Military-spec Humvee troop-carrier gets second life in Dubai

The original Hummer H1, even in civilian grade, never became a bestseller due to its exotic price for what was essentially a bare-bones truck with a CD player. As such, it is pretty rare to spot one, although we have seen a couple up close. However, those trucks still made an attempt to be civilised. So it piqued our interest more when we saw a true military-grade Humvee in the flesh.

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), commonly known as the Humvee, is a four-wheel-drive military vehicle produced by AM General, with a steel body-on-frame platform and aluminium panels. The civilian version was the Hummer H1, offered from 1996 to 2006, and not to be confused with the toy-like H2 and H3 models that General Motors started peddling in a partnership deal that used the Hummer name. The military version continues to be built to this day.

The Humvee was commissioned in 1979 to be a replacement for the original military Jeep, with prototypes ready in the early 1980s, hitting production by 1984 and put to real use during the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. However, it gained prominence during the first Gulf War in 1990 thanks to free publicity on CNN. Primarily used by the United States military, it is also used by numerous other countries and organisations nowadays, including military in the GCC.

Early models came with a massive 6.2-litre diesel V8, making a measly 150 hp with 339 Nm of torque, mated to a 3-speed automatic and having to move over 2.3 tons of metal to top speeds of just 100 kph. A 6.5-litre diesel V8 in the A2 Series later offered 160 hp and 393 Nm of torque with a 4-speed auto, bumping top speed up to 113 kph. The newest ones apparently now have 190 hp with 515 Nm of torque, although they now have to pull more weight in terms of bomb-proof armour as well as other upgrades.

The HMMWV boasted 40 cm of ground clearance, done by moving up the transmission tunnel right into the middle of the cabin. Other features included independent suspension, in-board four-wheel-disc brakes and the ability to inflate and deflate its tyres while driving using a built-in pump.

The example we’re looking at here is a barebones open-top troop-carrier model, now outfitted with cushy reupholstered benches to transport high-fliers at SkyDive Dubai. It seems to be only used within their compound, as it has no number-plates. Considering how little they’ve changed over the years, it’s hard to tell which year this one is from, or even which military it served, but it’s cool nonetheless.