Double life of Army off-roader! The American jeep"Hummer"! Nuclear mace of the Russian Navy! The newest Navy strategic missile "Bulava"! Super-Hornet of the American deck aviation. F-18 "Hornet" fighter. Lord of Fire! Commander of reactive mortars "Katyusha", Georg Gumenyuk. Not many examples of military equipment become trendy in civilian life. But it was achieved by the American general purpose and high passability vehicle "Hummer"! A simple Army work-horse, turned into prestigious mean of transportation.
There are not a lot of cars, which can be recognized by first sight. But if a car with specific chopped characteristics appears in any country with a generally low profile and with a huge road clearance, then any man will say right away "This is a Hummer!" Real merits and disadvantages of this hero of military conflicts and Hollywood action movies are fazed into background long time ago. Trend and television turned a Hummer in
to an absolute attribute of success and superiority.
The name "Hummer" itself was born relatively recently. But everything was starting in 1979. When the Military Department of the USA declared a competition for creation of light operational-tactical car for Army's needs. American military, based on experience of local wars, came to conclusion that the Army needs a radically new car. Scope Statement written by Pentagon was incredibly difficult. Amy wanted to get a vechicle which would combine a perfect passability, good payload, capacity and crew protection. The car should work with same confidence in any climatic zone. Other two must have features were a simplicity of use and possibility of multirole usage of the vehicle. Several companies took part in the competition, including AM General corporation a traditional manufactor of military vehicles. The corporation presented a "High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle" or "HUMVEE", as it was baptized by engineers, at driving trials, which started in july of 1980 in Nevada desert. This vehicle made an impression on Government Committee The car was easily overcoming almost perpendicular slopes. It wasn't afraid of water obstacles. It scolded itself through the obstructions of stones and logs. It had a good reserve of strength and vitality.
HUMVEE had to prove its right to existence in a hard competitive struggle. In Spring of 1982, 11 cars of AM General corporation, together with vehicles of other companies, were sent in units for 5 months. Cars had to pass the most cruel trials there. Drivers of new examples had a single task - to kill the vehicles! In those 5 months "HUMVEEs" driven summary almost one million kilometers. They were sent through sands and swamps. They were forced to climp mountains and forcing rivers to drive on snow. They were subjected to rapid temperature changes and chemical reactions. The car was complying with Pentagon standards. All-Wheel Drive, a power-plant protected by strong frame, a road clearance reaching almost half a meter. All these made a "HUMVEE" as a good off-roader.
This vehicle could drive with speed 50 km/h even with holes in wheels made by assault rifle's burst. In Spring of 1983, Pentagon signed a contract with AM Aeneral for purchase of 55000 "HUMVEEs". Army units receive a vehicle, which replaced immediately several vehicles in Army garages. HUMVEE was suitable not only for troops transportation, but for accomplishment of many different tasks. Essentially every car was like a LEGO constructor, which was allowing to assemble a medical vehicle, a mobile command center, a mobile missile system. Variety of weapons, with which HUMVEE could br equipped, was also impressive.
From machine-guns and auto-cannons till Anti-tank Missile Systems and Anti-Aircraft Missile Systems. The automatic gearbox was proven as a weak spot of Hummer, which was broking more often than anyyhing else. Because most of American soldiers in civil life were driving cars only with automatic transmission, manufactor denied use of more reliable manual gearbox. Experience of use of HUMVEE in real combat operations have shown that it was often overloaded while taking additional weapons and ammunitions. It shown also that a hard suspension and lack of springs in seats become a reason of increased traumatism, while driving on off-road terrain.
Soldiers also hit a low roof with their heads. The car literally broke into a civil life from TV screens! When the biggest Television Channels were transmitting advance of operation "Desert Storm". One of journalists sais a word "Hummer" on air which stick to the car forever. The war became the best advertisment. Individuals desiring to buy this car became so many, that it was decided to mass produce a civilian version of "Hummer".
In 1992, first "Hummers", intended for civilians, left production lines. In exterior they almost had no differences from their Army fellows. Differences were mainly in car's fillings. Electrical devices were not waterproof anymore. System changing tire pressure had disappeared. Body wasn't armored by light armor. And of course an Army radio was missing. The first "mechanical hammers" introduced into 9th Mechanized Division of US Army in January of 1985. The car doesn't miss any war since then, in which American Forces are participating.
