This is a good video on the M1117 being supplied to Ukraine, a somewhat drab looking armored vehicle that is easy to overlook given how it looks pretty much like any other wheeled armored vehicle, but there is more than meets the eye here. This is one of the finest armored vehicles ever made, Greece and the US each field more than 1000 of these vehicles in mostly military security contexts (i.e. units patrolling large areas and protecting bases and infrastructure).
I suspect the M1117 is nearly the ideal vehicle Ukraine needs at this moment other than Patria type traditional APCs. The M1117 was overshadowed by the rapid development of MRAPs in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in the 2000s (The MaxxPro being one such vehicle that ended up being extremely effective in Ukraine), but not because the M1117 was ineffective, rather a large reason the vehicle did not play a more prominent role earlier in the conflicts as a mine resistant more survivable replacement to using Humvees on patrol was because Hurricane Katrina heavily damaged the production plant in 2005. However as production ramped up late in the 2000s the M1117 quietly became a vital armored vehicle in a variety of mission contexts.
Note how the 13,000kg/29,560 lb vehicle is so easy to drive the armor crewman just straight up tells the youtube video maker to jump in and drive the thing lol. I honestly think these might end up being one of the most successful, future proof armored vehicle designs, period not because of how cutting edge advanced these are or because they are unstoppable armored assault vehicles but because of how much clarity in design the M1117 has for what the actual threats and labors of extended conflicts end up being. This isn’t an F35 fighter jet, there is a damn crank for the turret on the M1117 with bearings painted on the hull for old school fire support, it was designed by people that genuinely expected it to be shoved into a corner and neglected for decades and then pulled out in a panic and have it still function. This is the properly armored wheeled Russian scout vehicle that Russia never managed to actually make. I am glad Ukraine is getting these and I hope they get many many many many more!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkNkfnea8Tk
The US Army Contracting Command in Detroit announced plans for a three-year sole-source contract with Textron to manufacture 65 MSFVs, along with a full year’s supply of spare parts.
The deal will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), a program designed to equip Kyiv with advanced weaponry, training, and support.
Sep.2025
The Mobile Strike Force Vehicle (MSFV) is an advanced variant of the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), originally developed by Textron Marine & Land Systems in cooperation with the US Army for the Afghan National Army. Its design includes a hull extended by approximately 0.6 meters, enlarged wheels with revised axles, and a higher ground clearance, significantly improving survivability against mines and improvised explosive devices while retaining the original V-shaped underbody. Production of the MSFV began in 2011, when the first 18 units were delivered to Afghanistan, and by 2013 orders had reached a cumulative total of 634 vehicles, including full-rate production lots and option awards. Components for the Afghan program were sourced in part from seven Canadian suppliers, with integration completed at Textron’s facilities in Louisiana. Deliveries concluded in 2014, but production is now set to restart for Ukraine after being dormant since 2019.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1117_armored_security_vehicle