Humvee Facts: 35 Things To Know About The HMMWV

Manufactured by AM General, the High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle – or Humvee as it is often referred to – is a mobile, four-wheel-drive, diesel tactical vehicle and serves at the core of the US Army’s wheeled vehicle fleet. Inredibly modular, the Humvee has nearly as many uses as there are items on this Humvee facts lists. Enjoy learning all about it.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, operate a Humvee with a smoke generator during Combined Resolve X live fire exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, April 19, 2018. The Joint Warfighting Assessment (JWA) helps the Army evaluate emerging concepts, integrate new technologies, and promote interoperability within the Army, with other services, U.S. allies, and other coalition partners. JWA is the only exercise venue assessing 27 concepts and capabilities while aligning with U.S. Army Europe Readiness and other component exercises such as Combined Resolve X and Blue Flag 18 with a focus on a ready, interoperable Joint Force capable of accomplishing the mission and overmatching current and future enemies across the range of military operations.

In 1979, the US Army issued a draft specification for the new tactical vehicle. This eventually resulted in the development of the HMMWV. Three contractors received contracts: AM General LLC, Chrysler Defense and Teledyne Continental. They were tasked to design and develop 11 prototype HMMWVs (six weapon carriers and five utility vehicles). Testing was conducted over rocky hills, deep sand, 60in-deep water, desert heat and arctic snow over 600,000 miles.

Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and Humvees are parked in a retrograde property assistance team holding yard at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, pending shipment to their final destination.

The US Army awarded a contract to AM General in 1981 to produce additional prototypes of the tactical vehicle. The development and operational testing was conducted in 1982. By 1983, the US Army awarded a contract to AM General to manufacture 55,000 HMMWVs; of which 39,000 were for the US Army and the rest went to the US Marine Corps, US Air Force and US Navy.

a Humvee as it disembarks from Landing Craft Unit 1660, assigned to Assault Craft Unit 2, during an offload of U.S, Spanish, Portuguese and British Marines from the embarked Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force and Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7.

The Humvee was put into production to replace several outdated American military vehicles. The high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle, or HMMWV, or Humvee, has been fielded since 1985. Prior to the Humvee, the main military ground vehicle was the Ford M151A2. Originally produced in the early 1950s, delivery of the M151 began in 1960. Difficult handling characteristics resulted in new versions introduced in 1963 (M151A1) and again in 1969 (M151A2). Initially, Ford produced the subsequent version of the M151A1 – aptly named the M151A2 – from 1969-1971. AM General won the next contract and took over production in 1972 and continued rolling out M151A2s until 1985.

A landing craft, air cushion attached to Amphibious Craft Unit 4 approaches the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) in the Atlantic Ocean Oct. 31, 2013.

One of our favorite Humvee facts is that the Humvee serves over 40 nations. Roughly 200,000 Humvees have been built to date. Although it was originally intended as a light utility vehicle, the uses for the Humvee have expanded. There have been more than 20 variants of this highly customizable, modular platform. For instance, look at the two Humvee’s in this photo and how they differ.

Minnesota National Guard Soldiers from the Moorhead-based 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry drive a Humvee and a five ton truck through rushing water down Minnesota Highway 1 into Oslo on April 16, 2011. The small Minnesota town on the Red River of the North is surrounded by water, so the Minnesota National Guard provides a safe method of coming and going into Oslo.

It’s variations are, well, varied. The Humvee is one of the most versatile vehicles in the military’s arsenal. It’s able to carry and deploy almost anything, from fully armed troops to anti-aircraft missiles. The Humvee is an open-topped scout vehicle, an armored personnel carrier, ambulance, a TOW missile launcher, a communication center, a heavy offensive platform and whatever else the situation requires. One of the more versatile Humvee facts.

Soldiers maneuver a Humvee through a driver’s training terrain course as part of the basic driving class at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Jan. 9, 2018. The Soldiers are assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

The wheels themselves contain portal-geared hubs that create a rather unconventional drivetrain. This doubles the total amount of torque generated, but due to the offset driveshaft inputs, it also enables the vehicle’s ground clearance to be noticeably higher than a regular center axle would allow. Any fact about the bad*** capabilities of the HMMWV is instantly one of our favorite Humvee facts.

A convoy of Humvees transport U.S. Air Force Creek Defender students to a training facility, Oct. 15, 2013, in Baumholder, Germany. Students participating in the Creek Defender course were required to pass a 24-section evaluation to prepare them for deployed environments around the world.

This unique drivetrain goes hand-in-hand with independent suspension and 37-inch tires which allows the Humvee to travel at 70 miles per hour. Fun visual: think of a Humvee and a cheetah side by side going a top speed of 70 mph. That gives us a new appreciation for the power of these vehicles. Also, it gives it the capability to climb slopes of 60 percent! Some pretty cool Humvee facts right there.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Griffin, with the 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, drives a Humvee on a flooded road in Fort Ransom, N.D., April 15, 2009. Griffin and Spc. Jessica Sandberg, with the 132nd Quartermaster Battalion, are making a welfare visit to a rural civilian whose home is surrounded by water.

The inside of the Humvee – which is fully air conditioned by the way – is outfitted with a deep-water fording kit that allows the vehicle to cross rivers almost completely submerged. This, combined with a sturdy chassis, corrosion resistance, high commonality and interchangeable parts, enable the Humvee to be flexible, dependable and rugged even in the harshest of environments.

A U.S. Army HMMWV assigned to the East Africa Response Force (EARF), Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, is driven down the runway during an emergency deployment response exercise, East Africa, May 17, 2019. The EARF provides a broad range of rapidly deployable military capabilities to protect American interests on the African continent should any threat arise.

Since the Humvee was introduced, varied and increased protection has been a focus. A fun tidbit of Humvee facts is that the early versions had no doors and a fabric roof. However, the demands of Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrated the need for improved armor. Many improvised solutions have been tried in the field in recent years, including sandbags and welding scrap metal to the chassis – which create some odd-looking Humvees. However, heavily armored versions are now available from the factory; as are retrofit kits which include under-body plates, heavy doors, armored seats, weapon shields and many other additions.

A Humvee rolls through a smoke screen during convoy lanes training during Operation Sustainment Warrior 2014 Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. OSW is an annual Army Reserve training hosted this year by the 655th Regional Support Group, Chicopee, Mass., designed to provide rigorous and relevant individual training that improves Soldier readiness and retention.

The latest Humvee models offer protection from high-volume offensive fire, some air-burst artillery, and up to 12 pounds of blasts. This is made possible by thick steel armour, energy-absorbing coatings and mounting, and reinforced glass. But – there’s a price to pay for protection. Many Humvees carrying 2,000-4,000 pounds of armour do so in in place of cargo and equipment. These Humvee facts come to play in crucial moments during combat.

Marines with Combined Anti-Armor Team 1 Bravo, Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment send .50 caliber machine gun fire down range in a support by fire position at Pohakuloa Training Area, Big Island of Hawaii, July 19. The CAAT section was supporting Echo Co.’s mechanized company-level live-fire assault with suppressive fire as part of Exercise Lava Viper. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms exercise designed to enhance the capabilities of ground combat and support element Marines participating.

Humvee facts lists wouldn’t be complete without talking about it’s offensive capabilities. The variety of weapons the Humvee carries is truly impressive. The most common weapon choice is the legendary M2 Browning .50 Caliber; however a choice of general purpose high-volume armaments can be fired manually or fitted to the remotely operated CROWS turret system.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hector Hoyas (right), an aerial delivery field service department instructor, and Air Force Senior Airman Matthew Phillips, an airborne pavements and equipment operator from the 820th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer (RED HORSE) Squadron, turn away from the rotor wash as a Nevada National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter takes off with a Humvee at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., during sling-load training on April 15, 2011.

That being said, the following weapons are also compatible with the Humvee: M134 mini weapon, 1.6-inch grenade high-volume weapon, TOW anti-armour missile, or in situations requiring a little bit of overkill, the Humvee is designed to tow a Howitzer. The ultimate version, however, has to be the Boeing-developed Avenger, which carries anti-aircraft missiles.

Armour configurations vary from having doors that weigh more than a heavyweight boxer, to doors made of cloth meant to drastically reduce weight, to having no doors at all. These are interchangeable depending on the mission. If you’re ambitious enough, you can purchase almost any Humvee door online. The cloth doors run anywhere between $200 – $1000 and the hard steel or aluminum doors can cost up to $5,000 for a set of four.

SGT Joseph Chmielewski from B Co., Division Special Troops Battalion, Task Force Gladius, Forward Operating Base Morales Frasier pulls security during a key leader engagement at Jalokheyl village on the main supply route Vermont, Tagab District, Kapisa Province, Afghanistan on February 5, 2008

Riveted and bonded aluminum body panels give premium strength, low weight and flexibility to help off-road performance. The aluminum is rust-resistant and light-weight, especially when compared to conventional steel. Rust is like mold on a fruit or weeds in a lawn. When one part of the Humvee body begins to rust, it then quickly spreads to the rest of the vehicle from the center point. These Humvee facts get better and better.

Marines and sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit drive Humvees toward the border of the Kingdom of Jordan after offloading from the Maritime Prepositioning Fleet ship USNS Sgt. William R. Button here, during an MPF offload exercise in support of Exercise Eager Lion 12, May 7, 2012. Marines and sailors from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group assisted the Combined Forces Maritime Component Command, or CFMCC, during the exercise as part of their current deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of operations as a theater reserve and crisis response force. Eager Lion is a recurring, multinational exercise designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships among partnered nations through scenario-based, realistic modern-day security challenges.

In 1989, the HMMWV entered combat as part of Operation Just Cause, the US invasion of Panama. Per the U.S. Army, “In the early morning hours of December 20, 1989, the United States Army spearheaded a carefully planned and well-executed attack that overwhelmed the Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) of dictator Manuel Noriega. The goal was to restore the democratically elected government of Guillermo Endara and arrest Noriega on drug trafficking charges.” The HMMWV was a key part of that offensive.

International Security Assistance Forces assigned to Forward Operating Base Sweeney, Zabul province, Afghanistan, provide security while supplies are loaded after and air drop from a C-130 Hercules, Feb. 7.

The US Army fielded a new variant in 2008 to the National Training Centre; the M-1151A1. The M-1151A1 is fitted with a fragmentation kit 5 (FK 5) and an objective gunner’s protection kit. The two available armor kits are separated into “A” and “B” – the “A” kit is factory installed. The “B” kit provides gapless mine and ballistic protection when combined with the “A” kit.

A humvee carrying Soldiers of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team hits a simulated Improvised Explosive Device during training at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center on Oct. 1, 2011. The 37th IBCT is deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The FK 5 was built to provide IED blast protection and small arms protection. The objective gunner’s protection kit provides the gunner to view the battlefield with high safety through the transparent armored glass. AM General launched the high-end armor kit fragmentation kit 7 (FRAG 7) for the M1151 up-armored HMMWV in 2009.

A U.S. Army Soldier from Alpha Company, 13th Psychological Operations Battalion pulls security from a humvee at a vehicle control point in the village of Kapisa, Afghanistan, May 15, 2007.

$1.2 billion. That’s the amount that AM General received in 1983 for an initial production contract worth to produce 2,334 HMMWVs as a first increment of the total order of 55,000 vehicles. During 1984, the production of these vehicles began and the first deliveries were made in 1985. By 1991, 72,000 HMMWVs were produced including international sales.

A formation of armored vehicles, manned by U.S. Army and Marine Corps personnel, stand ready to lead a convoy of coalition forces through the parade grounds established for the 50/20 celebration in Kuwait, Feb. 21. This celebration honors the veterans of Operation Desert Storm and recognizes the long standing and successful partnership that is indicative of our many friendships in the region.

Satisfied with the operation of the Humvee, the Depart of Defense wanted more. In total, 190,000 units were produced by 2008. AM General received multi-year contracts for another 33,000 vehicles. Orders for an additional 20,000 vehicles from over 40 international governments have been received since 1991. Did you know that civilians can purchase variations of a Humvee? Click here to see which Humvees for sale there are, as well as other military vehicles for sale.

Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette, Louisiana. 2000-2007 AM General M998A2, Special Response Vehicle.

It just keeps going. In 2000, AM General was awarded a production contract to manufacture 2,962 trucks in the M998A2 series. The contract ran until 2007 with six single-year increments. The contract period was later on extended to 2009. AM General delivered more than 85,000 trucks under this contract. Did you expect to see a police humvee when you clicked on this list of Humvee facts?

A Headquarters and Headquarters Troop , 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, humvee sits on a plateau overlooking the route of a Combat Logistics Patrol that is coming their way to deliver supplies to the area. The scouts were there to watch for enemy activity and protect the patrol from attack.

Continuing with the current theme, AM General signed a $619 million contract in August 2010 with the US Army to deliver 2,526 HMMWVs for the Afghan police force and National Guard. The US Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) placed two contracts for 153 HMMWVs in May 2010. The U.S. Army placed a $546 million contract for 2,845 HMMWVs in March 2011.

A U.S. Marine Corps Humvee enters the beach to board a Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1651 in order to transfer personnel and equipment to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) after completion of certification exercise (CERTEX) in the Coral Sea, August 18, 2017. The Ashland, part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHR ESG), and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), participated in CERTEX to increase joint capability to respond to a number of potential contingencies. CERTEX was conducted to evaluate the integration of all elements of the BHR ESG testing their combined ability to plan for and execute mission essential tasks.

In April 2011, the US Army released a second request for information (RFI) for the competitive HMMWV recapitalization program. The program is intended to upgrade around 60,000 older model HMMWVs to like-new condition vehicles with high levels of protection. The major contenders BAE Systems, Oshkosh and AM General developed kits for the HMMWV recap program. One of the more recent Humvee facts.

Dimensions of the Humvee: the vehicle is 6ft high, 7ft wide and 15ft long. The chassis is a steel frame with boxed frame rails and five cross members constructed from high-grade alloy steel. The body is made of aluminium which reduces the weight and provides high resistance to corrosion.

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eight (EODMU-8), prepare to load their zodiac pontoon boat onto a trailer following an initial exploration of the Marinai housing area on board Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella. Continuous heavy rainfall since Dec. 13 resulted in flooding and power outages aboard NAS Sigonella and in surrounding areas, including government housing units in Maranai and Maneo. Six inches to three feet of standing water was reported. NAS Sigonella provides logistical support to Commander 6th Fleet in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the M998 HMMWV is 7,700 pounds with a curb weight of 5,200 pounds. At max payload of 2,500 pounds, the vehicle can reach a top speed of 65mph. A 12V/24V electrical system is used and its fuel tank has a capacity of over 25 gallons.

170402-N-ZQ712-0307 SAN DIEGO (April 2, 2017) Marines assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 15, currently underway with amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), prepare to airlift a Humvee using a CH-53 Super Stallion during a Helicopter Support Team (HST) training operation. America is currently underway with more than 1,000 Sailors and 1,600 embarked Marines conducting Amphibious Squadron/Marine Expeditionary Unit Integration operations in preparation for the ship’s maiden deployment later this year.

All four wheels of the Humvee are outfitted with disk brakes. The disk brakes are mounted inboard to the wheels outside of each differential. The reason that disk brakes make this list of Humvee facts is that compared to rim brakes, disk brakes have a much higher stopping power or braking power. Which, when you’re dealing with such a force as a Humvee, you need all the braking power you can get!

U.S. Marines with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division wait in a Humvee prior to a transport convoy at the Allied Training Center in Harstad, Norway, March 12, 2012, during exercise Cold Response 2012. The midnight convoy was en route to one of Harstad's beaches. Cold Response is a Norwegian-led exercise to rehearse high-intensity operations in winter conditions. Participants are from 15 NATO nations with the largest group of participants coming from Canada, France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Sweden and the United States.

The latest Humvee models are based around a 6.5-litre V8 Turbo diesel engine which produces 380 pounds force per foot of torque. This power is sent to all four wheels through an electronically controlled four-speed automatic gearbox, using a series of differentials. Humvee facts about its power will always be some of our favorite.

Spc. Jeffrey A. Maddock and Pfc. Riley R. Colby wait in their humvee for movement process assembly operations to begin on Fort Sill, Okla., Oct. 16, 2019. Spc. Maddock and Pfc. Colby were the first to have their vehicle inspected.

The A2 series Humvee is fitted with a 6.5l V8-diesel engine that cranks out a 160hp power rating with a four-speed automatic transmission. The common A2 series vehicles have a GVWR of 10,300lb and can carry a payload of 4,400lb at a maximum speed of 70mph. A small differentiation from the M998 HMMWV. One of the more nuanced Humvee facts.

U.S. Marines with Alpha Battery, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ford a body of water in a Humvee at Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base, Philippines, during exercise KAMANDAG 3, Oct. 11, 2019. The United States is proud to participate in this Philippine-led, bilateral exercise in order to develop capabilities across a wide range of military operations.

The key additional features to updated versions of the Humvee include an improved steering wheel and column, new rear seats, increased cargo capacity, improved brake pedal and an updated 9,000lb winch. Higher mobility was a priority which is why it was manufactured with a CTIS configuration. The vehicles under this model include M1097A2, M1097A2, M1123, M1097A2, M1025A2, M1043A2/1045A2, M997A2, and M1035A2. Humvee variations are certainly Humvee facts.

Reserve Soldiers from the greater Chicago area drive M1165A1 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) on an off-road driving course to gain practice on the HMMWV in various rough terrain conditions at the Joliet Training Area, Ill., May 14. The course was taught by driving instructors from the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Ill. Approximately 30 Soldiers participated in the driver training, which spans across a five-day training schedule.

The Humvees got another group of extensions in 2006: The key inclusions are a geared fan drive, new cool pack and shroud, new shock absorbers, new A-arm bushings, re-engineered geared hub assembly and new parking brakes. The M1151, M1152 and M1165 are the three vehicles under this model.

There are differences between the Humvees built for use by US Armed Forces and those built for international use. The two foreign models are referred to as the Eagle and the Cobra. The international models are the vehicles produced in collaboration with foreign companies. AM General has joined hands with many international players to such as Swiss firm Mowag and Turkish company Otokar.

Members of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 45 prepare a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) for sling load operations during Northern Strike 19 on Camp Grayling, Michigan, July 21, 2019. Northern Strike 19 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting service member from more than 20 states, multiple service branches and numerous coalition countries during the last two weeks of July 2019 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.

The Humvee has over 15 configurations such as cargo carriers, troop carriers, armament carriers, ambulance and shelter carriers. All of the variants have a common chassis, engine and transmission with 44 interchangeable parts fitted in various positions.

U.S. Marine Corps Humvee kicking up dust.

The M998 HMMWV is fitted with a 6.2l V8 fuel-injected, liquid cooled, diesel compression ignition engine that generates 150hp at 3,000rpm. It also has three-speed automatic transmission with a two-speed, locking, chain driven transfer case.

A Humvee launches from a landing craft utility assigned to amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41). Whidbey Island is deployed as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

The Humvee has such high off-raod mobility due to its double A-arm independent suspension front and rear, coil springs and hydraulic double-acting shock absorbers. This system provides 16-inch ground clearance in normal load conditions. It has a track of 72 inches. The vehicle offers 40% of slide slope, 60% of slope-climbing and 60 inches of water fording capacities.

A U.S. Air Force 86th Air Wing C-130 Hercules airdrops a Humvee assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team onto Frida IV Drop Zone in Pordenone, Italy, Jan. 21, 2016.

The Humvee can be transported by air. It is is air transportable, droppable and can be sling-loaded by helicopters. A C-130 Hercules aircraft can carry three HMMWVs and a C-5A Galaxy can carry an astonishing 15. In addition, the vehicle can be dropped by the low-altitude parachute extraction system.

The independent suspension and steep approach and departure angles make the HMMWV able to handle rough terrain, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get stuck. Fortunately, the vehicle can be recovered by the use of tow-bars if assisted by another Humvee, or self-recovery with a winch (if equipped). This allows the vehicle to be recovered by others in its convoy, without the requirement for dedicated recovery assets.