CF/CSOR Use of US HMMWV Ground Mobility Vehicle GMV

[T. Alcorn]

Hello, thought I would contribute to the revised site, photos of your Canadian Forces use of the US High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle HMMWV Ground Mobility Vehicle GMV variant. The Ground Mobility Vehicle GMV is the SOCOM version of the venerable HMMWV with multiple automotive and accessory upgrades to suit the four branches' elements in the Special Operations Command SOCOM.
After the disasterous Skud Hunt missions of Desert Storm, United States Special Forces recognized a need for MOBILITY capability. Some elements of the Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta used stripped down M998 and M1025 versions of the HMMWV during Desert Storm to accomplish their various missions known and unknown. These Tactics, Techniques and Procedures TTPs tend to trickle down, into the Groups of the Special Forces Regiment and sometimes into Big Army.
Initially the hard top weapons carrier version M1025A2 was used as the basis for the GMV, with 5 subvariants to fit the needs of the 4 branches in SOCOM: GMV-S for Army Special Forces; GMV-R for Rangers ;GMV-N for Navy SEALs; GMV-M for MARSOC and GMV-T/GMV-ST/GMV-SD for AFSOC
Standard modifications across the fleet are electric winch, Rod Hall Off Road Racing Nitrogen-charged Remote Reservoir Shocks; Extreme Heavy Duty Pitman Arm; Heavy Duty Rear Sway Bar; Corrugated Cargo Panels or Tubing Assault Rails around the rear cargo enclosure in place of the sheetmetal slantback sponsons.
Various FM/UHF/VHF and SatCom communications equipment was installed to suit each branch's MTO&E, protected by a special radio enclosure similar to CF Iltis radio doghouse.
MTS Movement Tracking System and Blue Force Tracker variants depending on the years of deployment.
Steel Jacking Rails/Rock Sliders to strengthen the body for maintenance and mobility
Aluminum Skid Plates under the footwells on each side of the transmission tunnel.
Armor plates of steel, aluminum or composite of various configurations
Molded Kevlar/Dyneema IED Resistant Seats
Quick Detachable Ammo Can Bin and Weapons Mount for the Turret System.
24VDC to 12VDC Inverter and Power Distribution Box mounted to the radio enclosure and 24VDC or 12VDC to 120VAC Inverter mounted to the curb side rear passenger ceiling.
Multi configuration aluminum ammo can bins for repurposed 60mm HE PA70 Ammo Cans, used for 225 rounds .50BMG or 40mm linked.
The various other accessories and upgrades are covered in ATP 3-18.14 (FM 3-05.214) Special Forces Vehicle-Mounted Operations Tactics, Techniques, & Procedures Sept 2014 edition available at Amazon of all places.
More current ATP 3-18.14 July 2022 edition is available several venders online.
Apparently with the high op tempo of the GWOT the Canadian Forces deemed it more efficient for your CSOR elements supporting SOCOM to operate similar equipment for logistical, practical and tactical reasons.
During GWAT the need for additional armor and the excessive weight required the 6.5l NA 4 speed M1025A2 chassis GMV be replaced with the newer ECV/REV 6.5l Turbo charged M11xx series chassis. The trucks were built to a new standard for all 5 users the M1165A1WB3 Standardized Ground Mobility Vehicle. In 2018 180 of the former SOCOM M1025A2 GMV trucks were sold off as surplus from the Letterkenny Army Depot. I bought 2 of these trucks, both 1995 mfg, there were 2002 mfg trucks in the lot also.*

[Ed Storey]

I managed to get a photograph of this Canadian M1025A2 at the washrack in Kandahar in 2011.