Desert Warrior

Mike Giraudo is a Kenyan-born American and former infantry man in Samarra, Iraq. He is a Subaru fanatic and was driving the US army Humvees and APCs (Armoured Personnel Carriers) while on duty with the Fourth Infantry Division. From his base in Virginia, where he is training to become a police officer, he told AUTOZINE just how different these military machines are from his Impreza WRX.

Please describe your interaction with the US Army military vehicles, be they Humvees, APCs or Tanks and how they handle. What is it like to drive them?
As an infantryman I did not drive tanks but mainly Humvees and APCs. I have to say I liked both a lot. The APC was old, has been in service since Vietnam, but was as good as new. Its huge powerful Detroit diesel engine (turbo and supercharged!) enabled it to go almost anywhere and take a beating. The same case with the Humvee. I think the Humvee would be a great car for safaris back home. The turbo diesel model of the Humvee makes it a very fast, powerful machine.

Please recount some situations that you found yourself in where the power/superior handling ability of the battle vehicles clearly spelt the difference between driving them and, say, your Subaru.
I would say that I wish my Subaru could do things these vehicles do, as I would never have left the army. I think the Subaru has the best handling among most cars in its price range. The Humvee costs a lot more so I would say for price and value, the Subaru is far superior. However it cannot match either the APC or Humvee as they would simply run it over. But I’m afraid I’m a Subaru fanatic so it is hard for me to say a Humvee is a better vehicle… ha ha!)

Did your experience in the military shape your preference for certain type of cars? Explain.
No not at all. I like American vehicles but I find that some of them are very poorly made. That’s why I go for Japanese. I will only ever buy Japanese.

What were your main duties in the army?
As an infantryman, my main duties were to go on foot patrols and support the Iraqi police and Special Forces we were working with. I was also going on regular night missions. Once while in Samarra, a Rocket Propelled Grenade came through the window of a building I was guarding, went straight through the wall and penetrated another room. My tour of duty ended in March, 2004.

Besides the Impreza, do you have another car? What do you drive when you come to Kenya?
I do not have another car. I used to have a Toyota pickup but I sold it when I moved to Virginia. When I come to Kenya, I drive whatever I can get. Of course, my choice would be a Subaru and one day I hope to have a full rally version for me to drive whenever I visit.

About.....Humvees
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) is described as “a cross between automotive know-how and the American second commandment”. It is synonymous with the US Army and is ranked third among the five best off-roaders of all time, after Range Rover and Willys Jeep, and just before Lamborghini ‘Rambo Lambo’ LM002 and Porsche Cayenne. It’s an all-time 4WD, ferociously thirsty machine (it gulps one litre of fuel every 5.5 kilometres), made by AM General in Indiana, US.
The HMMWV uses independent suspensions for high ground clearance, and has an axially delivered central tire inflation system. The vehicle also has disk brakes on all 4 wheels, and 4-wheel double-wishbone suspension. The brake disks are not mounted at the wheels as on conventional cars, but near the differentials to protect the brake lines. According to Wikipedia, there are 17 variants of the Humvee, which serve as cargo/troop carriers, automatic weapons platforms, ambulances, missile carriers, prime movers, Stinger platforms, direct air support vehicles, shelter carriers, and others. This vehicle can climb rocks, ford streams, roll along dry deserts and wade through rain forest mud. Its independent suspension, steep approach and departure angles, 60 percent slope-climbing, 40 percent side slope and 60-inch water-fording capabilities combined with 16-inch ground clearance accord it these capabilities. Another distinct feature with the Humvee is the instant inflation and deflation of tyre by a simple operation of an onboard button.  The current model in production for armies around the world has a 6.5-litre V-8 diesel engine with a four-speed automatic transmission.

APCs
Like the Humvees, the APCs are used to transport infantry. They aren’t primarily designed for direct battle but are often equipped with a machine gun, mortars and anti-tank guided missiles. To enhance mobility on any kind of surface, APCs either have caterpillar tracks or wheels. The M113, first manufactured in 1960 and largely used in the Vietnam War is the most popular APC in the world. It has a Detroit Diesel 6V53T, 5.2 litre engine that provides 205kw of power through a three-speed automatic gear box and steering differential. It weighs 12 tonnes and is capable of a top speed of 66kph. It’s well renowned for its amphibious capabilities, though it’s sluggish in water – only 5.8kph. The APC has equal ground clearance, departure and approach angles as the Humvee. Its external fuel tank has a capacity of 360 litres, almost seven times bigger than a saloon car. More than 80,000 APCs of the M113 variety have been made. Besides Vietnam, they’ve been used in the two wars US has waged in Iraq (Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraq Freedom), Kosovo War and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Another common APC is the LAV-25, which has eight wheels. They’ve a land speed of 85 kph and fuel economy depends on whether they are on four or eight-wheel drive.