Ukraine to Receive ‘Afghan’ Version of US M1117 Armored Vehicles

The War Zone military issues website said last Tuesday that the US Army Contracting Command had announced a three-year, sole-source contract to Textron to produce 65 units of the Mobile Strike Force Vehicle (MSFV) along with a year’s supply of spare parts using Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds.

The MSFV is an improved version of the wheeled M1117 “Guardian” Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) that was developed to provide the Afghan National Army (ANA) with a light, mobile and survivable armored personnel carrier (APC). The hull of the vehicle was lengthened, additional armor installed, and enhanced underbody landmine protection was included.

Ukraine received hundreds of the standard M1117 vehicles (ASVs) – 250 refurbished vehicles as part of a November 2022 $400 million US military aid package with additional ASVs being subsequently delivered from US Army stocks including as part of the September 2024 66th Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package.

The first images of the M1117s being used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) appeared on Telegram in March 2024 being operated by a unit of the 425th “Skala” Independent Assault Battalion.

In addition to the troop-carrying role, the MSFV also offers an ambulance version for casualty evacuation. Standard armament includes the M2 Browning machine gun, Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher, and M240 and M249 machine guns although it is probable that Ukraine would retrofit its own in-service weapons.

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Many commentators suggest that, while the M1117 and the MSFV variant are highly mobile – they have a top road speed of around 100 kph (62 mph) and good cross-country performance – and provide protection from small arms fire and artillery fragmentation, they are vulnerable to first-person view (FPV) drones as well as anti-tank guided missiles and artillery strikes. However, images of the APCs in Ukraine have shown that AFU units are already fitting anti-drone “cope cages” and other protection to their operational vehicles.

Textron, the MSFV manufacturer is believed to have restarted its production in such a way to allow it not only to meet the current solicitation but will enable the future supply of vehicles, spares and maintenance support for the AFU.