> By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
> NavySEALs.com

> On March 31, 2004, terrorists and a frenzied mob in the city of Fallujah
> ambushed a group of American civilian contractors: dragging them from
their SUVs, killing them, mutilating their bodies, hanging two men on a bridge
> over the Euphrates River.
> It was one of the worst - most highly publicized - acts of terror in Iraq
> since the invasion of 2003: Tragic for all Americans; emotionally
wrenching
> for Chris Berman, a Navy SEAL Reservist who was then-working as a
contractor
> for Blackwater USA, the security company that also employed the four
> murdered contractors.

> While in Florida, Berman stopped by a Ford dealership. There he took a
close look at the Ford F-550, realized the truck had the heavy-duty chassis he needed for a fully armored urban-combat vehicle.
> "A Humvee is a rough terrain vehicle designed to go in the dirt, and it
has
> some other great capabilities," says Berman. "However, we're no longer in
a land-grabbing front-line war. We're now in an urban warfare situation
where we're spending a lot of time working in-and-around cities."
>
Berman formed Kuwait-based Granite Global Services (graniteglobalservices.com). His first truck went
> into production at his Kuwaiti plant in June 2004 (less than three months
> after the Fallujah ambush). The first deployable truck rolled off the line
> in June 2005.

> Berman calls his new urban warfare vehicle, The Rock, and his clients run
> the gamut from private construction firms to U.S. Defense Department
> agencies. Talks also are ongoing with the Iraqis, and that's where the
> vehicle-name comes in.

> Built on a Ford 4X4 truck chassis with "street tires," The Rock weighs
> approximately 15,500 lbs. (depending on an individual vehicle's armor and
> armament configuration), but it's fast. "It's governed at 94 mph, but - at
> 15,000 pounds - we can comfortably do 80," says Berman.
>
> The vehicle's armor is comprised of three layers: First is the outer
> Polyeurea coating. This is followed by the actual armor. Then there is a
> blanketing insulator. These three layers surround the entire vehicle -
roof,
> sides, front, rear, and below the floorboard. "It is 100 percent armored,"
> says Berman.
>
> Moreover, the outer skin of the vehicle has a "bolt-on" feature that
permits
> additional layers of armor to be attached to the existing armor. An RPG
> (rocket-propelled grenade) screen may also be added, similar to the
> screen/cage on the U.S. Army's Stryker.
>
> The Rock can haul a four-man crew and six-to-eight passengers depending on
> its configuration.

> During an urban combat operation, two combatants would be positioned
topside
> in two roof turrets manning belt-fed machineguns. Six windows with
> spring-loaded gun ports would add to The Rock's firepower. Consequently,
> when "this porcupine comes down the road," as Berman says, it will be
> bringing eight guns to bear on any bushwhackers. That fact alone serves as
a deterrent.
>
> Two such vehicles equals sixteen guns, four of which "are big belt-feeders
> on the roof," says Berman. "Anyone who wants to attack that is slapping at
> the wrong person."
>
> So the optimum question might be, has The Rock saved lives? "I'd like to
> think so," says Berman. "They currently are not shooting any guns in Iraq
> that will penetrate our body. We also have a poly liner on it so you're
> really not going to see where the bullets hit. A 7.62X39, which is an
AK-47
> round, does not do anything against our armor but dissipate energy. If
your
> eyes are closed you cannot feel the bullet impact of an AK-47 round
against
> our vehicle."
>
> The Rock is fully air-conditioned and is equipped with an on-board
auxiliary
> generator, similar to an RV.
>
> "Let's say you're going to be sitting someplace for eight hours," says
> Berman. "Instead of idling the engine in 130 degree temps to cool the guys
> down, you turn on the generator and make everything like a great big
> cooler."
>
> Cooler indeed: With its 360-degree armor, roof-turrets, gun ports, and
> auxiliary power; The Rock is a mini-fortress.
>
> Granite Global currently has 10 vehicles in service, nine in production.

> At $200,000 per vehicle, The Rock is moderately priced. But Berman
contends
> he's not out to make a lot of money. He was a professional soldier before
> becoming a businessman, and he entered the business world "to make a
better
> way for guys not to die,"
>
> Berman says he's dealt with over 40 deaths in Iraq: Most of those were
> killed by highway mines or in ambushes, and most were doing nothing more
> transporting food from one site to another. It's a new phase of warfare in
> the 21st century, and that's what The Rock has been designed to support.

 

sounds nice... but why only street tires?

 

If there was ever an instance where pics were needed, this would be it....
Sounds like a monster....glad someone out there is focusing on the safety of our soldiers. I'm an Army vet myself....

 

 

More Pics

 

those look ALOT nicer than Humvees

 

Tell you what, if I was riding around in Iraq that's what I would want to be in. Looks like something from Road Warrior....

 

Okay-- the last pic LOOKS like a Ford truck-- but doesn't the 450 and 550 have a different cab then the 250/350??

All of the pictures above it look different too-- is it different 'layers' of armor-- or is each vehicle different??

AJ RN

 

Last picture reminds me of the Rig on the movie Fortress.......

"Crime does not pay"

 

That truck must kick some serious butt. I wish all in Iraq very well and best wishes.