On Sunday, 26 June 2022, 180 M1117 Guardian Armoured Security Vehicles (ASVs) were delivered in Thessaloniki, Greece. In addition to the 174 already delivered. The M1117s were granted to Hellenic Army (Greek Army) by the United States (U.S.) as Excess Defense Articles (EDA) and are used for reconnaissance and area surveillance missions, thus greatly enhancing the Hellenic Army’s operational capabilities due to their flexibility and superior armour. The delivery of M1117 ASVs will continue according to schedule. When completed, the transfer of the M1117 vehicles will reflect a U.S. acquisition value of almost a billion dollars; $970 million of equipment provided to Greece at no cost under U.S. Excess Defense Article program.
The M1117 Guardian, also denoted Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), is an internal security vehicle based on the V-100 and V-150 Commando series of armored cars. It was developed in the late 1990s for service with the United States Military Police Corps. The first prototypes appeared in February 1997 and serial production of the M1117 commenced between 1999 and early 2000. The M1117 was one of the first American military vehicles to be built on a specialized mine-resistant hull, and after 2001 was adopted in increasing numbers as a direct response to the threat posed by improvised explosive devices to US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its armament consists of an Mk 19 grenade launcher and M2HB Browning machine gun, mounted in a turret.
At about 15 tons, the M1117 Guardian is lighter than the 20 ton Stryker ICV or 25 ton M2 Bradley armored vehicle. It can reach a speed of 20 miles per hour in 7 seconds. It is only 7 feet 9+1?2 inches (2.375 meters) wide, compared to 11 feet 9+1?2 inches (3.594 meters) for a Bradley. Buttoned up, the crew has 360° visibility. In size and capability, it fits between the Humvee and the $5 million Stryker. The crew compartment is fully air-conditioned. Like the Commando, the M1117 is amphibious and can be used in water depth up to 5 feet. Six Armoured Security Vehicles can be carried on a single Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlift aircraft, fully loaded and ready to roll off. Also, the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter is able to carry one Armoured Security Vehicles.
The M1117 Guardian uses an advanced modular expandable armor package from IBD Deisenroth Engineering, consisting of ceramic composite applique on the exterior and spall liner on the interior. The Guardian’s armor is designed to defeat small arms fire, mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The armor is angled presenting no vertical surfaces, deflecting many rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hits. If an RPG does hit the vehicle directly, it can still function, although crew survivability varies depending on the location at which the RPG hits.[12] Angled armor is more resistant to attack than vertical armor due to the shape of the V-shape hulls deflecting explosive forces, as opposed to a single-plane hull which takes the entire force impact.
