Ohio has just
href="http://www.env-econ.net/2008/06/electric-vehicl.html">approved
certain smart
cars for
use on roadways. This may strengthen our country by reducing
use of fossil fuels.
In other news, Blackwater
USA is
href="http://www.archive.org/details/BlackwaterForcesInBaghdadsNisourSquare">trying
to get its Grizzly
APC licensed for use on America's
roadways.
Pretty soon, you might have a choice. In fact, in November,
you will have a choice.
BTW, does anyone know why Blackwater would want to be able to drive
Grizzlies on American roads?
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That Grizzly looks vaguely like the armored tornado-chaser shown on the Discovery Channel.
No doubt to do their patriotic duty in taking a full and active part in the patriotic Wars on Terror and Drugs.
Whatever the reason, it can't be good. Blackwater has already shown itself to be a loose cannon (sorry, couldn't resist). I don't even want to think about what could happen if wingnut hate-group militias or drug gangs got hold of a couple of those puppies.
@ Karen: I knew I recognized it from somewhere!
"I don't even want to think about what could happen if wingnut hate-group militias or drug gangs got hold of a couple of those puppies."
Since I have no aversion to thinking, I'll do it for you: Little would happen. Armor is near useless without infantry and resupply. "Wingnuts" in a few armored vehicles would be pinned down until their fuel and ammo ran out, and then fires would be built underneath the vehicles, resulting in prompt incineration or surrender.
P.S. Street legal means they can be shipped without needing a rail car or flatbed truck. Very handy for foisting APCs on National Guard units and cops with more money than sense.
Blackwater built a 100,000 sq-ft factory to make these things. Sure, they might be some local police departments or NG units that will pay for them, but the cost is estimated at >$500,000. It is hard to imagine that they will sell very many locally. I tend to think they are counting on the US having more counter-insurgency quagmires, selling them to the US government, or maybe to other countries.
But maybe there will be local sales. Some municipal police departments have helicopters, after all.
I thought LAPD already had a few armored vehicles.
I am not claiming to have any expertise in armored vehicles, as that was not really the point of the post. ALl I know is that the LAPD did have an armored car in Die Hard, or Die Hard II, or Die Hard III, or maybe IV. One of those. And it got blown up. I don't know if they got another one.
It was "Die With a Hard On", aka "Die Hard VII". As it turns out, LAPD was able to lease three M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, but last I heard was that the tanks got repo'd, and so now they're using Herby, from "The Love Bug".
Re: BTW, does anyone know why Blackwater would want to be able to drive Grizzlies on American roads?
Answer: The Blackwater SS needs mobility when it comes time to crush dissenting Americans.
FYI, this vehicle is not armor in the traditional sense. It mounts, at the most, a 12.5 mm MG; russian scout vehicles carry more weaponry. This is, first and foremost, a IFV, and so would never be operating without a full section of soldiers, or special task force, or whatever. Thus, in an urban environment, it is very effective; you don't have to worry about getting pinned down because you have 8 guys in the back ready to go as soon as the vehicle stops. And good luck trying to blow the thing up with anything less than a tank or missile.
Also, if blackwater wants to build it's own version of an armoured car, let them; you may think they're loose cannons, but they are by far the least "unstable" of private security companies. If the American government wants to crush dissenting americans, it won't use these. It'll just use tanks. :P