Armored Vehicle Keeps Troops Safe From Land Mines And Other Explosives 

The Cougar is manufactured by Force Protection Inc. of Summerville, South Carolina. The vehicles have been in service with the U.S. military since 2004.

Each Cougar costs about $600,000 to purchase, weigh nearly 25 tons, and come in either 4x4 or 6x6 versions. The vehicle is armed with a FN MAG general purpose machine gun, L11A1 heavy machine gun, a Browning machine gun, and a 40 millimeter grenade launcher. Cougars can carry 12 people – including two crewmen.

The Cougar has been specially designed to deflect blasts from improvised explosive devices and land mines – protecting soldiers and the vehicle’s engine in the process. Each Cougar has a V-shaped hull that covers the engine and directs explosive blasts away from underneath the vehicle.

Few Fatalities
The Cougar was developed as part of the U.S. military’s "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected" vehicle program. The U.S. Marine Corps had initially requested a vehicle to provide protection against the growing threat of improvised explosive devices.

However, after it was reported that no soldiers had died in more than 300 improvised explosive device attacks on Cougars, the vehicles were ordered in large quantities.

As of 2010, more than 4,000 Cougar vehicles had been ordered by the U.S. military.

Many of the U.S. military’s closest allies have also adopted the Cougar for use in dangerous combat zones. The vehicle’s durability and low casualty rate has made the Cougar a popular choice for militaries in the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Poland, and Iraq. The U.S. military has announced plans to upgrade the Cougar vehicles with additional armor and weapons – including anti-frag armor and rocket propelled grenades.