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Narrator: IN BATTLE, THE ULTIMATE TEST
FOR ANY WAR MACHINE IS THE BATTLEGROUND ITSELF.
THE EFFECTIVE TERRAIN ON MILITARY OPERATIONS
IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
Narrator: WEAPONS SYSTEMS THAT CAN HANDLE ANY TERRAIN
PUT YOU ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE ENEMY.
Huston: IT WOULD CAUSE THEM A LOT OF DISTRESS AND DIFFICULTY
BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL COMING. YOU JUST KEEP COMING.
Narrator: WE'RE COUNTING DOWN
THE TOP 10 ALL-TERRAIN WAR MACHINES
ACROSS EVERY CLASS OF WEAPONS SYSTEM...
...FROM THE HARRIER JUMP JET...
...TO THE FEARSOME PUMA...
...AND THE CUTTING-EDGE M3 AMPHIBIOUS RIG
TO FIND OUT WHAT DELIVERS ULTIMATE ALL-TERRAIN MOBILITY.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IN ANY KIND OF FIGHT, TERRAIN CAN BE DECISIVE.
THE ENEMY ALWAYS USES THE TERRAIN TO HIS ADVANTAGE.
AND YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO COUNTER THAT ADVANTAGE.
Narrator: TO BE EFFECTIVE, A WEAPONS SYSTEM HAS TO BE ABLE
TO HANDLE ANY BATTLEGROUND, FROM MOUNTAINS TO DESERT
AND FROZEN TUNDRA.
IF IT DOESN'T, YOU'RE VULNERABLE TO ATTACK.
IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN IMPOSE YOUR WILL ON THE OTHER SIDE,
NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER, SETTING, OR TERRAIN.
Narrator: WITH THE HELP OF MILITARY EXPERTS...
WE DO IT ALL, AND WE DO IT ALL PRETTY WELL.
Narrator: ...WE'RE GOING TO COUNT DOWN
THE TOP 10 ALL-TERRAIN WEAPONS SYSTEMS ON THE PLANET.
EACH MACHINE WILL BE ASSESSED ON A BALANCE OF SERVICE RECORD...
VERSATILITY...
DESIGN INGENUITY,
AND RANK WITHIN THEIR CLASS TO DETERMINE OUR DEFINITIVE TOP 10.
COMING IN AT NUMBER 10,
THE MOST MOBILE ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER EVER BUILT --
THE BMP-3 INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE.
ORIGIN -- RUSSIA.
COST -- $2.5 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 19 TONS.
LENGTH -- 23 FEET.
SOVIET MILITARY DOCTRINE IS ALL ABOUT MASSIVE FAST ATTACKS,
AND THAT MAKES ALL-TERRAIN MOBILITY A NUMBER-ONE PRIORITY.
SO, THE BMP-3 IS DESIGNED TO RANGE UP TO 370 MILES
ACROSS SOME OF THE TOUGHEST TERRAIN ON THE PLANET.
I'D RATE THE BMP-3's ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITY AS HIGH.
IT CAN HANDLE ROUGH TERRAIN AND ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT TERRAIN
BECAUSE IT'S A FULLY TRACKED VEHICLE.
Narrator: THE 15"-WIDE TRACKS ENSURE
THAT THE 19-TON ARMORED KILLING MACHINE
DOESN'T SINK INTO THE MUD.
AND A HIGH POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO --
27 BRAKE HORSEPOWER PER TON --
GIVES IT THE GRUNT POWER OVER ANY OBSTACLE.
IT'S A VERY EFFICIENT POWER PLANT.
SO, IT MOVES MORE EFFICIENTLY ACROSS OPEN GROUND.
EVEN A BARRIER LIKE A MASSIVE RIVER IS NO PROBLEM FOR THE BMP.
IT JUST DIVES RIGHT IN.
WHEN IT HITS THE WATER,
BUOYANCY CHAMBERS KEEP IT AFLOAT,
WHILE THE 500-HORSEPOWER TRANSMASH DIESEL ENGINE
DRIVES THE TRACKS FORWARD,
PROPELLING THE DEADLY ATV AT SPEEDS OF 6.2 MILES PER HOUR.
IT MEANS THAT RIVERS ARE NO LONGER A BARRIER
AGAINST YOUR OPPONENT.
IT MEANS THAT THIS THING CAN ARRIVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD
EXTREMELY QUICKLY.
[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
Narrator: THE BMP's 5 WEAPONS SYSTEMS
ARE ALL OPTIMIZED TO BE FIRED ON THE MOVE, ACROSS ROUGH TERRAIN.
THREE MACHINE GUNS, A 30-MILLIMETER AUTO CANNON,
AND EVEN THE BIG 100-MILLIMETER GUN
CAN FIRE WITHOUT SLOWING THE VEHICLE.
THOSE THINGS ARE BRISTLING WITH WEAPONS
AND LOADED WITH INFANTRY.
THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF FIREPOWER
ON A VEHICLE THAT COULD BE SPEEDING TOWARDS YOU
AT 40 OR 50 MILES AN HOUR.
Narrator: BUILT-IN STABILIZATION SYSTEMS ENSURE THEIR ACCURACY,
HOWEVER BAD THE TERRAIN GETS.
MAN, IF YOU SAW ONE IN REAL LIFE...
YOU WOULD TAKE YOUR LITTLE TOYOTA
AND RUN AWAY FROM IT VERY QUICKLY.
Narrator: EXTENSIVE DEPLOYMENT SCORES WELL,
BUT HEAVY COMBAT LOSSES AFFECT THE SERVICE RECORD.
THE COMBINATION OF ALL-TERRAIN MOBILITY
WITH FIREPOWER SCORES HIGH FOR VERSATILITY.
THE AMPHIBIOUS DESIGN WAS GROUNDBREAKING IN ITS TIME.
BMP-3 OUTPERFORMS WESTERN COUNTERPARTS ON ROUGH COUNTRY.
OVERALL, THE BMP-3 SCORES ENOUGH FOR THE NUMBER-10 POSITION.
CARVING A PATH TO THE NUMBER-9 SPOT,
THE MOST ADVANCED ENGINEERING VEHICLE
ON THE MODERN BATTLEFIELD...
...THE PATRIA-HMBV.
ORIGIN -- FINLAND.
COST -- $5.5 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 53 TONS.
LENGTH -- 26 FEET.
THE MOST FEARSOME PIECE OF TERRAIN
ANY ARMY HAS TO CROSS IS A MINEFIELD,
AND THAT'S WHERE THE HMBV,
OR HEAVY MINE BREACHING VEHICLE, TRULY COMES INTO ITS OWN.
THE VEHICLE'S PRIMARY WEAPON AGAINST MINES
IS A 4.5-FOOT-HIGH PLOW
HELD BY THREE HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED ARMS,
CAPABLE OF VARYING THE DEPTH IT DIGS AT.
THE PLOW JUST DIGS THEM UP AND CASTS THEM ASIDE.
Hazell: IF THE MINE IS TURNED OVER,
THEN THAT MEANS IT'S GONNA BE RENDERED USELESS
BECAUSE IF IT GOES OFF,
THEN ALL THE EXPLOSIVE FORCE IS DIRECTED DOWNWARDS.
Narrator: WHETHER THE OBSTACLES ARE MANMADE OR NATURAL,
THERE IS NO BATTLEFIELD THAT CAN STOP THE HMBV.
THEY MAINTAIN MOBILITY AND SPEED.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, TERRAIN THAT'S BEEN DENIED IS OPENED UP.
Narrator: THE 1,500-HORSEPOWER
MB 837 TURBOCHARGED DIESEL ENGINE
GETS IT UP TO 43 MILES PER HOUR THROUGH ANY TYPE OF TERRAIN.
AND DESPITE ITS 53-TON BULK,
THE 25"-WIDE TRACKS CARRY IT EFFORTLESSLY
OVER ANY TYPE OF GROUND.
ON HARD EARTH, THEY GRIP.
ON SOFT, THEY DISTRIBUTE THE TANK'S WEIGHT
TO STOP IT FROM SINKING.
EVEN AN OBSTACLE LIKE A 10-TON BOULDER --
THE WEIGHT OF 5 STATION WAGONS --
IS NO MATCH FOR THE MIGHT OF THE PATRIA.
THE 12-FOOT-WIDE DETACHABLE DOZER BLADE
SIMPLY SHOVES IT ASIDE.
THE HMBV's ABILITY TO TRAVERSE ANY TERRAIN
AND OPEN UP THE BATTLEFIELD FOR OTHER VEHICLES
HAS A MASSIVE IMPACT.
THE PATRIA'S SERVICE RECORD
DOES NOT INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL COMBAT DEPLOYMENT.
THE HMBV CAN TACKLE ANY TERRAIN OR ANY OBSTACLE
AND ENGINEERING TASKS.
THE DESIGN BOASTS A HOST OF INNOVATIVE FEATURES.
THE PATRIA IS UP AGAINST STRONG COMPETITION IN ITS CLASS.
OVERALL, THE HMBV SCORES ENOUGH FOR THE NUMBER-9 POSITION.
STILL TO COME, THE CUTTING-EDGE ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES
THAT ARE BREAKING NEW GROUND ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: COUNTING DOWN THE BEST ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES
ON THE BATTLEFIELD,
AT NUMBER 8, THE COMBAT JET THAT NEEDS NO RUNWAY...
...THE AV-8B HARRIER II.
ORIGIN -- USA AND U.K.
COST -- $30 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 16 TONS.
LENGTH -- 46 FEET.
THE HARRIER'S ABILITY TO GET AIRBORNE
IN JUST 250 YARDS
AND LAND IN ANY CLEARING WIDER THAN ITS OWN 30-FOOT WINGSPAN
MEANS IT CAN OPERATE IN AREAS
THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY OUT OF BOUNDS
TO ANY ORDINARY COMBAT JET.
WE CAN OPERATE OFF OF THE SMALL-DECK CLASSES.
WE CAN OPERATE OUT OF WHAT WE CALL FORWARD-OPERATING BASES,
WHICH IS REDUCED RUNWAY LENGTH.
WE CAN OPERATE OUT OF ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
AT ANYTIME, ANYPLACE.
Caddick-Adams: IT'S SIGNIFICANT IT'S OPERATED IN LARGE NUMBERS
BY THE U.S. MARINE CORPS.
THEY WANT AIR POWER,
OFTEN IN STRANGE PLACES THAT ARE FAR AWAY.
AND THEY NEED THE FIREPOWER AND CAPABILITY OF THEIR JETS,
BUT THEY OFTEN DON'T HAVE A BASE FROM WHICH TO OPERATE IN.
Narrator: V/STOL -- VERTICAL SHORT TAKEOFF AND LANDING --
IS CRITICAL TO ITS MISSION OF PROVIDING AIR SUPPORT
TO MARINE CORPS EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
DEPLOYED FAR AWAY FROM CONVENTIONAL AIR BASES.
Hoyle: THE UNIQUENESS OF A HARRIER
IS THE ABILITY TO TAKE OFF AND LAND VERTICALLY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, BEYOND A HELICOPTER, YOU JUST CANNOT DO.
Narrator: THE KEY TO THIS INCREDIBLE ABILITY
IS THE ROLLS-ROYCE PEGASUS ENGINE.
INSTEAD OF JUST BLASTING GAS OUT THE BACK
LIKE A NORMAL JET ENGINE,
THE PEGASUS DOES SOMETHING CALLED THRUST VECTORING.
THE ENGINE'S FOUR EXHAUST NOZZLES ARE MOVABLE,
CAPABLE OF ROTATING THROUGH UP TO 98 DEGREES
TO REDIRECT ALL 23,400 POUNDS OF THRUST IN ANY DIRECTION.
ANGLING THE NOZZLES DOWN 55 DEGREES,
PEGASUS GETS AN AV-8B,
WITH A FULL COMBAT LOAD AIRBORNE IN JUST 750 FEET.
A HARRIER GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO DEPLOY
WITHOUT REQUIRING ANY KIND OF AIRFIELD AT ALL.
ALL YOU NEED IS A FLAT CLEARING IN A FOREST OR STRETCH OF ROAD,
AND YOU'RE UP.
Narrator: AND AS SOON AS THEY'RE UP,
THE PILOT POINTS THE NOZZLE STRAIGHT BACK,
ACCELERATING THE HARRIER TO 673 MILES PER HOUR.
AN AMAZING BY-PRODUCT OF THE TERRAIN-BUSTING V/STOL ABILITY
IS THAT THRUST VECTORING ALLOWS THE AV-8B TO TURN
WITH ANY PLANE IN THE SKY.
YOU SEE THEM SOMETIMES DO THEIR THROTTLE MOVEMENTS
IN A DOGFIGHT, WHERE THEY JUST STOP.
Narrator: AS THE PILOT AIMS THE ENGINE'S NOZZLE STRAIGHT DOWN,
THE HARRIER COMES TO A HALT IN MIDAIR,
HOVERING LIKE A HELICOPTER.
WITH A FEW GENTLE CONTROL INPUTS,
THIS PLANE CAN SPIN ON A DIME, FLY SIDEWAYS, BACKWARDS,
AND EVEN STRAIGHT UP.
WHEN YOU SEE A JET LIKE THAT JUST GO UP STRAIGHT,
IT CHANGES YOUR WHOLE UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT PLANES CAN DO.
IT REALLY IS AMAZING.
Narrator: RAPID DEPLOYMENT FROM FORWARD BASES
MEANS THE HARRIER CAN UNLEASH DEVASTATION ON OPPONENTS
WHO AREN'T EXPECTING AERIAL ASSAULT.
IT IS A UNIQUE WEAPON ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: SEVEN HARDPOINTS ON THE UNDERSIDE
CARRY UP TO 6.6 TONS OF MUNITIONS...
...INCLUDING SIDEWINDER AND AMRAAM MISSILES
OR JDAM AND PAVEWAY LASER-GUIDED BOMBS
FOR STRIKING GROUND TARGETS.
THE HARRIER'S COMBINATION OF SHORT TAKEOFF VERTICAL LANDING
AND INCREDIBLE MANEUVERABILITY IS EXCEPTIONAL.
THE HARRIER HAS PERFORMED WELL IN COMBAT SINCE THE '80s.
VERSATILITY IS A STRONG POINT FOR THE MULTI-ROLE AIRCRAFT.
THE DESIGN'S ONLY WEAKNESS IS LIMITED PAYLOADS.
THE HARRIER HAS NO DIRECT COMPETITORS IN ITS UNIQUE ROLE.
OVERALL, THE AV-8B EARNS ENOUGH FOR THE NUMBER-8 POSITION.
COMING IN AT NUMBER 7 IN THE ULTIMATE ATV COUNTDOWN,
THE FASTEST OBSTACLE-BUSTER IN ANY MODERN ARMY...
THE REBS, THE RAPIDLY EMPLACED BRIDGE SYSTEM.
ORIGIN -- GERMANY.
COST $910,000.
WEIGHT -- 5 TONS.
LENGTH -- 45 FEET.
IN 2007, THE U.S. ARMY
INTRODUCED A RADICAL NEW SOLUTION
TO THE AGE-OLD PROBLEM OF CROSSING OBSTACLES.
THE REBS IS A RAPID EQUIPMENT BRIDGING SYSTEM.
IT WAS DESIGNED BY THE UNITED STATES
TO BE PUT ON THE BACK
OF ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF EQUIPMENT.
Narrator: THE PREFERRED MOUNT FOR DEPLOYING THE REBS
IS THE ARMY'S 18-TON
HEAVY EXPANDED MOBILITY TACTICAL TRUCK.
THE 445-HORSEPOWER, 8-LITER DETROIT DIESEL ENGINE,
COUPLED WITH THE 8-WHEEL DRIVE,
GIVES IT THE ABILITY TO DEPLOY THE REBS
ANYWHERE IT NEEDS TO BE WITHIN ITS RANGE OF 300 MILES.
THE KEY IS, YOU CAN DEPLOY IT QUICKLY,
AND IT WILL CROSS A GAP OF ABOUT 13 TO 15 METERS.
Narrator: THE REBS' SYSTEM HAS A CREW OF JUST TWO MEN.
TRACK WHICH CABLE?
BUT COMPUTERIZED CONTROLS AND HIGH-PRESSURE HYDRAULICS
MAKE ASSEMBLING THIS BRIDGE AS EASY AS PRESSING BUTTONS.
THE REBS IS A READY-MADE, INSTANTLY DEPLOYABLE BRIDGE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASSEMBLE IT.
Narrator: LIKE A GIANT TRANSFORMER,
REBS UNPACKS ITSELF.
TELESCOPIC TUBES SPREAD THE HIGH-TENSILE ALUMINUM DECK.
THE 2.4-TON WEDGE-SHAPED SECTIONS SLIDE INTO POSITION,
AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING THEM TOGETHER.
HYDRAULIC PINWHEELS POWER THE COMPLETED 45-FOOT BRIDGE
STRAIGHT ACROSS THE ABYSS.
IN UNDER 10 MINUTES, REBS IS DOWN AND READY FOR ACTION.
YOU SIMPLY PUT IT ON THE BACK OF A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT,
AND WHEN YOU COME UP TO WHATEVER OBSTACLE IT IS,
IT'S LAID.
R-7, RETRIEVAL BRIDGE FROM GAP.
Narrator: THE BRIDGE COMPONENT ITSELF WEIGHS JUST OVER 5 TONS,
BUT IT'S CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING VEHICLES
MORE THAN 10 TIMES ITS OWN WEIGHT.
THEY'RE DESIGNED SO THAT THEY CAN CARRY 60-TON VEHICLES.
THEY'RE QUITE IMPRESSIVE.
Narrator: THE KEY TO THIS DISPROPORTIONATE STRENGTH
IS THE ADVANCED MATERIALS USED IN ITS CONSTRUCTION.
Hazell: A TYPICAL MODERN BRIDGE WOULD BE MADE
FROM A PARTICULAR GRADE OF ALUMINUM ALLOY,
WHICH WAS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR STRENGTH, FOR TOUGHNESS,
AND FOR DURABILITY.
Narrator: THAT'S STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY ALMOST EVERYTHING
IN THE U.S. ARMY'S INVENTORY.
REBS WAS ONLY INTRODUCED IN 2007
BUT HAS PROVED MISSION-CRITICAL,
MAINTAINING TRANSPORT LINKS IN AFGHANISTAN.
THE VERSATILE BRIDGE COVERS EVERYTHING
FROM BOMB CRATERS TO CANALS.
THE REBS' COMPACT DESIGN AND RAPID EMPLACEMENT
SCORE FOR DESIGN INGENUITY.
THERE IS NO COMPARABLE SYSTEM TO RIVAL REBS IN ITS CLASS.
REBS' AMAZING ENGINEERING AND RAPID OPERATION
EARN IT THE NUMBER-7 SPOT IN OUR TOP 10.
COMING UP, THE ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES YOU JUST CAN'T STOP.
Narrator: AT NUMBER 6 IN THE ATV COUNTDOWN,
EUROPE'S RAPID-DEPLOYMENT ARMORED FIGHTING VEHICLE...
THE KTO ROSOMAK.
ORIGIN -- POLAND.
COST -- $2.7 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 24.3 TONS.
LENGTH -- 25 FEET.
IN 2004, THE POLISH ARMY TOOK DELIVERY
OF ITS LATEST ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE...THE KTO ROSOMAK.
TRANSLATION -- "WOLVERINE."
IN THE 21st CENTURY, THERE'S A BIG DEBATE
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE MAIN BATTLE TANK
BECAUSE IT'S SO HEAVY.
AND THE KTO ROSOMAK IS AN ANSWER TO THAT PROBLEM.
Narrator: THE WOLVERINE CAN PERFORM MULTIPLE ROLES,
FROM TROUPE TRANSPORT TO RECON, MEDEVAC, OR INFANTRY ASSAULT,
ALL BASED ON ONE CHASSIS.
UNLIKE OTHER VEHICLES IN ITS CLASS,
IT'S STRIPPED DOWN TO BE JUST 9 FEET WIDE,
SO IT CAN BE CARRIED EVEN ON SMALL-TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT.
THE POINT ABOUT THE ROSOMAK IS THAT IT'S LIGHT.
YOU CAN PUT IT IN A C-130 HERCULES
AND TAKE IT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
Narrator: THIS UNIQUE CAPABILITY MEANT THAT MORE THAN 30
COULD BE FLOWN AT SHORT NOTICE TO FIGHT IN AFGHANISTAN.
Caddick-Adams: YOU CAN SOON ASSEMBLE
A MEANINGFUL AMOUNT OF THESE
ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, AND YOU CAN DO IT OVERNIGHT.
Narrator: THE 7-1/2-FOOT-HIGH MACHINE
CAN CHARGE INTO BATTLE AT UP TO 62 MILES PER HOUR.
THE ROSOMAK OFFERS HIGH SPEED AND AN ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITY,
AND THAT MEANS IT'S CAPABLE OF OPERATING
IN ALMOST ANY ENVIRONMENTS THAT MODERN MILITARY PLANNERS
WOULD CONSIDER FOR AN ARMED FORCE.
Narrator: WHEN IT HITS ROUGH GROUND, IT BARELY SKIPS A BEAT,
THANKS TO THE 450-HORSEPOWER ENGINE
THAT PRODUCES 1,500 FOOT-POUNDS OF TORQUE.
THAT'S 15 TIMES MORE THAN A JEEP.
THE WOLVERINE HAS FULLY INDEPENDENT,
ADJUSTABLE DOUBLE-WISHBONE SUSPENSION ON EACH WHEEL.
THIS RUGGED SETUP
KEEPS THE WHEELS IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND,
MAINTAINING TRACTION WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS.
IT'S VERY GOOD ON ROUGH TERRAIN, AND IT'S ALSO AMPHIBIOUS.
SO, THAT GIVES IT A WIDE RANGE OF ENVIRONMENTS
IN WHICH IT CAN OPERATE AND FEEL QUITE AT HOME.
Narrator: THE WOLVERINE'S 8 WHEELS
SPREAD THE 20-TON WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE
NOT JUST FOR ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITIES
BUT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF TRIGGERING LAND MINES.
AS FUTURE WARS DEMAND MORE RAPID,
MORE DISTANT GLOBAL DEPLOYMENT,
OTHER WAR MACHINES WILL FOLLOW IN THE WOLVERINE'S WAKE
IF THEY CAN.
IT'S THIS KIND OF WEAPONS SYSTEM
THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN AWFUL LOT MORE OF IN COMING DECADES.
Narrator: THE WOLVERINE HAS EXCELLED
IN OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.
THE MULTI-ROLE VEHICLE EXCELS FOR VERSATILITY.
THE WOLVERINE'S DESIGN IS A SIMPLE MODIFICATION
OF AN EXISTING BATTLE-PROVEN MACHINE.
THIS WHEELED ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE COMES TOP OF ITS CLASS, JUST.
OVERALL, THE WOLVERINE SLOTS INTO THE NUMBER-6 POSITION.
AT NUMBER 5,
THE WORLD'S MOST COMBAT-PROVEN ARMORED ENGINEERING VEHICLE...
THE PUMA.
ORIGIN -- ISRAEL.
COST -- $3 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 50 TONS.
LENGTH -- 25 FEET.
THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCE REGULARLY HAS TO CONTEND
WITH SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TERRAIN
ON THE PLANET.
THESE AREAS ARE EXTREMELY HOSTILE OPERATING TERRAIN.
Narrator: BUT IT'S NOT JUST DESERT, ROCK, AND SAND
THAT MAKES THIS TERRAIN TOUGH.
ISRAEL'S FRONTIERS ARE SOME OF THE MOST EXTENSIVELY MINED AREAS
ON THE PLANET.
THE PUMA IS DESIGNED FUNDAMENTALLY
AS A COMBAT ENGINEER VEHICLE.
ITS ROLE IS TO BREAK THROUGH ENEMY DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS,
BE THEY ANTITANK DITCHES, BE THEY MINEFIELDS.
Narrator: IT'S THE JOB OF THE 9-FOOT-HIGH PUMA
TO CARVE A PATH THROUGH THIS HOSTILE GROUND
FOR OTHER LESS CAPABLE VEHICLES.
Caddick-Adams: IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CLEAR A MINEFIELD,
THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF MINE-CLEARING TANK
THAT'S DETONATING THE MINES IN FRONT OF IT.
Narrator: THE PUMA'S MAIN WEAPON AGAINST MINES
IS THE CARPET MINE-CLEARING ROCKET LAUNCHERS,
CAPABLE OF FIRING UP TO 20 MISSILES
WITH FUEL-AIR EXPLOSIVE WARHEADS TO DESTROY MINES.
EACH ROCKET THEN CREATES
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE GROUND,
AND THAT PRESSURE DETONATES MINES,
THEREFORE ENABLING US TO GO THROUGH.
Narrator: THE PUMA CAN CLEAR A PATH 320 FEET LONG
ACROSS GROUND THAT WOULD BE DEADLY TO OTHER VEHICLES
IN AN ARMORED FORMATION.
Dunstan: IT IS A FORMIDABLE VEHICLE.
IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SUPPORT TO THE MAIN BATTLE TANKS
AND THE ARMORED FIGHTING GROUPS.
Narrator: THE VETERAN VEHICLE'S CHASSIS HAS BEEN TRICKED OUT
WITH A HOST OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE MODERN BATTLEFIELD,
SUCH AS NEW SHOCK ABSORBERS, LIGHTWEIGHT TRACKS,
AND A 900-HORSEPOWER HEAVY-DUTY DIESEL ENGINE,
AS USED ON THE MERKAVA MAIN BATTLE TANK.
Dunstan: THEY HAVE MODIFIED IT EXTENSIVELY,
AND IT'S AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY OPERATION
THEY CONDUCT AGAINST HEZBOLLAH, HAMAS, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE.
Narrator: IF THE PUMA COMES UNDER FIRE,
SMOKE GRENADE LAUNCHERS CREATE INSTANT COVER,
WITH A SCREEN 200 FEET WIDE AND 25 FEET HIGH.
Dunstan: THE PUMA IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
THE IDF CONSIDERED REPLACING IT, BUT THE COST WAS HIGH,
AND THE FACT IS,
THE PUMA CONTINUES TO FULFILL ITS ROLE ADMIRABLY.
Narrator: THE PUMA'S INCREDIBLE ALL-TERRAIN MOBILITY
AND DEFENSIVE CAPABILITY
MAKE IT THE ONLY VEHICLE TO LEAD THE LINE
ACROSS THE MOST FIERCELY CONTESTED TERRITORY
IN THE WORLD.
THE PUMA HAS BEEN ON THE FRONTLINE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
THE ABILITY TO HANDLE A RANGE OF THREATS
ACROSS EVERY TERRAIN SCORES FOR VERSATILITY.
THE IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF MINE-CLEARING TOOLS
SCORES FOR DESIGN INGENUITY.
ITS MULTI-TERRAIN CAPABILITIES
LEAVE OTHER VEHICLES IN ITS WAKE.
OVERALL, THE PUMA'S ABILITY TO CONQUER DEADLY TERRAIN
EARNS IT THE NUMBER-5 POSITION.
UP NEXT, THE WAR MACHINES
THAT OPEN UP THE 21st-CENTURY BATTLEGROUND.
Narrator: WE'RE COUNTING DOWN
THE TOP MILITARY ATVs ON THE PLANET.
AT NUMBER 4,
ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE MILITARY TRANSPORT VEHICLES
IN COMBAT TODAY... THE BvS 10 VIKING.
ORIGIN -- SWEDEN.
COST -- $1.6 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 14 TONS.
LENGTH -- 27 FEET.
THE 9-FOOT-TALL, 9-FOOT-WIDE VIKING
CAN BE TRANSPORTED BY AIR OR SEA,
READY TO FERRY 6 TONS OF TROOPS AND EQUIPMENT INTO BATTLE.
THE 27-FOOT ARTICULATED TRUCK
HAS FULL AMPHIBIOUS CAPABILITIES.
WHAT MAKES IT INCREDIBLE IS THE RANGE OF GROUND
AND TERRAIN THAT THE VEHICLE CAN ACTUALLY CROSS.
Narrator: IN WATER, THE 4 24"-WIDE RIDGED RUBBER TRACKS
ACT LIKE PADDLEWHEELS TO PROPEL THE VIKING AT 3 MILES PER HOUR.
ON LAND, THE TRACKS SPREAD ITS 14-TON WEIGHT,
EXERTING 3 POUNDS OF PRESSURE PER SQUARE INCH --
10 TIMES LESS THAN THE AVERAGE CAR.
IT'LL CROSS ANYTHING FROM DESERT SAND TO SNOW.
Caddick-Adams: THE WIDER THE TRACK BEAMS,
THE LESSER THE GROUND PRESSURE,
THEREFORE THE MORE DIFFICULT TERRAIN IT CAN COPE WITH.
Narrator: THE LOW-PRESSURE TRACKS ALSO PROVIDE GRIP
FOR CLIMBING UP SLOPES NO OTHER MACHINE CAN HANDLE,
AS STEEP AS 45 DEGREES.
ITS 275-HORSEPOWER, 6-CYLINDER,
TURBO DIESEL PROVIDES THE PULLING POWER.
IT'S A 5.9-LITER CUMMINS ENGINE,
WHICH GIVES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO.
IF GRAVITY WOULD ALLOW,
THERE'S ENOUGH POWER IN THIS ENGINE
THAT THE VEHICLE COULD PULL ITSELF VERTICAL.
Narrator: THE VIKING'S ARTICULATION IS CRUCIAL
FOR ITS ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITY.
WHEN IT CRESTS A RIDGE,
HYDRAULIC RAMS BETWEEN THE UNITS FLEX,
KEEPING ALL 620 FOOT-POUNDS OF TORQUE FROM ALL FOUR TRACKS
ON THE GROUND.
FOR STEERING, THE RAMS POINT THE HEAD
WHERE THE VIKING WANTS TO GO, AND THE TRACKS DO THE REST.
IT CAN CATERPILLAR, SNAKE, AND MANEUVER ITSELF AROUND,
UNLIKE ANY OTHER VEHICLE IN THE WORLD.
Narrator: IN THE ROUGH DESERT CONDITIONS OF AFGHANISTAN,
THE VIKING FORM THE MAINSTAY
OF THE BRITISH ROYAL MARINE'S ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITY,
WITH 50 DEPLOYED.
IT IS A BATTLE WINNER, A WAR WINNER.
Narrator: THESE WORLD-BEATING ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITIES
MAKE THE VIKING A FAVORITE
FOR THE TROOPS WHO TAKE IT INTO COMBAT.
WHEN THE BULLETS ARE FLYING AROUND
AND THERE IS RPGs AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
THE GUYS WILL TELL YOU,
WHEN THIS WALKS UP TO PICK THEM AND TAKE THEM AWAY,
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE LIFE-SAVER.
Narrator: THE VIKING HAS SEEN EXTENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE ACTION
IN AFGHANISTAN.
ITS VERSATILITY ENABLES IT TO PERFORM ROLES
FROM TROOP TRANSPORT TO HEAVY HAULING.
THE VIKING'S DESIGN IS A REMARKABLE MODERN EVOLUTION
OF A 50-YEAR-OLD VEHICLE.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST IN ITS CLASS.
OVERALL, THE VIKING'S ABILITY TO CROSS INSANE TERRAIN,
AS WELL AS OPEN OCEAN, WINS THE NUMBER-4 POSITION.
AT NUMBER 3, THE CHOPPER THEY USED TO GET BIN LADEN
IN SOME OF THE TOUGHEST TERRAIN ON THE PLANET...
THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK.
ORIGIN -- USA.
COST -- $21 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 11 TONS.
LENGTH -- 64 FEET.
WHEN THE U.S. ARMY HAS TO OPERATE
IN TRULY HARSH TERRITORY, THEY BRING IN THE BLACK HAWKS.
IT PROVIDES GREAT MOBILITY IN JUST ABOUT ANY TYPE ENVIRONMENT.
IT CAN DELIVER TROOPS IN A LARGE GROUP VERY QUICKLY
ON THE GROUND AND MOVE.
Capps: THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO THAT
IN ANY SORT OF ROUGH TERRAIN IS HELICOPTERS.
I THINK THE BLACK HAWK HAS REALLY --
FIRST THE HUEY, NOW THE BLACK HAWK,
HAVE BECOME THE FOUNDATION FOR U.S. ARMY TACTICS.
Narrator: THE JUNGLES OF VIETNAM TAUGHT THE U.S. ARMY
TOUGH LESSONS ABOUT ALL-TERRAIN MOBILITY.
WITH NO ROADS FOR TANKS AND TRUCKS,
THE ARMY'S HUEY CHOPPERS HAD TO HANDLE MASSIVE WORKLOADS.
NOW IT'S THE BLACK HAWK THAT KEEPS THE TROOPS MOVING
WHEN THE ROADS RUN OUT.
McFadden: THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK
IS THE WORKHORSE OF THE ARMY'S BATTLEFIELD.
IT HAULS TROOPS. IT DOES MEDEVAC.
IT CAN DO RECONNAISSANCE.
IT CAN DO ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE GATHERING.
IT DOES IT ALL.
IT'S JUST SO VERSATILE THAT YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH DO ANYTHING.
WE DO IT ALL, AND WE DO IT ALL PRETTY WELL.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK'S CAPABILITIES
HAVE MADE IT A FAVORITE FOR SPECIAL FORCES,
AND A VERSION OF THE HELICOPTER, HEAVILY MODIFIED FOR STEALTH,
DELIVERED THE NAVY SEALs
WHO FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN.
McFadden: IT'S FAST.
IT CAN GET IN AND OUT OF AN AREA RAPIDLY,
WITHOUT EVER BEING DETECTED.
IT'S SUCH AN EFFECTIVE AND VERSATILE WEAPON.
Narrator: THE 7-1/2-FOOT-WIDE CHOPPER'S ABILITY
TO OPERATE IN ALL TERRAINS AND ALL CONDITIONS
HAS PROVED DECISIVE IN AMERICA'S MOST RECENT CONFLICTS.
THE BLACK HAWK IS A VERY CAPABLE AIRCRAFT,
USED VERY WIDELY IN AFGHANISTAN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE COALITION FORCES
THAT DON'T HAVE BLACK HAWKS, ONE OF THE RECURRING THEMES
IS "I WISH I HAD A FEW BLACK HAWKS."
Narrator: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HELICOPTERS FACE IN AFGHANISTAN
IS HIGH ALTITUDE SAPPING ENGINE POWER.
BUT THE BLACK HAWK'S
TWO 1,900-HORSEPOWER GENERAL ELECTRIC TURBOFANS
PROVIDE ENOUGH GRUNT TO STAY UP IN THE THIN MOUNTAIN AIR.
McFadden: BLACK HAWK'S A GOOD AIRCRAFT BECAUSE IT'S STRONG.
IT CAN GO TO ALTITUDE
WITH A BIG LOAD IN THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: THAT ENGINE POWER,
COMBINED WITH THE LIFT
FROM THE 54-FOOT DIAMETER TITANIUM COMPOSITE ROTORS
GIVES BLACK HAWK THE ABILITY TO CARRY UP TO 4.1 TONS OF CARGO
AS AN UNDER-SLUNG LOAD.
Hickey: YOU CAN MOVE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING
WITH THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK.
YOU CAN MOVE A HOWITZER AND AMMUNITION.
YOU CAN MOVE A SQUAD OF SOLDIERS.
YOU COULD MOVE A PILE OF PLYWOOD IF YOU WANT.
BUT WHAT THAT GIVES THE COMMANDER IN THE FIELD
IS GREAT VERSATILITY.
Narrator: THE 14-CUBIC-YARD CABIN
CAN ALSO BE PACKED WITH TWO TONS OF CARGO.
BUT THE BLACK HAWK'S ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITY
COMES INTO ITS OWN WHEN IT SERVES AS A BATTLE TAXI
FOR RAPID DEPLOYMENT OF 11 FULLY ARMED COMBAT TROOPS.
THERE'S NO BETTER JOB IN THE WORLD
THAN BEING A UH-60 BLACK HAWK PILOT IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
IT'S AWESOME.
Narrator: THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN IS A TOUGH TEST
FOR MILITARY EQUIPMENT,
BUT THE BLACK HAWK HAS PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS.
THE BLACK HAWK HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL
FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
IT'S EXCEPTIONALLY VERSATILE,
PERFORMING EVERY ROLE FROM TRANSPORT TO RECON
AND AIRBORNE ASSAULT.
THE DESIGN IS SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE, AND ADAPTABLE.
IT'S THE WORLD'S LEADING UTILITY CHOPPER.
OVERALL, THE BLACK HAWK'S GAME-CHANGING ABILITY
TO CONQUER EVERY CONCEIVABLE BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN
WINS THE NUMBER-3 POSITION.
STILL TO COME...
THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THE ULTIMATE ATV COUNTDOWN.
Narrator: CLAIMING THE RUNNER-UP POSITION
IN THE ULTIMATE ATV COUNTDOWN,
THE MOST ADVANCED COMBAT BRIDGING SYSTEM IN THE WORLD...
THE M3 AMPHIBIOUS RIG.
ORIGIN -- GERMANY.
COST -- $3 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 26 TONS.
LENGTH -- 42 FEET.
THE M3 MOBILE BRIDGING SYSTEM
HAS A 400-HORSEPOWER TURBO DIESEL ENGINE,
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE,
ENABLING IT TO TACKLE TOUGH TERRAIN
AT SPEEDS UP TO 50 MILES PER HOUR.
ARMIES HAVE ALWAYS NEEDED A CAPABILITY TO GET OVER A RIVER.
Narrator: MOST MILITARY BRIDGING VEHICLES
TAKE TIME TO DEPLOY THEIR BRIDGE.
THE 13-FOOT-HIGH M3 IS THE BRIDGE.
Caddick-Adams: WHAT THE M3 BRIDGING RIG IS DESIGNED TO DO
IS TO DRIVE STRAIGHT IN TO A RIVER,
PROVIDE A FLOATING PLATFORM
THAT CAN FERRY EVEN A MAIN BATTLE TANK
ACROSS A RIVER AS WIDE AS THE RHINE.
Narrator: AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON,
MASSIVE 41-FOOT-LONG ALUMINUM PONTOONS FOLD DOWN
AND LOCK INTO POSITION.
THESE GIANT AIR-FILLED TANKS PROVIDE ENOUGH BUOYANCY
TO KEEP THE M3 AFLOAT, EVEN CARRYING LOADS UP TO 132 TONS.
THE M3 IS A TRANSFORMER, BUT IT'S REAL.
SO, IT'S A QUICK AND EASY SOLUTION TO AN AGE-OLD PROBLEM.
Narrator: THE M3's 5-FOOT-HIGH WHEELS
PROVIDE NO TRACTION IN THE WATER.
SO, AS IT APPROACHES A RIVER,
THE AXLES RETRACT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE TWO WATER JETS
TO GO TO WORK.
THE HIGH-PRESSURE JETS ARE GIMBAL-MOUNTED
SO THEY CAN ROTATE THROUGH 360 DEGREES,
ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO STEER THE RIG IN ANY DIRECTION
AT 9 MILES PER HOUR.
WITH THE M3, IT CAN GET ACROSS LAND QUICKLY.
IT CAN GET INTO THE WATER QUICKLY
AND ACROSS THE WATER QUICKLY.
Narrator: WHEN THE M3 IS FACED WITH TRULY MASSIVE LOADS,
IT CAN JOIN FORCES WITH ONE OF ITS FELLOWS.
HEAVY STEEL DECK PLATES ARE CRANED INTO POSITION
AND 1.7"-THICK BOLTS CONNECT THE RIGS TOGETHER
TO FORM A GIANT SUPER-FERRY,
CAPABLE OF CARRYING ENORMOUS WEIGHT.
Caddick-Adams: THE U.S. MARINE CORPS --
WHEN IT NEEDED THE CAPABILITY TO CROSS THE TIGRIS
OR THE EUPHRATES IN IRAQ,
THE ONLY INSTANT BRIDGING CAPABILITY AROUND
WAS THAT OF THE M3 BRIDGING RIG.
Narrator: BUT SOMETIMES,
ACTING AS A HIGHLY MOBILE AMPHIBIOUS FERRY
JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.
TO PROVIDE A SOLID LINK ACROSS A HUGE RIVER,
THE M3 LINKS WITH 7 OTHER RIGS, FORMING A FIXED BRIDGE
CAPABLE OF SPANNING GAPS 110 YARDS ACROSS.
THE EXIT!
THE SIMPLE MODULAR ASSEMBLY SYSTEM
MEANS THE WHOLE BRIDGE CAN GO UP IN 10 MINUTES.
PEOPLE THINK THAT IT TAKES DAYS, WEEKS, OR MONTHS
TO BUILD A BRIDGE,
BUT WITH THE M3, THE SOLDIERS CAN DO IT WITHIN MINUTES.
Narrator: THIS BRIDGE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE TANKS
AND TRUCKS OR EVEN A BATTALION OF TROOPS IN FULL COMBAT GEAR.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE M3 DID THE JOB PERFECTLY.
Narrator: WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO,
THE RIGS SIMPLY UNLOCK AND LEAVE,
USING THEIR INCREDIBLE ALL-TERRAIN MOBILITY
TO KEEP PACE WITH ARMORED FORMATIONS.
THE M3 HAS PROVIDED VALUABLE SERVICE IN IRAQ.
THE ABILITY TO SWITCH FROM BRIDGE TO FERRY
SCORES FOR VERSATILITY.
THE MODULAR BRIDGE ASSEMBLY SCORES FOR INGENUITY.
IT'S THE WORLD'S FOREMOST COMBAT BRIDGING SYSTEM.
DESPITE THE HIGH SCORES,
THE M3 JUST GETS THE RUNNER-UP POSITION.
NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF FIGHT YOU'RE IN,
GETTING TO THE BATTLE IS CRITICAL.
AND IF YOUR HARDWARE CAN'T HANDLE THE BATTLEGROUND...
...YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN.
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN ALL THE KEY ELEMENTS,
ONE WAR MACHINE'S EXTRAORDINARY TERRAIN-BUSTING ABILITIES
PUT IT AHEAD OF THE REST OF THE PACK.
AT NUMBER 1, THE MOST BATTLE-PROVEN ATV ON THE PLANET,
THE U.S. MARINE CORPS' AAV.
ORIGIN -- USA.
COST -- $3.5 MILLION.
WEIGHT -- 29 TONS.
LENGTH -- 26 FEET.
THE 11-FOOT-HIGH AAV IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUND VEHICLE
IN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS INVENTORY.
A FLEET OF AAVs CAN DEPLOY OVER 1,000 MARINES EN MASSE,
FROM THE U.S. NAVY'S COLOSSAL
$750 MILLION WASP AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS.
UP TO 52 OF THE 10-FOOT-WIDE AMTRACKS
CAN BE HARBORED WITHIN THE WASP'S WELL DECKS AT A TIME.
AND WHEN THE STERN RAMP COMES DOWN,
THE INCREDIBLE AAVs LAUNCH STRAIGHT INTO THE OCEAN
AS FULLY CAPABLE LANDING CRAFT,
ABLE TO DELIVER TROOPS UP TO 12 NAUTICAL MILES AWAY.
IN WATER, THE AAV IS POWERED BY TWIN WATER JETS,
PUMPING 28,000 GALLONS OF OCEAN PER MINUTE.
6,000 POUNDS OF THRUST DRIVES THE AMPHIBIAN
THROUGH THE SEA AT OVER 7 KNOTS.
GOING ASHORE IN AN AMTRACK IS A VERY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE.
YOU DON'T STAY DRY, YOU DON'T MOVE FAST,
AND YOU ROCK AROUND A LOT.
Narrator: THE STREAMLINED SHAPE
IS ALSO OPTIMIZED FOR STABILITY AT SEA,
AND THE LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY
ALLOWS THE AMTRACK TO HANDLE ANYTHING
UP TO 12-FOOT WAVES AND 25-KNOT WINDS.
AS IT APPROACHES THE LITTORAL PENETRATION POINT,
AMTRACK INJECTS DIESEL FUEL DIRECTLY INTO THE EXHAUST
TO PROVIDE AN INSTANT PROTECTIVE SMOKE SCREEN.
Grice: ONCE YOU GET INTO THE ENEMY'S BACKDOOR,
IT'S NICE TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF A CAPABILITY WITH YOU.
Narrator: WHEN IT HITS THE BEACH,
THE AAV REVEALS ITS TRULY WORLD-CLASS
ALL-TERRAIN CAPABILITIES.
ALL 525 HORSEPOWER OF THE CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE
IS REDIRECTED FROM THE WATER JETS
TO THE AAV's 21"-WIDE TRACKS.
IN AN INSTANT, IT HAS TRANSFORMED
FROM A LANDING CRAFT TO A LAND VEHICLE,
CAPABLE OF RACING UP THE BEACH TO OFF-LOAD MARINES.
LET'S GO! LET'S GO! LET'S GO!
BUT THE 3-CREWED AAV IS A WHOLE LOT MORE
THAN JUST A LANDING VEHICLE.
THE V8 POWER PLANT AND TORSION BAR SUSPENSION
ENABLE THE AMTRACK TO TACKLE ANY TERRAIN,
CARRYING MARINES TO THE FIGHT AT UP TO 45 MILES PER HOUR.
AND WITH 171 GALLONS OF DIESEL ON BOARD,
AAV CAN RANGE 200 MILES INLAND IN SUPPORT OF THE TROOPS.
IT'S 26 TONS OF AMPHIBIOUS FURY.
IT CAN GO FROM THE SHIP, 12 MILES OUT, ONTO THE BEACH.
IT CAN GO ON LAND FOR UP TO 200 MILES,
AND THEN IT CAN GO BACK AND WITHDRAW INTO THE WATER.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
Narrator: TO MAKE THE AAVs LIGHT ENOUGH TO FLOAT,
THEY'RE ARMORED WITH ALUMINUM PLATE INSTEAD OF HEAVY STEEL.
Grice: IT'S SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO BE ARMORED
IN A FASHION THAT IS LIGHT ENOUGH SO THAT IT DOESN'T SINK
BUT HEAVY ENOUGH THAT IT WILL PROVIDE PROTECTION
FROM THINGS LIKE A .50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN.
Narrator: THE HEAVIEST-ARMED FULLY AMPHIBIOUS COMBAT VEHICLE
ON THE BATTLEFIELD,
THE AAV WILL REMAIN VITAL TO THE MARINE CORPS
FOR YEARS TO COME.
IT'S A TIME-TESTED VEHICLE OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
Narrator: AMTRACK'S BEEN SUCCESSFULLY
SERVING IN COMBAT OPERATIONS SINCE 1972.
CARRYING TROOPS OR CARGO ON LAND OR SEA,
AAV SCORES BIG FOR VERSATILITY.
REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN ELEMENTS,
SUCH AS WATER JETS AND LIGHTWEIGHT ARMOR,
EARN TOP MARKS.
THE AAV IS THE WORLD'S
GREATEST ARMORED AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE.
OVERALL, THE AAV's GAME-CHANGING LAND AND SEA TRANSPORTATION
AND COMBAT CAPABILITY EARNS THE NUMBER-1 POSITION.
TERRAIN HAS BEEN A DECISIVE FACTOR
SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF WAR,
AND IN THIS COUNTDOWN, WE'VE ANALYZED THE WAR MACHINES
WITH THE MOST EXTREME TERRAIN-BUSTING CAPABILITIES
ON THE PLANET.
FROM NUMBER 10 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO NUMBER 2,
THERE ARE STRONG CONTENDERS,
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THE WINNER, THE AAV.