by the front wheels as if on land.  Bilge pumps must be turned on before entering the water, but other than that, there is no preparation required for amphibious operations (and turning on the bilge pumps only requires the flipping of a switch by the driver).  The driver may also fully inflate the tires using the central tire inflation system before amphibious operations to increase flotation, an operation that requires only 15 seconds. Amphibious speed is slow, and steering response is sluggish.

The Dragoon-300 APC-Type Variants

     The ACV (Armored Command Vehicle) is a standard sort of armored command vehicle, though interior space is short and therefore equipment and personnel are more restricted.  The ACV has a long-range radio with data capability, one more long-range radio, a medium-range radio, and a short-range radio for general use.  The ACV has a ruggedized long-range radio and a GPS receiver.  It has storage for maps and for office/plotting-type supplies, a map board, and carriage for a folding table, three folding chairs, and a small tent to extend working space (normally carried above the right hull door).  On the hull roof near the rear is a 3kW generator. Above the hull is a communications harness which includes the normal radios, and this gives the radios more range than vehicular radio installations normally provide.  A radio mast is carried which may be erected during halts.  The ACV is armed with a simple cupola with a pintle mount.

     The MEWS (Mobile Electronic Warfare System) is packed with electronic warfare equipment, including radio and radar-finding equipment and analysis, MIJI (Meaconing, Intrusion, Jamming, and Interference) capability, as well as visual surveillance capability to allow it to act as a scout vehicle.  Radio detection range is 50 km, with radar detection range being 30 km.  The MEWS can produce a radio jamming signal over three bands (out of a total is six) of radio at a range of 40 km, or simple interference (such as random static or dropped signals) over 50 km.  Intrusion, meaconing, and interception of enemy signals can be made at a range of 30 km.  The MEWS has an extendable antenna to facilitate these functions, as well as a small computer related to its functions with digital storage.  The MEWS has an enlarged turret armed with an autocannon, which houses enhanced night vision gear, day vision gear, and a set of video cameras.  The MEWS has a short-range radio and two long-range radios with data capability to transmit the data from its radio interceptions and visual surveillance activities.  Atop the commander’s position is a ring mount for a light machinegun.  The MEWS carries a 10kW generator on the rear roof to power vehicle systems while the engine is off.  This APU has an exhaust and noise dampening system attached to it, and the entire vehicle uses IR dampening measures.

     The ALSV (Armored Logistics Support Vehicle) is sort of an armored truck version of the Dragoon-300.  In this version, the rear area of the Dragoon-300 is replaced by a large open-topped area, sometimes covered with canvas bows and a tarp cover.  The load bed is designed for standard containers, and has rollers and tie-down and lock-down points for cargo.  The sides and rear of the load area drop to help offload cargo.  The ALSV has a materiel-handling crane with a capacity of one ton.  The armament of the ALSV is shifted to a pintle mount by the commander’s hatch, which carries a light machinegun.  Appliqué armor for the ALSV is applied only cab/forward area and the floor.

     The ASV (Armored Security Vehicle), also known as the Patroller, is the version of the Dragoon APC that is in service with several US law enforcement agencies.  The vehicle is a little higher to allow standing, and the weapon mount is replaced with a rotating box that carries the surveillance equipment.   The windows are larger, as are the firing ports and vision blocks; the windows are bullet-resistant.  The vehicle is equipped with several surveillance devices, including a low-light TV, video camera, VCR or digital storage equipment, computer, shotgun microphone, and night vision gear.  Common modifications to the ASV include the installation of a ramming bumper and pole, extra protection for vehicle lights, one or more spotlights, flashing lights and sirens, and PA systems.  Gas evacuation systems are also sometimes installed, as are obstacle-clearing blades at the front.  These blades are not strong enough to dig emplacements or clear mines, but can provide a bonus of 8Sp if they are hit (25% chance). ASVs cannot use appliqué armor.

The Dragoon 2

     The Dragoon 2 is an improved version of the Dragoon-300, with improvements from the minor to the major.  Improvements included better tires and a beefier suspension, improved headlights and other exterior lighting, improved brush guards, upgraded heating and air conditioning (which requires less power consumption), a better instrument panel layout for the driver, an improved electrical system, some IR dampening features, a feature to help empty the interior of gas (not the same as full overpressure), and improved frontal and belly armor.  The Dragoon 2 was introduced in 1997, but no sales have been made; so far, only the basic APC version has been shown in full performance versions.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Dragoon 2 in the Twilight 2000 timeline has been acquired primarily by some security concerns, such as those patrolling nuclear power plants, as USAF security vehicles for ICBM farms, and by the US Navy for patrolling docks (particularly those berthing nuclear subs and aircraft carriers).  The US 9^th ID is the only US unit to have the Dragoon in any large numbers, with them being taken into regular service in that unit.

*Floor AV is 4Sp.

**The AV presented here is for the cab alone.  The rest of the vehicle is open and has no armor value, except for the sides when raised.  These extend about one-third the way above the load bed and have an AV of 1.

***The AV presented here is for the cab alone.  The rest of the vehicle is open and has no armor value, except for the sides when raised.  These extend about one-third the way above the load bed and have an AV of 1. The Floor AV is 4Sp.

Cadillac-Gage V-100/V-150/LAV-150

     Notes:  The history of what became the LAV-150 goes all the way back to 1963, when the prototype of its ancestor, the V-100 Commando, first appeared.  Service use of the V-100 began in 1964, with their being type-standardized as the XM-706 and entering use with the US Army Military Police and the USAF Security Police (then called the Air Police), for the patrol of flight lines and rear areas.  Deployment began in 1965 to Vietnam with the Air Force only; shortly thereafter, the ARVN received V-100s for police and patrol work.  At first, the US Army did not deploy any M-706s to Vietnam, but they took several XM-706s as loaners from the ARVN in 1967 and then began deploying their own in 1968, after which the vehicle received the M-706 designation.  US Army M-706s received an ignoble end after Vietnam; though some very small numbers were used into the late 1970s, most ended up as targets on gunnery ranges.  USAF M-706s remained in use until the mid-1980s, but after that were most were sold for scrap (though some made it into US police departments, where they are still used).  Some 22 countries were customers of the V-100, and in about half these countries, they are still in use as of 2011; some other countries are not using them operationally, but keep them in maintained storage, due to their sheer versatility.  V-100s are often kept running through cannibalization of V-100s that are no longer running. The later V-150 was essentially a hybrid of the V-200 and V-100 (the V-200 came before the V-150 despite the designation).  They use many of the automotive components of 5-ton trucks used by the US Army, and are enlarged over the V-100.  Most automotive and electrical components of the V-150 were upgraded, the engine was upgraded, armor was upgraded, and the vehicle in general improved.  The V-150 was later renamed by Textron the LAV-150.  It should be noted that in the late 1990s, Cadillac Gage became a subsidiary of Textron.  Further development of the LAV-150 begat the ASV-150 (below).

The V-100

  The Terra-Space of Cadillac-Gage began the first design work on what became the V-100 in the early 1960s.  After several abortive designs, they came up with the definitive V-100; their first prototype was built in 1963, and limited production for the USAF and US Army began in 1964.  In the late 1960s and through most of the 1970s, foreign orders dominated their production of the V-100.

     The driver of the V-100 is on the front right, and commander beside him on the left.  Originally, the driver and commander were to have of the same type as on the M-113, but they were judged too vulnerable and were removed on production versions, replaced with special vision blocks which offered more protection. In the upper glacis plate on the driver’s and commander’s side are further vision blocks. The driver has essentially conventional controls in his compartment, as well as controls for the bilge pump.  Above the driver’s and commander’s position are two hatches; the commander and driver may raise their seats to see out of the hatches.  The commander’s position has no armament; he primarily reads maps and handles navigation, as he does not have the best view of the surrounding situation.

     The gunner’s position was made into a plethora of turrets, non-turrets, and armament, fire control, and vision choices.  The gunner could man a conventional pintle-mounted weapon (often surrounded with AV2 gun shields), or have a variety or turrets with a variety of weapons.  An attempt to show the weapon choices will be shown in the stats below, but that list is by no means exhaustive; many different weapon installations were tried, often on an ad-hoc basis, in Vietnam, and more were made by other countries using the V-100 after the Vietnam War.

     The crew sat down the sides of the vehicle.  They had four firing ports in each side (these were merely shuttered holed in the sides of the vehicle, and not true firing ports).  The troops enter and exit through a side hatch on both sides of the vehicle; the commander and gunner could also get to their positions through the troop compartment.  A long hatch was found on the hull roof on the right side near the rear beside the engine.  The side hatches are actually clamshell doors, with a step in the lower door to help exit.  There was also a small door in the rear of the vehicle on the right; this entry was a bit narrow, and was a two-piece door like those on the sides, but only half the width. Six smoke grenade launchers are found on each side of the vehicle.

     Power for the V-100 was the Chrysler M-75 gasoline 191-horsepower engine, a derivative of the same engine that powered the original M-113. (A diesel engine would not be fitted until the advent of the V-150.) The engine was coupled to a manual transmission.  The original first gear proved to be geared to low and damaged the transmission, so a fix had to be made to the transmission and first gear restricted to four-wheel drive operations.  The axles were taken from the M-44 2.5-ton truck.  The tires were specially designed by Cadillac Gage and were run-flat and designed to run even in heavy mud without bogging down.  The tires were also puncture resistant.  The front had a 10-ton-capacity winch in it, and the vehicle carried a 5-ton snatch block to increase the winching power.  The vehicle is fully amphibious, requiring only that bilge pumps be turned on.

V-150/LAV-150

     The V-150 (later called the LAV-150 after the Textron takeover) was essentially an all-around improvement of the V-100, ranging from electrical and automotive components to armor and suspension and engine.  Chief amongst the improvements are the 202-horsepower Cummins diesel, necessary to move the heavier weight; however, this also reduces fuel consumption.  Interior appointments are largely the same, and externally, the vehicle is similar to the V-100, though LAV-150s almost always have turrets, and there is a more extensive array of turrets available.  Fire control and vision equipment are likewise improved.  More interior room is given over to equipment and ammunition, with a corresponding decrease in troop capacity.  The LAV-150 is available in many more variants; APC-type variants include a command version.  The command version is sort of a “command-lite” version, carrying one long-range data-capable radio, one medium-range radio, and one short-range radio.  The command version has space for map storage and office/plotting-type supplies, CEOIs and codebooks, and a map board, as well as a ruggedized laptop computer.

Cadillac Gage V-300/LAV-300

     Notes: Though thought by some to merely be a larger version of the LAV-150, the LAV-300 (originally the V-300 before the Cadillac Gage merger with Textron) is a separate vehicle on a very different chassis with different automotive components (though some turrets are common to the LAV-300 and LAV-150).  First prototypes appeared in 1979, and production occurred as orders came in. The LAV-300 is offered in 15 configurations (not all of which will be featured on this page), and is currently used in various configurations by Kuwait (the largest user), Panama, the Philippines, and its newest user, Iraq.  Some US police departments are also using (unarmed) LAV-300s. The LAV-300 hits sort of a sweet spot between cost and capabilities, and its flexibility is also appreciated by its users.  In some configurations, the LAV-300 can be mistaken for a LAV-25, though they have nothing in common.

     The LAV-300 has a driver’s position on the front right, with a hatch above him and three vision blocks to the front and one to each side.  The center front vision block can be replaced with a night vision block.  On the basic APC, the commander’s position is to the rear of the driver’s position and in the center of the vehicle, and has a simple cupola with a pintle mount.  However, it is much more common for the LAV-300 to have a turret of some sort, either one-man or two-man, with several weapon options available.  These can range from a light turret with two light machineguns to a 40mm autocannon (which has been trialed, but not sold).  The Filipinos use a unique turret, a one-man model with a CIS 40 AGL and a MAG.  On either side of the hull in the troop compartment are three firing ports, and there is one more in each rear door.  In the sides of the vehicle, at about the center of the vehicle on the right side, is a hatch in the sides of the hull, but it looks like a tight squeeze.  One of the firing ports on the right side is in this hatch, and the hatch can conceivably be opened to allow the firing of heavier weapons like grenade launchers.  At the rear of the hull on the roof are a pair of hatches.  The troops sit down the sides of the vehicle, except for one seat behind the driver facing to the rear.  On the roof near the rear on each side, or on each side of the turret, are banks or clusters of four smoke grenade launchers.

     The LAV-300 is powered by a 270-horsepower Cummins VT-504 turbocharged diesel engine, coupled to an automatic transmission.  The suspension is 6x6 and of an off-road type, with puncture-resistant tires (though they are not run-flat). Ground clearance is decent and the floor armor is strengthened as a measure against mines. The LAV-300 can have added appliqué armor.  The LAV-300 is amphibious after turning on bilge pumps and erecting a trim vane (5 minutes), but speed is quite slow.

     The LAV-300 Mk II is a new version of the LAV-300, introduced in 1999; it is the version which Iraq uses.  The primary improvement is in the armor – the armor is more advanced and offers better protection without seriously increasing the vehicle weight.  Like the LAV-300, the LAV-300 Mk II can have added appliqué armor.  The engine is slightly stronger at 278 horsepower, but the primary engine improvement is in serviceability and torque.  The entire power pack, including transmission, has received this serviceability improvement.  Fuel tanks are larger, with the single fuel tanks of the LAV-300 replaced with two fuel tanks.  The twin doors in the rear have been replaced with a ramp. Optional waterjets for amphibious operation can be fitted, tripling water speed.  The suspension has been beefed up, and load carrying capability is greater.  Vision blocks for the driver (and commander, if a conventional cupola is used) are larger.  The LAV-300 has individual seats, but the Mk II has bench seats, which allow for quicker exits and entrances.  The tires have been replaced by run-flat tires which have central tire pressure regulation and are puncture resistant.  Air conditioning is an option.

*Floor AV is 4.

**Roof AV is 3; Floor AV is 5Sp.

***Roof AV is 4; Floor AV is 5Sp.

****Roof AV is 4; Floor AV is 6Sp.

Cadillac Gage Ranger

     Notes: The Ranger was designed in response to a US Air force requirement for a simple armored vehicle to patrol airbases and air force bases as well as missile farms.  Cadillac Gage’s entry was chosen, and called the Peacekeeper by the US Air Force.  The US Navy later took up the Ranger for various patrol duties.  By 1994, some 708 Rangers had been built and sold to the US and other countries, but by 1994, the Ranger was no longer being marketed.  The only combat use of the Ranger was in Bosnia by the IFOR. Currently, the only country still using them is Indonesia, though police departments worldwide also have them on their rolls.

     The Ranger is basically a Chrysler truck chassis fitted with an armored body.  As an armored truck, the Ranger has a cab with the driver and commander in it.  The driver and commander have a large bullet-resistant windshield in front of them, doors in with side of the cab that can be opened and locked back against the sides of the vehicle.  There is a firing port between the two front windshields. Two doors are in the rear of the vehicle, and these also have firing ports. The troop compartment is at the rear with a gunner’s position atop the troop compartment at the front.  Each rear door has a firing port, and there is a firing port in each side of the vehicle.  These firing ports mentioned are shuttered openings in the hull instead of true firing ports. The troops sit down the sides of the vehicle; available space is sometimes taken up by accommodations for prisoners, dogs, etc.  There is access at the front of the troop compartment to the roof hatch, which takes the form of a manually-operated cupola with a pintle-mounted weapon, usually with an AV2 gun shield to the front.

     The Ranger is powered by a 180-horsepower gasoline engine originally, coupled to an automatic transmission.  This was later replaced in most Rangers by a diesel engine of the horsepower. Armor is angled on all sides, including the front which has an angled windshield and grill.  The suspension is 4x4, but suited more for road use than as an off-road vehicle.  Appliqué armor can be applied, though limits of engine power limit the amount of appliqué armor. Air conditioning is standard, and there is also s system to flush the interior air of contaminants (not an overpressure system). Options include a ramming bumper, flashing lights, sirens, a PA system, a winch, a spotlight, and grenade launching clusters.

     Variants include a command vehicle with one long-range radio (data capable), one medium-range radio, and one short-range radio, along with a small map board, map stowage, and plotting/office-type supplies. The data-capable radio was for a radio teletype machine, and later a ruggedized laptop computer.  An armored ambulance version was designed, with room for two stretcher cases and three seated patients, plus a medic in the rear.  It has the equivalent of one doctor’s medical bag, 10 personal medical kits, a selection of splints, bandages, cravats, and burn treatment kits, and other minor medical supplies.  A light reconnaissance version was designed; this differed from the standard Ranger in that it had an additional long-range radio, and a small turret on the roof with a pair of machineguns and enhanced vision gear.

*See Notes for Crew and passenger capacity.

Force Protection Cougar

     Notes: The Cougar is the first MRAP designed and built in the US, and is used by US forces in Afghanistan, as well as the British, Canada, Croatia (who use four donated by the US for duties in Afghanistan), Poland (40 on loan from the US for their troops in Afghanistan), Iraq, Yemen, and three by Hungary with possible further orders.  British versions differ in some details, mostly in the integration of Battlefield Management electronics and appliqué armor.  Force Protection is building the Cougar as quickly as possible in response to heavy orders from various countries.  In the US Military, the Cougar was at first a Marine Corps vehicle, but the Air Force, Navy, and Army later ordered some of their own. Production as of 2011 has reached at least 4000 vehicles.  Cougars have literally had their entire suspensions blown out from beneath them, with no serious injury to the occupants – in 2004, the US Marines reported that in 300 IED and mine attacks on Cougars, no Marines had died or been seriously wounded.

The Cougar

     The Cougar is very truck-like in design, though it is clearly not a truck and is not based on any truck manufactured so far.  The 4x4 version is the Cougar H, and the 6x6 version the Cougar HE. The driver sits on the right side of the cab, and the commander on the left; they have a bullet-resistant double windshield to their front and their doors in the cab have large double windows (split roughly down the middle).  The troops inside sit down the sides of the vehicle, the sides of the vehicle have three large rectangular windows on the 6x6 model or one large window on the 4x4 model, each with a firing port.  The rear of the vehicle has a double door with two rectangular windows, each with a firing port.  Another double hatch is found on the left rear of the vehicle. The interior is fitted with two air conditioning systems and an overpressure system.  Large lockers are found on the right and rear fenders for equipment stowage.  The gunner may have a pintle-mounted weapon on a cupola and surrounded by AV2 gun shields; alternately, the weapon may be placed on a CROWS EWS.  (The pintle-mounted weapon station is more common on the Cougar H.) As is becoming more common in Afghanistan, the pintle-mounted gun stations’ gun shields have bullet-resistant glass set in the front, sides, and rear for more visibility. In each case, the weapon may be aimed fired from inside the vehicle; the CROWS mount also allows for reloading from inside the vehicle and beings additional vision and fire control equipment.  The gunner’s position is near the front of the vehicle in the center.  Four smoke grenade launchers are often found on the roof near the front on each side.

     The Cougar uses a Caterpillar C7 330-horsepower turbocharged diesel coupled to an automatic transmission. It sits on either a 4x4 or 6x6 off-road suspension, with run-flat puncture-resistant tires.  Of course, it has an MRAP hull, and the seemingly-luxurious padding of the troop and crew seats is part of this protection.  The seats also have seat belts.  Armor is average for such a vehicle, but the Cougar can take a variety of appliqué armor, ERA, and armor like bar-slat armor.  (It should be noted that the Cougar is not air-portable with appliqué or bar/slat armor bolted on.) The Cougar has an automatic fire detection and protection system, one for the cab, one for the troop compartment, and one for the engine/powerpack.  The fuel tanks are self-sealing.  A spare tire is normally carried on the right side just forward of the rear wheel (on the Cougar H) or the second wheel (on the Cougar HE).  The Cougar also employs thermal dampening technology which presents a -2 penalty to those trying to detect it by IR/thermal-based vision devices or when an IR-guided weapon tries to lock on.

     The Badger is also known as the ILAV (Iraqi Light Armored Vehicle)  It’s primary difference is that it’s 6x6 frame carries an in-between-sized hull. The Yemenis have also ordered this version. Versions with an RWS and pintle-mounted weapon are both seen, though the overwhelming majority have the pintle-mounted weapon and gun shields.

     The Cougar JERRV (Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle) may be 4x4 or 6x6, and carries a reduced combat engineer team and their equipment, as well as an EOD robot.  (They will be covered in US Wheeled Engineer Vehicles, eventually.)

     The Cougar ISS is based on the 4x4 version, and has an integrated independent response suspension system that increases off-road mobility.  Rumors have it that this version is used by certain NATO special operations teams.

British Versions

     The British use two versions of the cougar – the Mastiff (their 6x6 version) and the Ridgeback (their 4x4 version).  (They use a further version of the 6x6, the Wolfhound, which is used as a prime mover for howitzers and field guns, and will not be covered on this page.)  As stated above, the Mastiff and Ridgeback are fitted with the British version of BMS.  The Mastiffs versions are almost always armed with an RWS, typically an Enforcer RWS; about half the Ridgebacks have the Enforcer RWS, and the rest use pintle-mounted weapons with all-around AV2 gun shields. The stats below assume the use of an Enforcer RWS.  The Mastiff and Ridgeback have NBC overpressure systems.

Twilight 2000 Notes: the Cougar and its variants are not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.