Military history author Donald Yates provides an overview of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25) including a breakdown of the LAV-25's weapon systems and ammunition for the main gun. An extensive photo gallery of over 30 photos of LAV-25s taken during combat operations and exercises is also provided. Operations photographed include Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Just Cause (Panama), Uphold Democracy (Haiti), Gothic Serpent (Somalia) and many training exercises both in the United States and overseas.

The Light Armored Vehicle -25 (LAV-25) has played a significant role in transforming Marine Corps doctrine since its introduction in the early-1980s. The Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle program was based on the proven Swiss MOWAG Piranha series of 4x4, 6x6, and 8x8 wheeled vehicles. However, developing organizational units, tactics, and employment of the weapon system within the force structure of the Marine Corps proved to be more of a challenge than fielding the weapon system. This resulted in multiple re-designations for LAV units within the Corps. The LAV first saw combat action in Panama during Operation Just Cause (1989); LAV-25s have fought in every major conflict since - to include the current conflicts during Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. During Operation Desert Storm the vehicle's record shows mixed results due to a string of friendly fire incidents; however one LAV-25 Commander earned the Navy Cross (one of only two Navy Crosses awarded to Marines during the Gulf War). The success of the LAV program has translated to several operators such as Canada, Australia, and the Saudi Arabian National Guard employing the weapon system for their own forces. This in-depth, highly-illustrated title will shed new light on this popular subject.

The overall objective of this project is to provide the Marine Corps with recommendations on training devices which can be used to train turret operation/gunnery skills and associated operator maintenance training on the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25). This project is designed to be carried out in two phases, the first a Task and Media Analysis and the second, a Training Equipment Survey. This report presents the procedures and results of the first phase. The Task and Media Analysis begins with an analysis and documentation of all tasks required to operate the LAV-25 turret and perform associated operator maintenance. The essential products of this Task and Media Analysis Report are as follows: A complete, validated task list for all LAV turret systems operations and operator tasks organized into groupings of related tasks; A list of tasks which require training; A list of tasks which require hands-on training (HOT); and A list of training media alternatives for groups of related HOT tasks.

The Light Armored Vehicle 25 (LAV-25) has played a significant role in transforming United States Marine Corps doctrine since its introduction in the early 1980s. The Marine Corps' Light Armored Vehicle program was based on the proven Swiss MOWAG Piranha series of 4x4, 6x6, and 8x8 wheeled vehicles. However, developing organizational units, tactics, and employment of the weapon system within the force structure of the Marine Corps proved to be more of a challenge than fielding the weapon system. This resulted in multiple re-designations for LAV units within the Corps. The LAV first saw combat in Panama during Operation Just Cause and LAV-25s have fought in every major conflict since, including Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. This book covers the design, development, and deployment of this continuingly successful vehicle.

In the late 1990s, NATO led the Kosovo Force (KFOR), charged with stabilizing Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia after genocide and other atrocities were carried out in the Balkan region. Operation Kinetic is not only a history of the origins and operations of the Kosovo Force but also a history of the vital operations conducted by the Canadian Army units and their allies assigned to KFOR during the crucial early days and months after entry into the province in 1999 and through 2000. Operating alongside American, British, French, Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish forces, these surveillance and response units were instrumental in preventing violence in numerous areas before it could escalate and draw in the Serbian Army, which could have led to further genocide or war in the region. Sean M. Maloney, a Canadian military historian with extensive field experience in the Balkans, draws on numerous interviews and firsthand accounts of an operation that would later serve as a model in preparing for similar efforts in Afghanistan and provide a blueprint for stabilizing operations around the world.

The armored car has played a major role in American military operations since the relatively early days of the 20th Century. In 1989 Col. Royal P. Davidson arranged for the installation of a .30 caliber Colt machine gun on a Duryea light three-wheeled car. In doing so, he jump-started the development and production of armored fighting vehicles that have served in the American military ever since. Although the very first armored cars were merely outfitted with a gunshield, they were soon fully protected by armor plating. In this installment of R. P. Hunnicutt's 10-volume series on the history of American armored vehicles he details their early development through WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Beginning with the development of armored cars on American soil at the outbreak of WWI-although none were ever shipped overseas-Hunnicutt goes on to describe the production of armored cars based on commercial car and truck chassis in the 1920s. These vehicles eventually reached limited production as the armored car M4. With detailed drawings and photographs to illustrate the history, Hunnicutt describes the development of the armored car T3, which was also designated as scout car T1. The development of these lightweight scout cars, which met the needs of the cavalry, made the armored car unnecessary by 1937. Although production of armored cars stopped for the American military, American development continued on armored cars intended for British use. However, in 1942 as the Palmer Board decided to limit the weight of reconnaissance vehicles, the light armored car T22E2 was standardized as the M8 and put into production. The M8 and a variation, the M20, served in the U.S. Army until after the Korean War, with new models developed for use in Vietnam. Spanning the history of American wheeled combat vehicles, Hunnicutt's "Armored Car" is a must have for anyone with a keen interest in the history of American military operations and equipment.

This report is the second and final report for the Training Device Requirements Analysis Project. The objectives of the project was to provide recommendations on training devices which could be used to train turret operation/gunnery skills and associated operator maintenance on the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25). Following a training equipment survey, this report provides an assessment of the feasibility of using existing training devices for LAV training by developing samples training device options. It also provides recommendations on the use of evaluate factors which will be used both in the acquisition of training devices and in the evaluation of proposed training devices. Products of the Training Equipment Survey include: List of existing training devices which have potential application to LAV-25 training. Description of a training device which would provide training for turret operation/gunnery and operator maintenance. Potential training device options which could provide training for institution and unit training sites. Definition of preliminary training goals, requirements, constraints, and cost and non-cost criteria such that training device options can be evaluated and ranked. (Author).