Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle -

Description

1. Introduction

Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle; The Toyota Hilux, a seemingly ordinary pick-up truck, has boasted a reputation as one of “the world’s most indestructible and used trucks.” From Yemen to Syria, ISIS to Top Gear, the truck has become more, not less, relevant over time. It is a symbol of the tensile tenacity of the vehicle in warzones as an up-close attacker and a fast-attack vehicle; these two functions epitomize the changing roles of armored vehicles over a nearly 30-year period from 1971 to the present, which we will examine in detail herein. In this paper, the primary focus is the evolution and development of vehicles, and it is a research question from which many unknown unknowns can be ascertained: the vehicle used is nearly ubiquitous and the environment in which it is used is dissimilar; it is a vehicle that is commercially available which makes it unremarkable; its history is sparse and cast through divergent discursive schemas – the conflicting histories will form the bulk of our efforts herein.

Fordist civilization required the production of an “ordinary object” that was durable, repairable, effective on-road, and non-threatening. Each technical parameter created a civilian requirement that the vehicle at the same time fulfills: durability and repairability contribute to the authentic ‘toughness’ of Toyota which contributes to a luxurious/effete urban lifestyle; when tough becomes stylish, toughness can be fashionable and not appear as ‘last-ditch’. Our vehicle of interest, therefore, was not designed as a design but rather accumulated characteristics over time. In this, it shows how a seemingly imperceptible object (a pick-up truck) was the product of compromise, accumulation and change over time. We will address some aspects of its potential role in the emergence of a new war machine – one that we cannot yet perceive. Therefore, let us ponder the question: what is the modeling of a breakout vehicle?

1.1. Background of Armored Vehicles

Armored vehicles have been a constant in modern militaries. However, designing light vehicles to survive Small Arms Fire (SAF) and other simple projectile threats is relatively new. For civilians, only a few choose to spend thousands of extra dollars on retrofitted vehicles for what are potentially extreme risks. The idea of attaching armor to a simple civilian vehicle came from the Russian Ambassador to the United Nations in 1994. He presented to the UN a Toyota Hilux 4×4 technical with bulletproof plating, made by a South African firm for use in the Rwandan genocide. Since then, the concept has seen a growth in demand, attracting the attention of politicians and contractors in developing countries. Most armored vehicles are base models further reinforced for numerous different duties. For example, armored personnel carriers (APC), infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), and main battle tanks (MBT).

Armored vehicles, generally, fit the BRMM standard used by militaries all over the world. This standard provides the acceptable level of protection provided by the maximum materials these machines are made from. In the civilian heavy vehicle class, however, there can often be cases of failure of a vehicle, causing a rollover or breakdown resulting in a fatality. It is a known fact that stronger built vehicles and reinforced vehicles that fail in an accident have a greater potential to kill or seriously harm the driver than a vehicle that is not built to such a high degree of strength or has only standard safety features. There is no science to make structurally tested data more robust other than cost. This study will outline the development and evolution of a typical style of light armored vehicle, the Toyota Hilux 4×4.

2. Historical Context

Framing this paper is an understanding of the historical development of armored vehicles. This section will examine the origins of the armored vehicle, why they were developed, and their operational significance. From there, this section will then offer a very brief historical timeline in the development of the armored vehicle. By doing so, this introductory section sets the stage for the following examination of the development of the Toyota Hilux as an armored vehicle. The evolutionary process of creating the Toyota Hilux armored vehicle has not occurred in a vacuum; rather, it has been historically rooted in a broader developmental process. This section provides context for that process and sets the stage for following sections.

The Construction of the First Armored Vehicles in the Modern Era began under the supervision and guidance of Englishman Richard F. Burton. This car utilized metal armor and was successfully tested during the siege of Yenikale. More than two decades later, the first dedicated car was designed for armored purposes. In 1909, a special car designed by designer Hubert Austen Chamberlain was constructed to accompany and protect the swash-plate formation of Sikhs. In its first engagement at the Battle of Wolaijen in Somalia on the 22nd October 1913, it made a marked impression on the enemy and was described as the ‘armored car misses the engines that cannot shoot straight’. Units began to field hybrid vehicles incorporating “Ford or Chevrolets wheels cars, Maxin machine gun turbine and automobile body”. Elphick later developed more locally manufactured armored cars on chassis of Trucks and other commercial vehicles. These vehicles were newer and faster than those of the First World War. Ultimately, this development continued to grow and by the outbreak of the First World War, the symmetric growth in performance in terms of operational, tactical, and strategic mobility and the role in the armor had settled the armored car into nomenclature, developing an associated tactical doctrine, and it was designed as a support to infantry and cavalry in the conventional warfare.

2.1. Origins of Armored Vehicles Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle

When studies of the history of armor are published, they usually center on summaries and analyses of a period or a conflict, underlining the marks that remain “iconic”, or the presence of major units in the history of armored vehicles. Its development represents the gradual enforcement of technological advancements, fundamentally allowing for the maximization of assets identified in their essence and history.

The origins of armored vehicles are often located in the Argentinian War Triple (1864-1870), but as Artingstall points out, the idea of using armor on vehicles and fortified systems, just the motor element, is an initial possible application to improve the military capability of such systems in combat, especially as fire support. The turning point in the application of motorized traction occurs when the idea of protecting the crew of the fortified vehicles should always be present in the more traditional means, as a defense mechanism workforce. This is the idea that traces the first stage of development of tanks and other armored vehicles. Armor in this case includes fixed bunkers for life on the face, protected by a few or many guns, but further improvement was still based around the bunker on the move, especially by truck, very easily recycled after the conflict, in full-page dirt loads. Early armadures were often not “mediums” in mechanical terms, but were tested as mobile barracks, moving closer or farther from the battlefield.

3. Toyota Hilux: A Brief Overview

A brief overview

The original Toyota Hilux, first released in 1968, was a rugged, lightweight pickup with a 4×4 drivetrain. It was capable of carrying 1,200 kg and towing a smaller vehicle on a small trailer. It was of similar weight and capacity as the Ford Model T (which entered production in 1908). The Hilux was originally designed as a workhorse for farms and light industry. Japan’s environment was dominated by tight city streets, and the country had virtually no tradition in either off- or on-road racing. So, it was also hoped that the vehicle would be popular amongst workers who needed to travel from one building site to another on public roads, whilst providing good performance in the fields.

Since it entered production at the end of the 1960s, Toyota has continuously updated and revised the Hilux’s specifications, including its suspension and drivetrain, and it has maintained these standards on later models. The Toyota Hilux, then, is both a concept and a family of products which are linked in more ways than one might assume. The Hilux’s engine and the front of its bodywork have seen radical changes during its four decades in production; but other elements such as the drivetrain, rear bodywork, rear suspension, payload capacity, and the physical size of the cargo box have remained surprisingly constant. These facts position the Hilux in a unique category within the realms of automotive and military history.

3.1. History and Evolution of the Toyota Hilux

The Toyota Hilux is a pickup truck produced and sold globally since 1968. Known for its simplicity, reliability, and durability, the 4×4 version with raised suspension and large tires is used as an off-road vehicle by the British military, by UN peacekeepers in Lebanon and around the globe, by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and many others in many conflict zones. As described in the opening of this paper, the so-called “technical” in Somalia is based on the Toyota Hilux. The question that interests us here is not whether Toyota vehicles are used in war and non-war operations or peacekeeping missions, but rather how exactly did these vehicles evolve and transform into the hallmark vehicle that we know today and was it destined to be used and misused in time of war.

The first prototypes of the Toyota Hilux date from the mid-1960s. Production of the first commercially available model began in 1968 (as model year 1969) under a number of different names and formulations, which were tailored to the specific market. All of the models, however, shared the same approach to fabrication: they were rear-wheel drive two-seater vehicles based on the extruded rim and covered with sheet steel technology. Depending on the market, the engine was either a 1.5 or 1.9 liter and offered between 65 and 97 horsepower. In 1972, a crew-cab version and a four-wheel drive models became available, which attracted cross-over customers: private individuals or businesses that could use the Hilux to go to work and take part in a leisure activity (ATV). In some cases, the rear upper part of the cabin was removed by clients. Toyota responded by developing the Toyota RV (retired vehicle), first introduced in 1984 and was adopted and modified for military use by the Dutch and Danish armies. The Hilux Utility that was the RV effectively became the Toyota Hilux Escort Vehicle. Today, almost all Toyota Hilux are equipped with four-wheel drive.

4. Armored Variants of the Toyota Hilux

Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle; Armored variants of the Toyota Hilux are rated to hold between 10 and 14 fully outfitted soldiers, crew, and supplies. The armor that was added to the vehicles not only added considerable weight, it came at a cost of space inside the already cramped trucks and offered significantly less visibility for the driver and more than usual blind spots. An enhanced suspension system and run-flat tires have also been added. These additions allow the vehicle to continue to operate effectively at the increased weight. The armored cabs are actual Toyota Hilux cabs; they are similar to the pickup cabs, but have some modifications to the rear wall. The armored Toyota Hiluxes are estimated to generally meet B4 protection standards. All trucks are armed with an open ring mount for a machine gun like the Browning M2HB .50 cal. machine gun. With the large diversity of clients, some get these vehicles fitted with remote weapon stations or different small manned turrets as they see fit. Standard variants have no space to hold a dismountable ATGM launcher or standard impact mortar systems inside the cab, but again, this can be developed based on individual client’s requirements.

Toyota Hilux was an upgrade program based on the standard models, the pickups, and the same common design was used to be upgraded in other vehicle types and sizes. For the 4×4 Hilux pickups, the Armor Cab (or Armored Single Cab) and the Armor Crew Cab (or Armored Double Cab) are the most common armored variants of the vehicle, though vehicles in various configurations up to 10 tonnes in size have been developed. The armored Toyota Hilux has been offered to both the civilian and military market for personnel carriers and logistics carriers, as it was designed to be able to still transport large quantities of important materials like food, fuel, and ammunition, particularly in low-intensity conflict zones in developing countries. The UN developed an interest in using the majority of their multi-purpose vehicles in peacekeeping missions to also double up as an armored taxi. The major developments of the Armor Cab versions have proved that these vehicles can perform all those functions and more.

4.1. Design Features and Modifications Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle

The development and evolution of non-military light armored vehicles are the result of adaptation in response to new threats and environmental conditions. They are highly dependent on the automotive sector.

The first characteristic concerns vehicles that are eight to ten years old and are facing a period of low prices. This aspect is forced by greater fuel consumption, higher spare parts costs, and the need to subtract from the accounts. The adaptation falls within the Acquisitions of Opportunity. In this way, after the transformation, their vehicle still has the factory warranty for a period ranging from two to three years.

It is important to underline how none of the general characteristics were introduced in the military sector, acting as “originators” of mobility. They are standardized vehicles, as well as times and costs of transformation of the vehicle. The standardized vehicles are sold after being armored, new and used. Once transformed into a military version, they have a high capacity to perform multiple operations. They are the right vehicle for all operations other than assault.

Conversion, when carried out on a numerous plane, is “slow” as the vehicles find placements in the type of ordnance park. It should be noted how there are no set limits and that none of the model locations are precise.

The Toyota Hilux, which has moved from 2.5 to over 26.5 tons in 500 B.C., experienced numerous technological and structural changes compared to the base model. In terms of technology, all protections have been adjusted to a constantly growing risk scenario, a situation that is motivated by considering the large number of rude modifications made by the weapon structures.

In terms of computers, latest-generation equipment is part of the supply chain, starting from the engine, which has been passed from diesel pump-engine to the new common rail with the integration of the “Diesel Particulate Filter”. This vehicle has a V-shaped belly to adapt it to the distortion of the land loads at low streets. It has a waterproof, dust-tight, and snorkel system that allows it to transit rivers even at a height of 120 centimeters. In terms of glass, tests were carried out withstanding the detonation of two explosive charges of type 33 kg EEI Ränge 1-4 (remote controlled pump) placed in direct contact with the glass with the following results: deflagration, gymnastics of the glass, detachment from the door but overall retention of up to 12% of the fragments of the pieces of the frame in which the attack took place, safe opening and closing of the door of a large number of vehicles with the same dent.

Thinking of a protection that intercepts all threats and limits any impacts in maneuverability is deeply wrong. A tailored solution, on the other hand, is the result of a participatory analysis of the protection-track-road network problem. This, with a FEMAP hypermesh procedure, allows for a carrying capacity four times greater than that guaranteed by the base vehicle.

All protection is the result of a study carried out by “Gruppo Veicoli Trasporti e MCV” and experience in the field made by Centauro and Brigata Centauro. All necessary gear equipment, such as winches, arrows, man bridges, etc., are compatible with the standard Hilux frame.

5. Applications and Impact Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle

In military circles and since the early 20th century, the Toyota Hilux may be of little importance compared to battle tanks and other carriers. But for non-combatants, the rhythm of recent conflicts has given rise to the mass dissemination of vehicles that are light on resources while providing integrated protection against small arms, fragmentation, and some types of mines. The new versions of the Toyota Hilux serve as rich commodities, low-end demonstration elements, and occasionally inventive or laborious crafts. Getting strong information is very difficult.

Recent developments associated with the Toyota Hilux indicate a higher level of base mobilization. While many vehicles built on the Toyota Hilux model can be expected to be assembled by local craftsmen for use by small groups, or to be developed or modified by companies for niche military markets, they can also have a significant and direct effect on the field. The military and non-military forces project conflict in any country of the Toyota Hilux model, not only “military grade”, but also “hard man”, lending a powerful image of resilience, strength, and security to the forces operating them. Such “pick-up truck” vehicles are common and have considerable importance in many low-, middle-, and high-intensity conflicts as well as natural disaster responses. Factors tested in difficult driving conditions, low cost, homogeneous spare parts and on-site repairs add to the “two-oil” adaptability and flexibility, making it a pillar of supply. The United Nations, NATO, U.S. and other national armed forces provide Toyota Hilux, equipment, funding and logistics.

5.1. Military and Civilian Uses Toyota Hilux Armored Vehicle

The vehicle is used in two ways: in service (in a military context and not always armed) and in the background. Purpose ownership, not the car, is not what the vehicles were originally designed for. Toyota Hilux and other pickups are increasingly being used in military settings around the world. Some believe that light, fast, and durable mountain warfare and irregular warfare troops, as well as heavy industrial and amateur military units, have achieved good results in maintaining small, versatile, universally equipped and fast. To Yankees advisors Toyota pickups were fast and effective and equipped in 1988 during the off-road driving exercise in dusty, narrow, and heavily used Honduran crowding. According to N. Lardner (1957) and J. Davidson (1987), however, pure commercial vehicles have no place in the armed forces, nor artistic. Conservatively used to return troops, but serve as fire support units.

Danger increasing the attack surface is used to house five troops, moving up to 1.5 cornwards, including seat-free passengers inside the vehicle. This feature was highlighted during the Somali civil war and during four Western military operations in Iraq. In the former, it was encountered until the early 1990s with the Toyota technical framework, a commercially available, locally modified special operation four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle that extended to a short wheelbase and a writing body. Outside of military operations, relief organizations have used pickups to transport people and goods.

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