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Cougar HE A1/A2 6x6

Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Patrol Vehicle (MRAP)

A2 Vehicle


Specifications

Country of Origin/Used by: USA (and others including Canada, Croatia?, Denmark, Georgia, Great Britain, Hungary?, Iraq, Italy, Jordan and Poland)
First Produced/Service Dates: 2005
Manufactured by: General Dynamics Land Systems (was Force Protection, Inc.)
Crew:

3+8

Armament: (1) of the following weapons in turret or on Remote Weapons System (RWS): 5.56mm machine gun, 7.62mm MG, 12.7mm HMG OR 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL).
Engine: 6-Cylinder Turbocharged Diesel
Miscellaneous Info:

Due to their success with using the Cougar 4x4 Hardened Engineer Vehicle (HEV), in 2005-2006 the US Marine Corps purchased a large number of additional Cougars, both in 4x4 and 6x6 configurations; some 6x6 vehicles going to the US Army for the first time. With the added vehicles available for use and in coming in two different configurations, the USMC was able to expand the number/types of missions of the Cougars.  With that change in purpose, the Cougar was now labeled as the Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle (JERRV).  Besides being used by the EOD teams, the Cougar JERRV's could now be used for larger/more complicated route clearance missions, convoy protection and as ambulances.

 

In 2007, with insurgent IED use continuing, the US officially initiated the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Program (MRAP).  The MRAP program was instituted to procure a large number of mine protected vehicles for all services of the US Military. The program was to obtain as many viable vehicle designs by as many manufacturers as needed.  The newly named Cougar HE 6x6 MRAP was selected as one of those vehicles; the new name signifying the expanded use beyond EOD missions.  The vehicle was classified as a Category 2 MRAP; that classification being the mid-level vehicles (by weight, size and troop capacity) of the three (3) classes of MRAP vehicles.

 

Again, the Cougars showed to be a very successful vehicle, but lessons learned during operations showed that upgrades were needed.  In the 2007-2008 period, the improved Cougar HE A2 4x4 MRAP was put into service; older vehicles retroactively referred to as A1's.  A2 improvements included added automatic fire extinguisher systems, increased capacity axles, "bosses" added for quick installation/removal of "B-Kit" Armor/toolboxes and the crew compartment being raised by 7 inches.  Note: "B-Kit" armor was designed to defeat enemy IED attacks, most notably explosively formed penetrators (EFP). Cougars equipped with the anti-EFP armor were often referred to as Cougar "Plus", although it appears that never became an official designation. The final major upgrade to the Cougar series commenced in 2009 with the fitting of the TAK-4 Independent Suspension System (ISS) to both A1 and A2 vehicles in the both 4x4 and 6x6 configurations.  Those vehicles are named "ISS" (e.g. Cougar HE A2 ISS). 

 

As shown above, other countries use/have used Cougar 6x6 MRAP's, most of which were very similar to the US vehicles.  However, one heavily modified version was built exclusively for the British, the Mastiff Heavy Protected Patrol Vehicle.

Data Sheet Available:  Cougar HE A1 ISS 6x6 Vehicle Product Brochure (General Dynamics Land Systems)

Photos/Documents

Reference Source/Provider
      Cougar HE A1 6x6 MRAP Photos Neil Baumgardner - Arlington, Virginia USA
Cougar HE A1 6x6 MRAP Photos U.S. Department of Defense
Cougar HE A1 6x6 MRAP Photos U.S. Marine Corps
  Cougar HE A1 ISS 6x6 MRAP Photo General Dynamics Land Systems
Cougar HE A1 ISS 6x6 MRAP Photos U.S. Marine Corps
  Cougar HE A2 6x6 MRAP Photo U.S. Marine Corps
  Cougar HE A2 ISS 6x6 MRAP Photo U.S. Marine Corps
  Cougar HE A2 ISS 6x6 Ambulance Photo U.S. Marine Corps
  Cougar 4x4 H & 6x6 HE A2 ISS Vehicle Product Brochure (2011) General Dynamics Land Systems
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Slideshow Presentation (2011) US Department of Defense's Joint Program Office-MRAP via Dave Haugh - Content Editor

References Available

Online

Reference Source/Provider
Cougar 6x6 MRAP Information and Photos General Dynamics Land Systems
Cougar 4x4 & 6x6 MRAP Information & Photos The Armoured Essentials
Cougar 4x4 & 6x6 MRAP Information & Photos Army Technology.Com
Cougar 4x4 & 6x6 MRAP Information & Photos Global Security. Org Website
Cougar 4x4 & 6x6 MRAP Information & Photos Olive Drab. Com Website
Cougar 4x4 & 6x6 MRAP Information & Photos Military Today.Com

Printed

Reference Author
Canadian EROC: Buffalo, Cougar & RG-31 (Modeler Photo Assistant Series MPA 002) Rick Saucier and Miroslav Hraban (Real Models)
Canadian MRAP Series AFV's Photo Reference CD-ROM JK "Ken" LeClair (available directly from author via e-mail)
Encyclopedia of Modern U.S. Military Tactical Vehicles (Tankograd Publications) Carl Schulze
Iraq Insurgency: US Army Armored Vehicles In Action: Part 2 (Concord Publications) Carl Schulze
Marines On the Ground: Operation Iraqi Freedom: Part 2 (Concord Publications) Gordon Arthur
MRAP: Modern U.S. Army Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (Tankograd Publishing) Carl Schulze
"MRAP Pt 1" Military Machines International Magazine (September 2008 Issue) Shaun Connors
MRAP Walkaround Photo Reference Photo Files: Part I Robert Skipper (available directly from author via e-mail)
U.S. Army and Marine Corps MRAPs (Osprey Publishing) Mike Guardia

U.S. MRAP’s: In Action (Squadron-Signal Publications)

John Adams-Graf

Hobby Modeling

Kits and Accessories

Model Kit Manufacturer Scale Other Information
Cougar 6x6 MRAP Model Kit 4D Puzzle Model 1/72 Injection Molded Plastic?
Cougar 6x6 JERRV MRAP Model Kit Cromwell Models 1/35 Multi-media kit; supposedly represents an EOD variant.
Cougar 6x6 MRAP Model Kit (SS-005) Meng Model 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic.
Cougar 6x6 JERRV Model Kit (35010) Panda Hobby 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic.
       
Aftermarket Set Manufacturer Scale Other Information
MRAP Antenna Mount with "Fall-Over System" (BL35212) Blast Models 1/35 Resin.
Modern MRAP HID/LED Light Bars (BL35226K) Blast Models 1/35 Resin.
U.S Cougar 6x6 JERRV Sagged Wheel Set (DW35087) DEF Model 1/35 Resin.  For the Panda Hobby Kit.
Cougar MRAP 6x6 Wheel Set (RMA 35281) REAL MODEL 1/35 Resin. For Meng Model Kit.
Cougar 6x6 JERRV Wheel Set 1 (RMA 35284) REAL MODEL 1/35 Resin. For Panda Hobby Kit.
Cougar MRAP 6x6 Late Wheel Set (RMA 35285) REAL MODEL 1/35 Resin. For Panda Hobby Kit.
Cougar 6x6 JERRV Wheels (TWS 350136) Tank Workshop 1/35 Resin. For the Meng Model Kit.
Cougar 6x6 MRAP Detail Set (ME-35038) Tetra Model Works 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass. For the Meng Model Kit.
US Cougar 6X6 MRAP Version A Detail Set (PE35754) Voyager Model 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass. For the Meng Model Kit.
US Cougar 6X6 MRAP "Additional Parts" Set (PEA362) Voyager Model 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass. For the Meng Model Kit.
US Cougar 6X6 MRAP Road Wheel Set - Version A (PEA360) Voyager Model 1/35 Resin. For the Meng Model Kit.
US Cougar 6X6 MRAP Road Wheel Set - Version B (PEA361) Voyager Model 1/35 Resin. For the Meng Model Kit.

Model Photos

Reference Source/Provider