On March 22nd, 1983 the U. S. Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command awarded the AM General Division of LTV Aerospace and Defense (now AM General Corporation) a $1.2 billion contract to produce 55,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV, pronounced Humvee), to be delivered in 15 different configurations over a five year period. The contract included an option to increase the number of vehicles purchased by 100 percent during each of the five option years. The Army eventually ordered an additional 15,000 option vehicles raising the totals to 70,000 vehicles and $1.6 billion. It was the largest multiyear contract for tactical wheeled vehicles ever awarded by the U.S. Army.

Known officially as the M998 Series and nicknamed the HUMMER, this technologically advanced 1 1/4-ton, 4x4, multipurpose vehicle answered the armed forces' need for superior mobility in a tactical field environment. It was versatile, mobile, and fast, and replaced an assortment of vehicles, including: some M151s (1/4-ton utility vehicles (the old "jeep"), all M274s (1/4-ton Mules), all M561s (1-1/2-ton Gama Goats), and some M880s (1 1/4-ton pick-up trucks).

The M1025, M1025A1, M1026 and M1026A1 HMMWVs are Armament Carrier configurations of the HMMWV family. The vehicles are equipped with basic armor and the weapon mount, located on the roof of the vehicle, is adaptable to mount either the M60, 7.62mm machine gun; M2 .50 caliber machine gun; or the MK 19 Grenade Launcher. The weapons platform can be traversed 360 degrees. The vehicles can climb 60% slopes and traverse a side slope of up to 40% fully loaded. The vehicles can ford hard bottom water crossing up to 30 inches without a deep water fording kit and up to 60 inches with the kit. The M1026/M1026A1 are equipped with the self-recovery winch which can also be used to recover like systems. The M1025A1 and M1026A1 models have the latest modifications applied to the vehicles.

Pictured here is a 1:64 scale replica of a US M998 HMMWV Tactical Vehicle that served with the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 3rd Combat Brigade, 1st Armored Division, then deployed to Iraq during February 1991. Pre-order! Ship Date: May 2024.

Dimensions:
Length: 2-3/4-inches
Width: 1-1/4-inches

Release Date: March 2024

Historical Account: "Will of Iron" - The 1st Armored Division ("Old Ironsides") received orders on March 4th, 2003, to deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of the global war on terrorism and to prepare for future contingencies as may be directed. The deployment was to consist of the whole division and was to push south from Turkey and advance on Baghdad, Iraq from the north. On March 14th, however, Stars & Stripes reported that the 1st Armored Division had been ordered to put their deployment on hold as transporting the division's equipment to the AOR had been complicated by the refusal of Turkey to permit the 4th Infantry Division to stage from its territory.

After the war had ended, Task Force 1st Armored Division was redeployed and took up occupation duties within Iraq.