YAMAHA_Jim
04-07-2003, 08:08 PM
ATV's : From the Farm Field to the Battle field
Since the 1980's,millions of Americans have used all terrain vehicles for all kinds of work and recreational activities.From planting to plowing and hauling to towing.ATV's have been a steady companion to the farmers,hunters,landscapers and to anyone else who needs to move people or supplies from point A to point b.
Likewise,millions of people have found the fun and freedom that go hand in hand with riding ATV's.As a recreational vehicle,they're great for trail riding and getting away from the stresses of everyday life.
In addition to all thier current uses,ATV's recently took on a whole new role. The search and destroy missions being carried out in the mountains of Afghanistan have caused allied forces to adapt thier transportation systems to some of the worlds most rugged and unpredictable terrain. Now the same ATV's Americans have used for decades are now being used in the war on terrorism.
"The ATV has taken us off the roads and out of the deserts and enabled us to get into the mountains where the enemy in Afghanistan is hiding," said Special Operations expert and former Airborne Ranger, Gary Linderer. "The Army has always looked for better ways to enable troops to cover alot of ground and open terrain."
ATV's are practically tailor made for navigating the rugged terrain of Afghanistan, giving American troops quicker and more reliable ways to search for taliban and Al Quaida forces from cave to cave. Nearly 100 Polaris ATV's have been shipped overseas for military use since 9-11. The latest Polaris machine to be tapped by the US military for support in Operation Enduring Freedom is the Sportsman 700 twin. Each vehicle is outfitted with military gear at a central staging area in the USA before being deployed to Afghanistan.
Compared to mules and horses,which are commonly used to climb the narrow,rocky mountain trails of Afghanistan,the 700 Sportsman"ATV magazines ATV of the year," is a powerhouse,able to cover harsh terrain with speed and agility. With the largest displacement engine of any 4x4,its suspension and high ground clearance make it an ideal vehicle for the unforgiving topography.
"We've been developing better and stronger ATV's,and its good to know our machines are contributing to the war effort," said Bennett morgan,general manager of Polaris ATV division."Our products have always been ideal for hunters and farmers,but we're very proud to know the military is using them with great success in Afghanistan.
Throughout time,armies have constantly strived to find the best,most versatile vehicles for battlefields,reconnaissance missions and transporting troops and supplies where theyre needed, and US war vehicles have undergone a drastic evolution.Pack animals were used in the Spanish American war, bicycles in WW1 and motorcycles in WW2.
"The military likes ATV's because of the durability and ability to negotiate rough terrain and get around in narrow areas.The ATV is problably the ultimate step in the military's evolving options for one-man transportation vehicles," Linderer said. "Outside of individual flying machines,I cant imagine anything better for going where man wasnt designed to go."
The ATV's being used by the military are the same models millions of Americans ride at home,on the farm and out on the trail. Beyond ATV's,the US gov't also has used Polaris watercraft and snowmobiles for military training excercises and homeland security initiatives since the Sept 11th attacks.
Since the 1980's,millions of Americans have used all terrain vehicles for all kinds of work and recreational activities.From planting to plowing and hauling to towing.ATV's have been a steady companion to the farmers,hunters,landscapers and to anyone else who needs to move people or supplies from point A to point b.
Likewise,millions of people have found the fun and freedom that go hand in hand with riding ATV's.As a recreational vehicle,they're great for trail riding and getting away from the stresses of everyday life.
In addition to all thier current uses,ATV's recently took on a whole new role. The search and destroy missions being carried out in the mountains of Afghanistan have caused allied forces to adapt thier transportation systems to some of the worlds most rugged and unpredictable terrain. Now the same ATV's Americans have used for decades are now being used in the war on terrorism.
"The ATV has taken us off the roads and out of the deserts and enabled us to get into the mountains where the enemy in Afghanistan is hiding," said Special Operations expert and former Airborne Ranger, Gary Linderer. "The Army has always looked for better ways to enable troops to cover alot of ground and open terrain."
ATV's are practically tailor made for navigating the rugged terrain of Afghanistan, giving American troops quicker and more reliable ways to search for taliban and Al Quaida forces from cave to cave. Nearly 100 Polaris ATV's have been shipped overseas for military use since 9-11. The latest Polaris machine to be tapped by the US military for support in Operation Enduring Freedom is the Sportsman 700 twin. Each vehicle is outfitted with military gear at a central staging area in the USA before being deployed to Afghanistan.
Compared to mules and horses,which are commonly used to climb the narrow,rocky mountain trails of Afghanistan,the 700 Sportsman"ATV magazines ATV of the year," is a powerhouse,able to cover harsh terrain with speed and agility. With the largest displacement engine of any 4x4,its suspension and high ground clearance make it an ideal vehicle for the unforgiving topography.
"We've been developing better and stronger ATV's,and its good to know our machines are contributing to the war effort," said Bennett morgan,general manager of Polaris ATV division."Our products have always been ideal for hunters and farmers,but we're very proud to know the military is using them with great success in Afghanistan.
Throughout time,armies have constantly strived to find the best,most versatile vehicles for battlefields,reconnaissance missions and transporting troops and supplies where theyre needed, and US war vehicles have undergone a drastic evolution.Pack animals were used in the Spanish American war, bicycles in WW1 and motorcycles in WW2.
"The military likes ATV's because of the durability and ability to negotiate rough terrain and get around in narrow areas.The ATV is problably the ultimate step in the military's evolving options for one-man transportation vehicles," Linderer said. "Outside of individual flying machines,I cant imagine anything better for going where man wasnt designed to go."
The ATV's being used by the military are the same models millions of Americans ride at home,on the farm and out on the trail. Beyond ATV's,the US gov't also has used Polaris watercraft and snowmobiles for military training excercises and homeland security initiatives since the Sept 11th attacks.