Battle-ready! Five Toughest Military Vehicles in the World

The few time a civilian gets a glimpse of military vehicles is either on national day parades in the country or a museum. The latter is where all vehicles which are no longer in use but once served the nation are probably put on display. Nevertheless, they all come with their storied history. Here's a look at some of the fiercest and deadliest machines from around the world.   

For Harsh Terrains: Ranger II Armoured Multipurpose Vehicle 

The Ranger 11 AMPV is built by the United States-based Mega Engineering Vehicle (MEV), a world leader in high-tech defence systems. This light-armoured vehicle has an engine in the front, crew section in the middle, and troop compartment in the rear, according to the MEV website. 

This sturdy vehicle is used in warfare for missions in some of the world's harshest terrains. The Ranger II is highly reliable and known for its manoeuvrability, protection, and survivability of the crew. 

It can be mounted on a 4x4 or 6x6 chassis. Its most outstanding feature is the modular arrangement which allows easy power transmission to the wheels, completely doing away with the dependence on oil. As a result, the Ranger 11 is not high maintenance. It has an operational range of 450 miles, moves at speed of 75 kmph, and generates 450 horsepower, MEV says.  

Photo Credit: www.megaev.com

Winged Wonder: A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog)

The A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed Warthog, is the American Air Force's primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. Mounted on its nose is a deadly GAU-8 Avenger 30mm Gatling gun, designed to fire depleted uranium and high explosive rounds.   

The aircraft is known for its manoeuvrability, can fly low, and is useful in night operations. The Warthog is used during missions that involve ground attacks against tanks and installations, according to Airforce-technology.com.   

Photo Credit: www.military.com

Fast and Furious: Boeing AH-64 Apache

The Apache is among the world's most advanced attack helicopters. The AH-64 Apache is a key part of the US Army helicopter fleet and is expected to continue to be used in action until the 2060s, according to Boeing. The Indian Air Force also has 22 AH-64E, the most modern configuration of the Apache attack helicopters.     

AH-64 Apache is lethal, fast, and agile. It has a tandem cockpit that can hold two crew members. It is armed with an M230 chain gun and can carry missiles and rocket pods.   

Photo Credit: www.airframer.com

Terrific Tank: M1A2 Abrams

The MIA2 is among the most advanced battle tanks in the world. It's an upgrade of the M1A1 design; the first MIA1 was produced in 1978 and has been serving the US Army since 1980. 

The new tanks come with an Inter-Vehicle Information System, which facilitates seamless exchange of information between vehicles. It helps commanders keep track of subordinate elements without involving crew and can also identify enemy talks, according to military.com.

The MIA2 comes with an independent thermal sight that enables the scanning of targets in all-weather conditions. Some tanks have missile countermeasure devices that can detect and jam laser-guided missiles.  

Photo Credit: www.military.com

The Great German: Leopard 2

This German-made main battle tank was first produced in 1979 and used in armies in Canada, Singapore, Turkey, Norway, Finland, Portugal, Switzerland, to mention a few. It is equipped with the latest countermeasure systems and ballistic computing. It has a third-generation composite containing tungsten, high-hardness steel, ceramic components, and a plastic filter. 

This tank delivers a perfect combination of firepower and mobility. It is equipped with a highly-efficient Rheinmetall L/ss smoothbore 120 mm gun and 7.62 mm machine guns that contain 4,750 rounds. 

The Leopard 2A6 is an upgraded version and is said to outperform the MIA2 Abrams.

Photo Credit: www.peakpx.com