Buffalo

The Buffalo is a mine-protected clearance vehicle associated with Force Protection and later General Dynamics ownership. It became prominent during conflicts where improvised explosive devices and mines threatened convoys. Instead of moving troops like a normal armored personnel carrier, the Buffalo is built around route clearance, investigation, and explosive-hazard work.

The vehicle's design uses a tall mine-resistant hull, heavy armor, and a distinctive articulated arm for inspecting suspicious objects from inside the protected cabin. This allows crews to investigate hazards without immediately exposing personnel on foot. The tradeoff is size and weight: the Buffalo is specialized and less agile than lighter patrol vehicles, but much better suited to route-clearance tasks.

In service, the Buffalo helped change how forces dealt with roadside bombs. It gave route-clearance units a protected platform for probing, marking, and supporting explosive-ordnance disposal work. Its role is defensive but strategically important: secure routes keep logistics moving and reduce the ability of mines and IEDs to control operational tempo.