Stronger on the Battlefield: U.S. Sends Ukraine a New Batch of Armored Vehicles
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive a new batch of modern armored vehicles from the United States — 65 Mobile Strike Force Vehicles (MSFV), expected to be a significant reinforcement on the battlefield.
The Gaze reports on this, referring to Militarnyi, citing the official US Army procurement portal.
The delivery is scheduled to take place over several years and will be carried out as part of the USAI program (Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative). The manufacturer will be Textron Systems Corporation, which will not only assemble the vehicles but also provide them with spare parts and technical support.
The MSFV is an upgraded version of the M1117, which is already in use by the Ukrainian military. The new armored vehicles feature improved crew protection, more interior space, and enhanced mine resistance.
Their design was developed based on combat experience in Afghanistan, where mobility and survivability of equipment in difficult and mined areas were particularly important.
The MSFV's armament can vary from an M2 Browning machine gun and Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher to M240 and M249 machine guns. There are also specialized versions with medical equipment for evacuating the wounded. At the same time, open turrets remain a vulnerable element, making the vehicle a potential target for kamikaze drone attacks.
The Ukrainian military already has experience using similar vehicles. Specifically, the first M1117s appeared in Ukraine in March 2024, serving with the Skala assault battalion.
At that time, they were immediately reinforced with additional armor panels and protective screens to reduce risks during combat.
It is likely that the same modernization measures will be applied to the new MSFVs to make them more resistant to modern threats on the battlefield.
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