BAE Caiman

History

The Caiman completed testing by the U.S. military at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in July 2007. On July 13, 2007, Armor Holdings received a prime contract award by the U.S. Navy on the behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps for $518.5 million under the MRAP vehicle program. The contract specified delivery of 1,154 Category I MRAP vehicles and 16 Category II MRAP vehicles by the end of February 2008.

BAE Systems acquired Armor Holdings in 2007 and continued production of the Caiman.

In August 2009, the U.S. Army announced that Oshkosh Defense had been awarded the FMTV A1P2 rebuy production contract. This award did not include the Caiman.

In September 2010 BAE Systems was awarded a $629 million contract from the U.S. MRAP Joint Program Office to upgrade 1,700 Caiman MRAP vehicles to Caiman Multi-Terrain Vehicle - Caiman MTV standard. The upgraded vehicle integrates a refurbished and improved armored capsule from an existing vehicle with a new high-power automotive power train, chassis and independent suspension made by ArvinMeritor.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628011550/http://www.defpro.com/news/details/18172 |archive-date=2011-06-28 |url-status=dead

On December 18, 2011, a Caiman was part of the last U.S. military convoy out of Iraq, being the last vehicle to cross the border into Kuwait, signifying the end of U.S. military presence and operations in the eight-year Iraq War.

Starting in October 2013, local police and sheriff offices in the U.S. began to acquire Caiman 6x6 MTVs. The U.S. government offered these vehicles to local law enforcement as the need for them greatly decreased after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars ended. The Caiman MTV normally costs $412,000, but is sold for only its transportation costs to the local jurisdiction.

In September 2014, the U.S. approved a $2.5 billion deal with the United Arab Emirates Army for over 4,500 surplus U.S. MRAPs for increased force protection, conducting humanitarian assistance operations, and protecting vital international commercial trade routes and critical infrastructure. 1,150 vehicles were Caimans.

Operators

Military operators

• Egypt: Egyptian Armed Forces — 2000

Iraq: Iraqi Special Operations Forces

United States

Civilian operators

• United States
  • Flag of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration.svg NASA
  • Flag of Summit County, Ohio.svg Summit County Sheriff's Office
  • Flag of Waterbury, Connecticut.svg Waterbury, Connecticut Police Department

Non-state operators

• People's Defense Units (YPG)

References

References

1. "Article on Tensylon based composite armor used in Caiman.".
2. [https://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/0/392158BE6C6E5AE9852573170073B9C4?opendocument Marine Corps News> MRAP Orders Approach 5,000] {{webarchive. link. (2008-02-05)
3. "Error Page".
4. [http://www.armyrecognition.com/november_2013_defense_industry_military_news_uk/united_states_nortwest_regional_swat_team_is_now_equipped_with_caiman_6x6_mrap_vehicle_0311133.html United States Northwest Regional SWAT Team is now equipped with Caiman 6x6 MRAP vehicle] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-11-09 - Armyrecognition.com, 3 November 2013)
5. "City OK's defense vehicle purchase - TimesRepublican.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community info - Times Republican".
6. [http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2014_global_defense_security_news_uk/united_states_approved_major_contract_of_mraps_vehicles_for_uae.html United States approved major contract of MRAP vehicles for UAE] {{Webarchive. link. (2014-11-07 - Armyrecognition.com, 27 September 2014)
7. (12 May 2016). "U.S. Delivers Armored MRAP Vehicles to Egyptian Military".
8. "Excess Defense Articles (EDA)".
9. (21 June 2016). "Iraqi special forces seen with new vehicles for Mosul offensive". Jane's Defence Weekly.
10. International Institute for Strategic Studies. (February 2016). "The Military Balance 2016". Routledge.
11. (23 March 2021). "Tracking Arms Transfers By The UAE, Russia, Jordan And Egypt To The Libyan National Army Since 2014".
12. (7 January 2016). "UNITED STATES SET TO PRESENT 24 MINE RESISTANT AMBUSH PROTECTED VEHICLES VALUED AT US$11 MILLION TO THE NIGERIAN ARMY TODAY".
13. Administrator. "Caiman MTV 6x6 MRAP vehicle in service with UAE army - December 2017 Global Defense Security news industry - Defense Security global news industry army 2017 - Archive News year".
14. (29 October 2021). "Kurdish Armour: Inventorising YPG Equipment In Northern Syria".