Humvee armor suppliers working around the clock.

• Author: Pappalardo, Joe

The now familiar sight of Humvees struck by mines and roadside bombs in Iraq are driving the industry to pursue short-term fixes and long-range changes in the way they produce vehicles.

The attacks prompted a frantic effort to send armor kits to Iraq and purchase up-armored versions of the Humvees, which were not designed for frontline combat. They were introduced in the 1980s as a replacement for Jeeps.

In April 2004, Maj. Gen. John Sattler. Director of Operations for CENTCOM, said that their initial request for up-armored Humvees hovered at 1,000 vehicles. "As the enemy changed his tactics and techniques, we upped that number where we have now in theater about 2.500 up-armored Humvees," he said during a press conference. "There are additional up-armored Humvees on contract that will flow in, approximately another 2,000 that will flow in between now and in December. So at that point, we'll have approximately 4.500."

He added that commanders on the ground asked for more help, quicker, so the production rate has increased. In addition, the Pentagon purchased and installed 8,000 up-armored kits to protect windshields and doors.

"It's not a matter of resources, it's a matter of how fast can we build these things and get them over here." Gen. Richard Myers chairman of the joint chiefs, said during a May visit to Iraq.

The Army's sole contractor for putting the armor plating on the standard Humvee chassis. Armor Holdings Inc., established a new group to respond to military requests.

In May, Armor Holdings received a $16.6 million contract to supply additional up-armored Humvees through 2004 and into 2005. The company will increase its vehicle production rates to 350 units per month. The award also includes up-armored Humvees for the United States Air Force for delivery in early 2005.

Another firm, ArmorWorks LLC, is also producing aad-on armor kits for Humvees. In 2003, the company sent two engineers on a pilot program to Iraq to train soldiers on how to install armor kits.

In February one of the trucks with the ArmorWorks kit was struck by a roadside bomb. blasting the driver's side. The Kevlar plates stopped the shrapnel, according to information released by the company, although one soldier went deaf in one ear. That sort of battle testing has increased confidence of commanders and soldiers alike in the up-armored kits, the company said.

ArmorWorks additionally is pursuing energy absorbing technology that can mitigate blast effects from...