CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- The 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will receive 38 M1224 MaxxPro mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles to replace its current aging fleet operating in the U.S. Central Command theater.
The 38 armored fighting vehicles are being issued from Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 managed by the 401st Army Field Support Brigade.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Bowers, 44th IBCT, S4 NCOIC, said the vehicles will be issued to multiple task forces throughout the region, and Soldiers with the 44th are looking forward to receiving the vehicles to bolster their tactical effectiveness.
“These vehicles will definitely increase our mission capabilities to sustain operations in the region,” Bowers said. “You can’t put a price on getting new equipment that better equips Soldiers.”
Col. Brandon Hill, commander, 401st Army Field Support Brigade, said 401st Soldiers, civilians and contractors work collectively to ensure APS-5 equipment is mission capable year-round to support Soldiers in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
“We are in a rapidly changing environment. APS-5 equipment must be battlefield ready at a moment’s notice to ensure our warfighters get the equipment they need when they need it,” Hill said. “APS-5 is a force multiplier in this region and supports regional stability and security.”
Army Prepositioned Stocks support a wide array of missions from contingency operations to exercises, and gives units flexibility to tailor equipment requests to meet their specific needs.
“Our forward presence reduces the amount of time it takes equipment to get into the USCENTCOM theater,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Horn, commander, Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait. “Already being here ensures that, when directed, we can rapidly issue critical capabilities to the warfighter.”
APS-5 is one of the largest sets of prepositioned ground-force equipment in the world and is maintained in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility to give combatant commanders additional combat power to respond to emerging threats.
Social Sharing