USA to deploy hundred Oshkosh M-ATV high-protection medium tactical vehicles to strengthen the Libyan forces.
The vehicles were shipped from Italian port of Livorno towards North Africa on board the ship Ocean Grand. According to the newspaper Elaf, more than 100 armoured vehicles equipped with the latest technology and military equipment, in addition to a huge number various weapons, including rockets and tool’s night vision and others.
The Oshkosh MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) is the high-mobility, high-protection medium tactical vehicle specifically engineered for treacherous environments. Derived from the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) platform, the M-ATV is a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that incorporates the TAK-4 independent suspension system to provide proven, durable, best-in-class mobility. A battle-proven armor configuration provides survivable crew protection as the M-ATV maneuvers over the most grueling terrain.
US Special Operations forces are providing direct, on-the-ground support for the first time to fighters battling the Islamic State in Libya, US and Libyan officials said, coordinating American air strikes and providing intelligence information in an effort to oust the group from a militant stronghold.
The positioning of a small number of elite US personnel in the coastal city of Sirte deepens the involvement of Western nations against the Islamic State’s most powerful affiliate.
Libyan militia officials say the arrival of the Americans near the frontline is in preparation for a significant push into Islamic State territory.