The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has begun supplying 24 additional Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) MaxxPro armored fighting vehicles for Kenyan forces in Haiti.
The first MaxxPros were sent via a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.
Alongside the vehicles, Washington will also deliver 34 Overhead Gunner Protection Kits to boost the fleet’s protection and tactical field of view as well as corresponding equipment, supplies, parts, and repair and maintenance services.
SOUTHCOM noted that the incoming armored vehicles will be integrated into the MSS’ existing fleet of 10 MRAPS prepared in May 2024 and delivered two months later.
The initiative is part of the Pentagon’s continuing assistance to the Caribbean Community-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) for Haiti mission in response to widespread gang violence in the country.
US Military Aid to Haiti
The project to hand over the vehicles comes after US President Joe Biden’s approval of a Presidential Drawdown Authority for Haiti last April.
The White House certified the decision to conform with a UN Security Council resolution in October 2023 aiming to “support the efforts of the Haitian National Police to re-establish security in Haiti and build security conditions conducive to holding free and fair elections.”
Among the commitments are the contribution of personnel, equipment, and necessary financial and logistic resources.
To date, the US government has provided $300 million to the Haitian MSS contingent.
The MaxxPro Armored Fighting Vehicle
The MaxxPro MRAP is a 23.5-foot (7.1-meter) system developed to secure warfighters against land mines, improvised explosive devices, and ballistic arms.
The 4×4 vehicle is operated by up to seven personnel and can carry approximately 11,150 pounds (5,057 kilograms) of payload.
It is equipped with a 375-horsepower Navistar diesel engine and Allison 5-speed automatic transmission for a range of approximately 248 miles (400 kilometers) and a speed of 62 miles (100 kilometers) per hour.