The Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV) is a vehicle deployed and used by the United States Marine Force Recon

United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance

The Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...

 and Marine Expeditionary Unit

Marine Expeditionary Unit

A Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...

s. Force Recon used to operate a fleet of Desert Patrol Vehicle

Desert Patrol Vehicle

The Desert Patrol Vehicle , formerly called the Fast Attack Vehicle , is a high-speed, lightly armored sandrail-like vehicle first used in combat during the Gulf War in 1991. Due to their dash speed and off-road mobility, the DPVs were used extensively during Operation Desert Storm. The first U.S...

s (formerly known as Fast Attack Vehicles or FAVs for short), popularized by the Navy SEALs as the "black dune buggy

Dune buggy

A dune buggy is a recreational vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes or beaches. The design is usually a modified vehicle and engine mounted on an open chassis. The modifications usually attempt to increase the power-to-weight ratio by either lightening the...

." However, this vehicle lacked cargo capacity and firepower, so Force Recon moved to a militarized Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short...

, also known as a G-wagon, 290 GDT diesel 4x4, a much more traditional "Jeep

Jeep

Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...

" type truck. The vehicle has only minimal armor, but numerous defensive weapons, including a Mk 19 automatic 40 mm grenade launcher

Grenade launcher

A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....

. This vehicle is manufactured by Magna Steyr

Magna Steyr

Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG is an automobile manufacturer based in Oberwaltersdorf, Austria, with its primary manufacturing location in Graz...

 (Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

) for Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...

 (Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

).

Overview

: The USMC

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV) is a modified version of the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen 290. It replaces the modified M-151A2 1/4 ton truck (MUTT jeep) used by the Marines as a FAV in the 1990s. The U.S. Marine Corps acquired 157 of the IFAVs distributed as follows:

• Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Camp Pendleton, CA (33);
• MEF Camp Lejeune, NC (25);
• MEF on Okinawa, Japan (27);
• 17th Force Recon, Afghanistan (22);
• 3rd Force Recon Bn, Iraq (23);
• 1st Provisional DMZ Police Company, Korea (15);
• various miscellaneous (12).

See also

• United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
  United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
  The Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
  
  
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  The original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short...
  
  
• Willys FAMAE Corvo
  Willys FAMAE Corvo
  The Willys FAMAE Corvo was an off road multi purpose vehicle intended for use with the Chilean Armed Forces. Its chassis was originally from a Willys MB and was capable of carrying mounted weapons such as a 106mm launcher....
  
  
• HMMWV
• FN Herstal AS 24
• Desert Patrol Vehicle
  Desert Patrol Vehicle
  The Desert Patrol Vehicle , formerly called the Fast Attack Vehicle , is a high-speed, lightly armored sandrail-like vehicle first used in combat during the Gulf War in 1991. Due to their dash speed and off-road mobility, the DPVs were used extensively during Operation Desert Storm. The first U.S...
  
  
• FMC XR311
  FMC XR311
  The XR311 was a prototype military vehicle of US origin, given the nickname G.I. Hotrod.-Development:Development of the XR311 commenced as a private venture in 1969 with the first of two prototypes being completed in 1970. As a result of the trials of these 2 prototypes the US Army purchased 10...
  
  
• Fast Attack Vehicle
• M151 MUTT
• Ranger Special Operations Vehicle (RSOV)

External links

• IFAV @ GlobalSecurity.org
  GlobalSecurity.org
  GlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
  
  http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/wolf.htm