MovieChat Forums > Black Hawk Down (2002) Discussion > HUMVEE's glass how much bullet proof?

HUMVEE's glass how much bullet proof?

posted 7 years ago by Alex_RM7
5 replies | jump to latest

Casualties began to mount as gunners protruding from the tops of HUMVEEs were injured. Bullet proof armor and glass began to give away from the effects of close combat.

Source: http://www.militaryfactory.com/battles/battle_of_mogadishu.asp

If I understand correctly, HUMVEEs which are designed to go on missions are built with somewhat bullet proof glasses. But what kind of caliber gun would this "bullet proof" glass actually stop?
Would a Mogadishu HUMVEE glass stop a direct fire from an AK-47?

In the movie we saw that a fire from a rocket launcher broke the glass which injured Sgt. Strucker's (I think) eyes. And also in that scene we see that the windshield glass was already cracked a bit.

[–] nakedsteve 7 years ago

Not in 1993. It was this battle which lead to the trend of up-armoring "soft skinned" vehicles. There were some HUMVEEs at the time that were armored* but they were rare. Mostly at the time it was just safety glass.

*mostly for MP units if I recall correctly.

If a day does not require an AK,
it is good
Ice Cube
Warrior Poet

[–] partisanfighter 7 years ago

Correct

[–] IronHorseColonel 7 years ago

M966s AKA TOW Carriers and M1025s (which TF Ranger had in addition to soft-top M998s) did indeed have armor. The versions prior to the A1s called it BAP, Basic Armor Package. They included hard-tops that offered fragmentation protection. Hard doors with tempered laminate glass windows and added on laminate to the windshield. Some of the later A0s would have had pressure systems for the tires as well as early run flat tires. They also have some protection for the powertrain and a little protection on the underside of the chassis, the latter being more to strengthen the vehicle for the added weight than anything else.

MPs typically were issued M1025s but, they did not have the market cornered on them. All Armored and Cav units would have M1025s in the TO&E. For every 966 in a battalion there would be a 1025.

Since Ranger Battalions didnt have set TO&E regarding vehicles, vehicles are assigned as needed. I believe the Rangers had Marine Vehicles taken from Pre-Positioned Roll On/Off Ships.

From personal experience, even having a UAH like a 1151 TUSK, would have done little to help the ground convoys in Mog. They are far slower and less agile. The guys on the .50s would be far better protected but the vehicles themselves would have been tore up just as much as what TFR had in 1993.

[–] bubblenator 7 years ago

If I understand correctly, HUMVEEs which are designed to go on missions are built with somewhat bullet proof glasses.

Lets clear up something straight away no military hardware whether it be body armour or even a tank are bullet/120mm smoothbore round proof but are to try be bullet resistant. For example a M2 Browning .50 cal (12.7mm) bullet has been known to pierce Soviet era Armoured Personnel Carriers! Bullet resistant glass on an up-armoured Humvee can vary in thickness from 19 to 89 mm.[/b]Level 8 Armour Piercing Protection from a 7.62mm x 51mm (more powerful than an 7.62 x 39mm AK-47 round) M14 Rifle has to have a minimum of 2.5" thick composite bullet resilient glass.

"Bullet proof" glass consists of a good array of bullet-stopping materials such as fibreglass, polyurethane, polycarbonate and acrylic. While these materials may be associated with terms like "bullet-stopping" and "bulletproof", it still doesn't make them invulnerable to damage.

And also in that scene we see that the windshield glass was already cracked a bit.

You see, any object will break if you apply enough pressure.While bulletproof or ballistic glass can weather shots from an AK-47 or shotgun, it will eventually succumb to an attacker when a certain amount of ammunition is expended.

Would a Mogadishu HUMVEE glass stop a direct fire from an AK-47?

There were no Up Armoured Humvees available during Operation Gothic Serpent. The AK-47 bullets and RPGs fired by the Somalia militias loyal to Aidid would pierce through the tin plated Humvees like a hot knife through butter. Not only would the driver be vulnerable to a round going through the windscreen and killing him the soldier manning the crew served weapon in an Urban battle in which the Somalis had the tactical advantage of being able to spray and pray downwards from rooftops. The crew served weapon gunners didn't have a Cupola system (gun turret shield) nor a Transparent Armour Gun Shield to see through for threat while remaining relatively safe just like the CROWS system we have on the battlefield today 2017!

If you are not willing to give up everything, you have already lost

[–] IronHorseColonel 7 years ago

A UAH is just as vulnerable to RPGs as the 1025s in Mog. A UAH is also still going to be vulnerable to small-arms fire.

What we have today? Im not sure who the we is but, the US barely uses the Humvee anymore anywhere near combat. Its unlikely that a Humvee will have CROWS or CROWS II. Most of what we use are various MRAPs for anything combat related. MRAPs have even replaced the Humvee in most Armor, Cav and Stryker formations. The only place you will see Humvees today is mostly in the rear with the gear. Or sold to the Iraqis. Any formations not spearheaded by an M1, M2/M3 or Stryker will be definitely using MRAPs.