By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division stationed north of Seoul has received new up-armored Humvees to replace its aging fleet of Humvees deployed in the 1980s, officials of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Tuesday.
Units of the infantry division received 61 up-armored vehicles last week, the first of approximately 170 that will be distributed to the USFK in coming weeks, they said. USFK is receiving two types of up-armored vehicles _ the M1151A1 HMMWV and the M1165A1 Command and Control HMMWV, they said.
USFK requested the vehicles about four years ago to replace Humvees shipped to the Middle East, but their arrival was delayed because new Humvees were being sent to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Stars and Stripes, a U.S. military newspaper.
In March, former USFK Commander Gen. B. B. Bell told a congressional committee that he was concerned about his command's lack of up-armored vehicles and had asked the Army to expedite their delivery.
Bell also requested the U.S. Army supply USFK with Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles designed to survive improvised explosive device attacks and ambushes, according to sources.
Currently, two percent of USFK's tactical ground force wheeled vehicles are up-armored, in addition to fully-armored tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, according to the Stars and Stripes. About one percent of USFK's pre-positioned vehicles and equipment are up-armored, it said.