New military ambulance rumbles through U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground

YUMA PROVING GROUND, AZ-- An armored vehicle escorted front and back by all-terrain variant of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles is racing across miles of steep, unimproved roads. The behemoths roar through the passes while throwing showers of pebbles and rocks in their wake.

A mechanical breakdown on these arid, isolated mountains could result in death from a variety of sources, from roadside bombs to unseen snipers amid the looming crags all around. Yet the Soldier driving is just as concerned about the wounded Soldiers in the back of the vehicle, litter-bound and tended to by medics.

Fortunately, these men and women are not really in harm's way. All are participating in a limited user test of the latest update in armored ambulances at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), the Department of Defense's premier facility for testing the durability of armored vehicles in realistic conditions.

MRAPs, high, heavily-armored vehicles with a unique V-shaped hull that funnels ground explosions from roadside bombs out from the undercarriage, have saved countless American Soldiers and was fielded overseas rapidly thanks in part to extensive durability testing conducted at YPG. The MaxxPro Ambulance variant is capable of venturing into live fire zones to extract and transport the wounded to safety and medical assistance, an improvement over the M997 Field Litter Ambulance (FLA).

"In my opinion, this is the best medical vehicle I've seen since I've been in the Army," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Gist, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the test. "The FLAs were good and easy to load, but this is better."

In his three deployments to Iraq, Gist said he also used the Buffalo variant of the MRAP and the ambulance variant of the tracked M113 armored personnel carrier, but medivacs were the primary means of extracting the wounded.

"We used different vehicles as ambulances, but never one that was set up specifically for medics to use," said Gist.

Fast and protected, the MaxxPro Ambulance's features include a hydraulic rear ramp to facilitate entry for the wounded, walking or litter-bound, as well as all ancillary materials necessary for ambulance duty.

"You can have two litter patients inside," said Gist. "You have all the treatment tools you need for enroute care to sustain a patient until you get them to higher level treatment."

The ride is surprisingly smooth traversing some of the most punishing terrain imaginable.

"The ambulance has an electronic stability control (ESC) system on it," said Jimmy Myers, test officer. "A lot of the developmental testing of the ESC was performed here at YTC which involved trying to push the ambulance to the point of instability to assess the ESC's performance."

In seven days of operational testing at YPG, Soldiers from Fort Lewis, Wa. engaged in three different types of operational mission profiles across various terrains and traversed several hundred miles. The operations involved simulated casualty pick-ups and transfers to a mock field hospital, as well as ambushes from oppositional forces. Each participant wore electronic gear that emitted a signal whenever they were 'wounded' or 'killed,' and the test vehicles were similarly equipped. All of these operations were monitored by data collectors.

"The key point for us is safety," said Sherman Jennings, operations officer. "If we can get through all test events without any incidents or accidents, it is a successful test for us, however the vehicle performs."

The week of test activity with the Soldiers took significant pre-planning to accomplish.

"It takes six to eight months to plan this event, including coordination with the folks in Yuma to ensure we get the right terrain to test the vehicle on," said Jennings. "It's a good team effort between Operational Test Command, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, and the folks at YPG."

The participants felt the test went well, and credited YPG with facilitating the important test.

"The staff are phenomenal," said Maj. Mattii Minor, operational test officer. "The YPG personnel provided exceptional support. Brad Cox, Luis Arroyo, Tracy Haifley and their teams were flexible and adaptable in providing support to make this test a success."

"Every time we come out here, these guys bend over backwards to help us out," added Jennings. "Anything we need, they don't hesitate to meet our needs."