Mama Army is coming up with some crazy stuff for our combatants- check out this article about the latest ground transportation vehicle for airborne troops- the Flyer.

This type of vehicle was exactly what I had in mind when I wrote my first book- In the Valley. In that book I had Paul Thompson and his merry gang involved in a counterinsurgency on a hostile planet. They rode around in skeletal trucks to save wear on their armored fighting suits- the Flyer is exactly the type of vehicle I had in mind.

No frills, goes anywhere, extended range, and can carry a whole boatload of ordinance and troops. Check out the youtube video here. If you don’t have the time or desire to watch the video, let’s just say that this little buggy can scoot and shoot- there’s even a dude behind a mini-gun (a rotary barrel 7.62 machine gun) in there. Whoa. Talk about lead on target- that’s one machine gun I’ve never played with but I know they are mean, mean machines.

It can ford 30″/.76m of water. It can climb a 60 degree grade. Its payload is higher than its gross vehicular weight, and you can stuff up to nine soldiers in there. True, it doesn’t have much in the way of creature comforts, but it beats the living hell out of walking. And did I mention that it can go up to 95 miles per hour? That’s really moving in a tactical vehicle.

And oh yeah, it can ride inside a CH-47, and is air-droppable.

Something tells me a lot of airborne officers will want one of these when they go to the field with their troops. Why walk when you can ride? Right? Fetch pizzas for your guys in the latest the Army has to offer- why not.

I am totally jealous of this eminently useful toy. I want one in my garage, right now. This thing would be an absolute hoot to drive around some wasteland in.

Put the Flyer on the list for stuff to bring when colonizing distant worlds.