The SUSV is a full-tracked, articulated vehicle designed to support infantry platoons and similar sized units during operations in Arctic and alpine environments and conditions. The SUSV can be used in all types of unimproved terrain, such as rocky and boulder covered land, bog, marsh and water, and can operate in environments varying from Arctic cold to tropical heat.
"The SUSVs are seriously instrumental to airborne operations in the Arctic conditions," said Sgt. William Nagy, a master driver with 725th BSB. "We can't get LMTVs [light medium tactical vehicle] out [to drop zones] with the amount of snow that can accumulate here in Alaska. SUSVs have about 1.8 pounds per square inch of ground contact throughout the whole vehicle so they just float on the snow, making them a major asset when you're dealing with snow above your head."
The SUSV driver's training course is a weeklong course. It includes a 40-hour block of instruction taught in both classroom and field environments. The last three days are spent driving the vehicle. The trainees practiced driving with orange cones in parking lots, then headed out to various areas across JBER.
"The SUSV handles better than a Humvee," said Nagy. "The suspension is made to glide over things. When you hit terrain hard, you feel it, but the turning radius and handling, it is way better than a Humvee's."
The SUSV's off-road and climbing capabilities, and the fact that it can almost go anywhere, are what Nagy said he enjoys most about the vehicle.
"I can go off-road and climb a 45-degree incline and not worry about a tire popping," Nagy said. "I've never gotten one of these stuck. Not even once."
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