Check this baby out! It’s lightweight, it’s versatile, it’s maneuverable, it has an outstanding power-to-weight ratio, and it can drive over almost any terrain its driver throws it at. What is it, you ask? It’s the Navy’s newest small infantry carrier–the Phantom Badger, otherwise known as the PB.
The little brute reminds us of the original small infantry carrier with all the same characteristics–the Willys MB. All we can say is we think we’re in love in that way a man can be with a machine and we want one, and we want it now!
The Phantom Badger was designed and is being manufactured by Boeing. It’s being supplied to the United States Navy, and as reported in BBC Autos, the Boeing Phantom Badger is just 60 inches wide and 180 inches long, has a GVWR of 7,850 pounds, with a payload capacity of 3,356 pounds and a tow rating of 4,000 pounds.
It features four-wheel-drive and four-wheel steering, and therefor is highly maneuverable. The setup gives the vehicle a turning circle of just 24 feet, that is 10 feet tighter than that of a Mini Cooper. That sort of agility is particularly valuable, especially in modern warfare that takes place in urban environments where the ability to make tight turns and move though narrow streets and alleys is paramount during battle.
The Phantom Badger makes use of the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 from the Jeep Grand Cherokee and can run on JP-8 jet fuel as well as diesel, producing 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. The manufacturer states a top speed of 80 MPH on pavement, 21 MPG, and a maximum cruising range of 450 miles. We think we’ve found our next Off Road Xtreme project vehicle.
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