Ladson, SC - Force Protection, Inc. and its Buffalo mine clearance vehicle were featured on CBS Evening News Wednesday night. In a major news report, which included a pre-broadcast promo of the story on Force Protection, Inc. and the Buffalo, CBS Evening News with Bob Schieffer called the Buffalo a “humvee on steroids” and a “lifesaver” for soldiers tasked with detecting and removing threats such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), land mines and roadside bombs from the streets of Iraq.

CBS noted that while IEDs are the cause of 70% of all U.S. combat deaths, Army units actually seek them out while riding in the 26-ton “armored cocoon on wheels.” Mine detection teams can examine and remove potential threats using a 30-foot robotic arm without leaving the safety of the vehicle's steel hull.

“This vehicle is designed to take the punch,” said Michael Aldrich, Force Protection Vice President, stating that the vehicle is built to absorb the explosive attacks so that troops don't have to.

CBS reported that IEDs have become more sophisticated, triggered by cell phones or electronics with complicated frequencies, and that troops should stay back and let the Buffalo take the risk.

Staff Sergeant Ryan Grandstaff of the Ohio National Guard said the Buffalo makes him feel “100 percent safe.”

“I've been through countless explosions and I'm still here to tell about it,” he added.

The Buffalo has been in active operations for more than a year, and has been used to clear thousands of kilometers of dangerous road in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thirty-seven vehicles are in active operations, with thirteen more in production or en route to the field.

Located near Charleston, South Carolina, Force Protection has become the nation's leading center for blast protection technology and state-of-the-art research and development to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Force Protection, Inc.
30.05.2005