military vehicles for sale
The United States Army, Air Force and Navy along with the marines constitute a potent force in the world. These fighting arms use a large number of weapons and vehicles. These vehicles are replaced or phased out after a certain time period. These phased out vehicles are then auctioned by the government and can be bought by ordinary Americans.
One must remember that that the government surplus auctions are a wonderful source of military vehicles of all types and makes. However the general notion that these surplus vehicles are cheap may not be true. They are however generally quite reliable with the odd exception of a battered truck or car.
As an American in case you are on the look out for a good quality government owned vehicle then your best course of action is to bid for one and buy it at an auction. Such auctions are held at regular intervals and there is a good chance that you can pick up a good quality government truck or vehicle that could be marginally cheaper than what is available in the open market.
Also you can rest assured that government vehicles auctioned are generally well maintained. The armed forces take pride in maintenance and care of their vehicles. They also comply with all safety regulations and keep the vehicles at their best performance level while still in service. The inventories are also rotated at regular intervals and the surpluses are put to auction. These vehicle come with a log book that details all repairs carried out as well as the history of the vehicle. This can be an excellent help in selecting a vehicle during an auction.
The Army has a large number of vehicles to sell. There are hundreds of military vehicles and types, from the small time Jeep to the massive transporter. Basically the types of vehicles auctioned by the Army are catalogued below
Armored and tracked vehicles- These include tanks and Armored personnel carriers. These are the teeth of the army and are generally very well maintained. However these vehicles are not for sale to the general public and their sale is regulated by the government through arms dealers for nations and armies of the third world. However certain countries like Libya that are inimical to the United States are not sold these vehicles. However desirable the M55 tanks and other exotic weapons are, they are not for sale or auction to individual Americans.
Jeeps. These are the most popular of army surplus vehicles and are in great demand. Army jeeps include the Willys jeep, Ford and Cherokee. They are all well maintained though accidental vehicles are also auctioned. The Army and allied services maintain thousands of jeeps of all types and a large number of them find their way to auctions and American homes.
Hummers/Humvees. Hummers were originally built by AM General Corporation, formerly the military and government vehicle division of American Motors, in its Indiana assembly plant .All Hummer vehicles are capable of very heavy duty. Humvees are currently in use by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy. High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle i.e.Humvees is the military version of the Hummer. These vehicles are in great demand because of their ruggedness and are put to considerable us in the mining industry, construction and other industries.
Staff cars. These are also auctioned by the military. These cars are used by the Army top brass and their maintenance standard is high. You can?t be faulted in case you think of buying one of them. The Army maintains a fleet of these cars for carrying and transportation of officers and other top army commanders.
Motorcycles. These form an integral part of Army and military operations. Regularly used by the Military police and also as dispatch riders. The defense forces maintain large numbers of these machines. One of the uses is as outriders on ceremonial occasions for the top brass during inspections and parades. You can pick up a surplus motorcycle at discounted price and is a good buy at an auction.
Land rovers- these are multipurpose vehicles and used by the infantry and marines. They are an essential part of the mobility of the army.
Trucks- these are an integral part of Army equipment and thousands of them are in use in the US Army and allied branches. Trucks maybe 2, 4 or 6 toners and are used for light duty as well as heavy duty. A large number of trucks are auctioned. Army trucks which are 6 wheeled and 8 wheeled with double axles are a byword for reliability. The consstant endeavor by the army to maintain its cutting edge means that large quantities of these vehicles are up for auction ever y year. Trucks can be classified as heavy, medium and light. The United States Army also has the PLS (Palletized Loading System) based on an Oshkosh M1074 10x10 and M1076 three-axle trailer with a combined load capacity of 33 tons! The PLS has quite similar to the 10-ton HEMTT (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck) which is in wide use in a number of roles, including cargo truck with self-loading crane and fuel tanker. These vehicles are also classified as surplus and auctioned.
Trailors.These are termed Heavy Equipment Transporter System (HETS) and help transports tank and other heavy tracked and wheeled vehicles to and from the battlefield. They are an integral part of Army operations. They are auctioned by the army singly or in lots. Other vehicles. The army also has a lot of other vehicles like ambulances, buses which are used for transportation of troops and tractors for auction as surplus vehicles. In case it suits you than think of bidding for one such vehicle at an auction.
However do bear in mind that all government vehicles are first offered to other government departments and only the last priority is for a civilian buyer, The army is essential for democratic freedom. It?s worth quoting the Southern general Robert E Lee who stated ?its well that war is so terrible we should grow fond of it?. Anyway with the Army a necessity, supplies of surplus vehicles will continue. So do buy one if you feel the urge to own one.
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