On the Ground: The US Military’s Most Commonly Used Vehicles

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By Jennifer Geer Published
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On the Ground: The US Military’s Most Commonly Used Vehicles

© South Carolina National Guard (CC BY 2.0) by The National Guard

From armored fighting vehicles to battle tanks to amphibious assault vehicles, the US military employs a wide range of overland vehicles for its defense. These vehicles are designed for a variety of uses including combat, transporting troops and supplies, and reconnaissance missions. 24/7 Wall St. took a deep dive into the military’s most commonly used overland vehicles. (Also see the US Army vehicle that costs $27 million each.)

Drawing from reviews of various government websites and military publications, including militaryfactory.com, 24/7 Wall St. has compiled a detailed alphabetical listing of the U.S. military’s most commonly used overland vehicles. This list does not include a number of utility vehicles, unmanned land vehicles, prototypes, or other miscellaneous vehicles that have not yet entered widespread military use.

Why Is This Important?

Desert tan US Military armored High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) often used in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq parked in a gravel lot with a blue sky and green grass in the background.
Ryanzo W. Perez / Shutterstock.com

 

This list of U.S. military armored vehicles, organized from oldest to newest, includes a wide variety of material and personnel carriers, tanks, and assault vehicles. While certain models are designed for specific missions and terrains, others, such as the versatile Humvee, fulfill multiple roles. We excluded variants of the same vehicle that have several unique configurations in use by the armed forces. Much like the iconic Jeeps of WW II, many of these vehicles have earned recognition and achieved iconic status as well.

These are the US military armored vehicles from oldest to newest.

1. AAV-7 (LVTP-7)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Amphibious assault vehicle (AAV)
  • First Entered service: 1972
  • Crew size: 3

2. Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV)

  • Vehicle type: Amphibious assault vehicle (AAV)
  • First Entered service: 2019
  • Crew size: 3

3. Buffalo H

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP)
  • First Entered service: 2004
  • Crew size: 2

4. Cougar

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Troop transport
  • First Entered service: 2002
  • Crew size: 2

5. Flyer-72 ALSV (Advanced Light Strike Vehicle)

Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

  • Vehicle type: Special operations vehicle
  • First Entered service: 2014
  • Crew size: 3

6. FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles)

viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Military truck
  • First Entered service: 1996
  • Crew size: 1

7. Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck

viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Military truck
  • First Entered service: 1982
  • Crew size: 2

8. HMMWV (Humvee)

Rockfinder / E+ via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Multi-purpose wheeled vehicle
  • First Entered service: 1985
  • Crew size: 1

9. Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Light utility vehicle
  • First Entered service: 2021
  • Crew size: 2

10. LAV-25

tfoxfoto / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Light armored vehicle (LAV)
  • First Entered service: 1983
  • Crew size: 3-9

11. M1 Abrams

Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Main battle tank
  • First Entered service: 1980
  • Crew size: 4

12. M104 Wolverine

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Armored vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB)
  • First Entered service: 2003
  • Crew size: 2

13. M109 (Paladin)

Jesse Stephens / iStock via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Self-propelled artillery
  • First Entered service: 1963
  • Crew size: 4

14. M1117 Guardian ASV

Rawf8 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Armored security vehicle
  • First Entered service: 1999
  • Crew size: 3

15. M113 APC

mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Armored personnel carrier
  • First Entered service: 1960
  • Crew size: 2

16. M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle

  • Vehicle type: Battlefield engineering vehicle
  • First Entered service: 2008
  • Crew size: 2

17. M1161 Growler

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Fast attack vehicle
  • First Entered service: 2009
  • Crew size: 3

18. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)

  • Vehicle type: Multiple launch rocket system (MLRS)
  • First Entered service: 2005
  • Crew size: 3

19. M2 Bradley

upsidedowndog / iStock via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Infantry fighting vehicle (IFV)
  • First Entered service: 1981
  • Crew size: 3

20. M270

Maikel de Vaan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Multiple launch rocket system (MLRS)
  • First Entered service: 1983
  • Crew size: 3

21. M60 AVLB

mtcurado / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Armored vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB)
  • First Entered service: 1967
  • Crew size: 2

22. M88 Hercules

  • Vehicle type: Armored recovery vehicle (ARV)
  • First Entered service: 1961
  • Crew size: 3

23. M9 ACE (Armored Combat Earthmover)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Military bulldozer
  • First Entered service: 1986
  • Crew size: 1

24. M915A5

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Military tractor
  • First Entered service: 2000
  • Crew size: 2

25. M93 Fox

Public Domain / The U.S. National Archives / Picryl
  • Vehicle type: Reconnaissance vehicle
  • First Entered service: 1990
  • Crew size: 3

26. M939 Truck

Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Military truck
  • First Entered service: 1982
  • Crew size: 1

27. M-ATV

Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP)
  • First Entered service: 2009
  • Crew size: 5

28. MaxxPro

  • Vehicle type: Mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP)
  • First Entered service: 2007
  • Crew size: 2

29. MIM-104 Patriot

VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Vehicle type: Surface-to-air missile (SAM)
  • First Entered service: 1981
  • Crew size: 12

30. RG-31 Nyala

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Infantry mobility vehicle (IMV)
  • First Entered service: 2006
  • Crew size: 2-8

31. RG-33

  • Vehicle type: Infantry mobility vehicle (IMV)
  • First Entered service: 2007
  • Crew size: 2

32. Scorpion DPV (Desert Patrol Vehicle)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Lightweight all-terrain
  • First Entered service: 1987
  • Crew size: 3

33. Special Operations Vehicle (SOV)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Vehicle type: Light attack vehicle (LAV)
  • First Entered service: 1992
  • Crew size: 3

34. Stryker

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Vehicle type: Armored fighting vehicle (AFV)
  • First Entered service: 2002
  • Crew size: 3
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