Artifact of the Month
MRAP used in a convoy.
MRAP used in Iraq and Afghanistan.
MRAP leading a convoy.
Side view of a MRAP on display at the TC Museum.
Front view of a MRAP on display at the TC Museum.
The Caiman was developed by the Stewart and Stevenson Company in response to the Department of Defense’s request for armored vehicles to supplement the Up-armored HMMWVs being used in Iraq and Afghanistan, Stewart and Stevenson developed the Caiman by using the M1078 5-ton Tactical Vehicle (MTV) as the baseline. The Caiman was designed to have 85-90% commonality with the M1078. It would also be equipped with an armored cab that was being retrofitted to the 2 ½ and 5 – ton cargo trucks in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Caiman was tested in 4x4 and 6x6 versions but only the 6x6 ended up being purchased. Once in Iraq the Caimans were used as an infantry carrier and convoy escort. In the escort role, a Caiman had the honor of being the last vehicle out of Iraq in December 2011 (it was sent to the 1st Cavalry Museum at Fort Hood). Following the end of the war, the 1,700 Caimans used were put under a reset program. In 2013, the Army began offering them to allies and U.S. law enforcement agencies.