Ten Memorable Modern Military Vehicles
As we recover from Memorial Day we continue to remember the military by memorializing your ten favorite modern military vehicles. Semper Fi! Be all you can be! See the world!
This is "Answers of the Day" – a feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's "Question of the Day" and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Want to see this gallery in one slow-to-load page? Click here. Special thanks to intern extraordinaire Martin Grossinger for compiling the answers.
Photo Credit: Scott Nelson/Getty Images
10.) Desert Patrol Vehicle (Chenowth Fast Attack Vehicle)
Suggested By: CrabSpirits
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: Built by Chenowth Racing Products, Inc., the DPV is powered by a 200 hp Volkswagen engine, has a range of 210 miles (or 1,000 with an extra fuel bladder) and can travel at speeds up to 80 mph. It's basic armor consists of machine guns and anti-armor weapons. Used heavily in Operation Desert Storm, it's still used today in the Middle East. Sand, guns, and a role in Chuck Norris' Delta Force? Awesome.
9.) Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier
Suggested By: DennyCraneDennyCraneDennyCrane
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: It's a giant floating airport, need we say more? Just in case you want more, here's DennyCraneDennyCraneDennyCrane explaining why it's so sweet: "The Nimitz class Aircraft carrier. similar to the SeaWolf, the main purpose of the replacement is to be less expensive to purchase and operate, but unlike the SeaWolf, the replacement is no less capable, but significantly less operational."
Photo Credit: Telstar Logistics
8.) V-22 Osprey
Suggested By: FormerlyPreferredCustomer
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: It's a helicopter! It's a plane! Stop, you're both right! Combining the land-anywhere capabilities of a helicopter with the speed of conventional airplanes, the V-22 offers the best of both worlds. As the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft, it's been an important part of many missions over Iraq and Afghanistan since its introduction in 2007. And, it's powered by two Rolls Royce engines.
Photo Credit: Jabberwock
7.) M1 Abrams
Suggested By: ForesterXTLover
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: The main battle tank of both the US Army and Marine Corps, the M1 is the workhorse of blowing things up and intimidating the enemy. Several versions are currently in use, with the M1-A2 the most advanced. It's able to hit a top speed of 42 mph on-road, and 30 mph off.
6.) B-52 Stratofortress
Suggested By: Triborough
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: First contracted in 1946 and flown in 1952, the B-52 can carry 70,000 pounds of weapons and has been in active service since 1955. As commenter Tonyola says, "How many of us would age so gracefully as we approach 60?"
5.) F-22 Raptor
Suggested By: Luisthebeast
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: Luisthebeast commented about the F-22 first, but many agreed, and it's easy to see why. A collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the Raptor was the world's first production supersonic stealth jet fighter. Unfortunately, it was struck down in the prime of life, with its budget instead diverted to the newer F-35 Lightning after producing 151 examples. Raptor, we hardly knew ye.
Photo Credit: RCSJ
4.) Oshkosh HEMTT
Suggested By: CobraJoe, Bueller
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: The Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) is the military's big rig, capable of carrying everything from pallets of canned peaches to Pershing medium-range ballistic missiles. They look awesome, drive forever, and carry anything. Here's one rigged up to fight fires.
3.) AH-64/AH-64D Apache
Suggested By: EvoCS
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: What's scarier than seeing death flying at you at 160 mph? Seeing it fly in on four rotor blades. The Apache uses a radome mounted atop its main rotors to acquire target information. This data can then be shared with the rest of the Apache attack group, which could still be hidden. The enemy is focused on one helicopter, when suddenly many more pop out from behind a hill, with their weapons already trained on the target. The bad guys don't stand a chance.
Photo Credit: U.S. Army
2.) U-2 Pontiac G8
Suggested By: Worthless_Cos
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: Can anyone think of a cooler job than guiding in U-2's to land from behind the wheel of a government-issued G8? All of these other vehicles are tasked with keeping the country safe, but who could forget the car that keeps the plane safe?
Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Luke Johnson
1.) A-10 Thunderbolt
Suggested By: KeyserSoze
Why It's An Awesome Military Vehicle: Just about a million commenters suggested the Thuderbolt, (KeyserSoze just had the fastest trigger finger) and we can't agree more. Though the plane has been in the air for nearly 40 years, it's no less awesome than when it first took to the skies. Basically a flying tank, the A-10 makes nearly anything else in the sky look soft. Able to fly with one engine, one tail, one elevator, and half a wing torn off and withstand impact from rounds as large as 23mm, the Warthog is a truly impressive bit of kit. Did we mention the 30mm Gatling gun the fuselage is designed around?
Photo Credit: av8pix