Navy’s New 80-MPH Mini Combat Vehicle Can Drop From the Sky

04-10-2014 • http://www.wired.com, By Allen McDuffee

The U.S. Navy has certified the Phantom Badger, a 240-horsepower combat support vehicle that’s about the size of a Mini and tough enough to traverse damn near anything. It’s designed to fit inside several different aircraft, including the V-22 Osprey, and airdropped to provide ground troops with superior mobility.

“This certification validates Phantom Badger’s versatile design while offering the warfighter increased battlefield access and deployment options,” John Chicoli, who leads Boeing’s internally transportable vehicle program, said in a statement.

The vehicle, which looks a lot like a squished HumVee, was developed by Boeing Phantom Works with an assist from Motorsport Innovations. Those guys are known more for their work on the racetrack than the battlefield, and helped Boeing develop an adjustable suspension system tough enough for the rigors of battle. Together they engineered a four-wheel steering system that gives the Badger a 24-foot turning radius.