SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - When you think of a panther, usually the characteristics of a sleek, agile and quiet stalker of prey come to mind. However, sleek and agile are not what the new Mine Resistant Vehicles, also called the Panther, inspire.
Weighing in at 60,000 pounds with a height over 11 feet tall and nearly 30 feet long, these Panthers are hulking giants.
In fact, these Panthers are not meant to be sleek; rather its design serves a greater purpose- to withstand the blast from an improvised explosive device.
The Panthers are route-clearing vehicles with thick armor plating that allows explosive ordnance disposal Soldiers to clear roadways under safer conditions. The Army began fielding the vehicles last year and finally after months of waiting, Soldiers from 303rd EOD Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, received hands-on training April 30, after over a dozen new Panthers arrived at the battalion, here.
Like any new piece of equipment, professional training by the equipment's expert must be given. Training the EOD Soldiers on the Panthers began in the classroom, as new equipment training (NET), instructors from U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), educated the Soldiers in a weeklong block of instruction.
"After the 40 hours of training, they will become the trainers for their company," said Gaines Stevens, a NET instructor with TACOM.
Spending the first few days in the class room, Staff Sgt. William Hattersley, team leader, 74th EOD Company, paid special attention to the vehicle's automated capabilities.
"There's a lot more switches and turning them on in the wrong order can actually hurt the vehicle in some cases," Hattersley said.
After spending nearly an hour performing a preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS), Hattersley and his team were ready to learn how to drive the Panther and take the vehicles out on maneuvers.
As the Panthers rumbled down the road, a distinct humming could be heard from a distance that grew louder as the vehicles drew closer, making everyone around very aware of its presence.
"Hearing protection is mandatory to operate these vehicles," Stevens said referring to the noise level.
After driving the Panther for a couple hours, Hattersley said that despite all of its automated capabilities, the biggest hassle for him is learning to maneuver around inside the vehicle.
Hattersley said, "Training with these vehicles is going to take some adjustment."
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