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The first of over two hundred High-Mobility, Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles ("Humvees") for the Polish Army.
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Ambassador Victor Ashe presented the first of over two hundred High-Mobility, Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles ("Humvees") for the Polish Army to Polish Minister of National Defense Jerzy Szmajdzinski, at the opening day of the 12th Annual Kielce International Defense Industry Exhibition on August 30.
"Our decision to supply the Polish Armed Forces with these Humvees reflects our faith and confidence in the vital work that Poland's officers and soldiers are doing in those places where our troops serve shoulder-to-shoulder," said Amb. Ashe. [full remarks]
Prime Minister Marek Belka, who officially opened the exhibition, was also present at the transfer ceremony.
The vehicles are provided by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Foreign Military Financing program. Funds provided through this program are generally used by the Polish Military to purchase equipment which will allow their units to be able to operate with NATO and U.S. forces. Other equipment being financed this way are the F-16 fighters and C-130 transport aircraft.
Since the 1991 Gulf War, the Humvee has symbolized the modern U.S. Army just as the Jeep did during WWII. The Humvee is a light, air transportable and droppable, highly mobile, diesel-powered, four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission.
Based on a single chassis, using common components and kits, the Humvee can be configured into one of 11 variants. Among them are a utility/cargo truck, shelter carrier, armament carrier, ambulance, TOW (anti-tank) missile carrier and scout-reconnaissance configuration. A basic armor package is standard on the Armament and TOW missile carrier models. A more heavily armored, or Up-Armor Humvee, is now being produced in limited quantities, primarily for the Scout Platoon application.
The Humvee is manufactured by AM General in South Bend, Indiana. The variant packages are manufactured by O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt in Fairfield, Ohio.
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