MRAP COUGAR - AMERYKAŃSKI WSPÓŁCZESNY SAMOCHÓD OPANCERZONY

The Cougar MRAP is a de facto, American-made light, wheeled, armored personnel carrier of modern times. The first prototypes of this vehicle were made in 2002, and shortly after the vehicle entered serial production, which is still ongoing. In the 4-wheel version (Cougar 4x4), the vehicle is approx. 5.9 m long, approx. 2.75 m wide, and approx. 2.65 m high. On the other hand, in the 6-wheeled version (Cougar 6x6), the length increases to approx. 7.1 meters, with almost the same height and width of the car. In both versions, the drive is provided by a single Caterpillar C7 engine with 330 HP. The maximum speed of the 4-wheel version is 105 km / h, and the 6-wheel version is slightly slower. Cougar MRAP was developed for the needs of the US armed forces, primarily their units involved in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. From the very beginning, it was assumed that the Cougar would be a MRAP vehicle, i.e. it would have a specially shaped V-shaped bottom of the hull to significantly increase the survivability of the car after hitting a mine or the so-called fugasa. These assumptions have been met to a large extent, and it is now assumed that the Cougar is able to withstand a collision with an explosive device equivalent to 14 kg. TNT! It is worth noting that many specialized versions of this vehicle have been created, including, for example: Badger ILAV (a version produced by FPII and BAE Systems for the Iraqi army), Cougar JERRV or Cougar ISS (a vehicle with increased off-road mobility and a completely redesigned suspension) . The main manufacturer of the Cougar MRAP is Force Protection Industries.