MRAPs, Irregular Warfare, and Pentagon Reform

by Christopher J. Lamb, Matthew J. Schmidt, Berit G. Fitzsimmons

Mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles offer a case study for investigating the current debate over the Pentagon's approach to developing and fielding irregular warfare capabilities. Yet some analysts now argue that MRAPs are not really useful for irregular warfare and are prohibitively expensive. The authors conclude that MRAPs are a valid irregular warfare requirement and that the Pentagon should have been better prepared to field them, albeit not on the scale demanded by events in Iraq. Also, the failure to quickly field MRAPs lies not with the Pentagon's acquisition system but rather the requirements process, reinforced by more fundamental organizational factors. These findings suggest that improving irregular warfare capabilities will require more extensive reforms than many realize. Originally published by the National Defense University