---
title: "The Army’s next infantry assault buggy might be a classic ‘G.I. Joe’ battlewagon"
date: "2019-08-13"
modified: "2019-08-13"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/the-armys-next-infantry-assault-buggy-might-be-a-classic-g-i-joe-battlewagon/"
categories:
  - "Army"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
  - "Vehicles"
---

# The Army’s next infantry assault buggy might be a classic ‘G.I. Joe’ battlewagon

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20563516-1.jpg>)

The Army has been on the hunt for a lightweight battlewagon to ferry infantry squads around the battlefield
[since](<https://soldiersystems.net/2018/09/25/us-army-interested-in-procuring-an-infantry-squad-vehicle/>) September 2018. Now, two defense contractors are teaming up on a *G.I. Joe*-inspired vehicle to get the job done.

Polaris and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) [announced](<https://www.defensedaily.com/polaris-saic-partner-offering-armys-infantry-squad-vehicle-program/army/>) on Thursday that the two firms are officially collaborating on an offering for the Army's [Infantry Squad Vehicle](<https://www.armytimes.com/land/2018/03/22/congress-directs-army-to-conduct-light-vehicle-competition-in-fy18-spending-bill/>), an air-droppable tactical vehicle intended to provide 9-member squads with enhanced mobility over the Humvee or Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.

While the Army plans on acquiring 651 ISVs by 2024 through a regular industry competition,
[per](<https://www.janes.com/article/86938/us-army-lays-out-plans-to-compete-isv-contract-acquire-651-vehicles>) Jane's 360, Polaris has been on officials's radar since the service [fielded](<https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/05/21/this-could-be-the-armys-new-infantry-squad-vehicle/>) a batch of [Deployable Advanced Ground Off-Road (DAGOR) vehicles](<https://military.polaris.com/en-us/dagor/>) to the 82nd Airborne for [testing and evaluation.](<https://soldiersystems.net/2017/04/03/82nd-continues-to-evaluate-polaris-dagors/>)

The Deployable Advanced Ground Off-Road (DAGOR)(Polaris)

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-2813.jpg>)

If this muscular-looking war wagon looks eerily familiar, it's not just because you've been spending too much time reading
[The War Zone](<https://www.twz.com>): the DAGOR bears an uncanny resemblance to a [Vehicle: Attack: Multi Purpose (or V.A.M.P.)](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V.A.M.P._(G.I._Joe)>) variant operated by the f\*cking G.I. Joes in the titular toyline's fictional universe.

[I mean, take a look for yourself:](<https://web.archive.org/web/20120204044525/https://generalsjoes.com/reviews/2011/renegades_30th_ann/vehicles/vamp.htmL>)

A 'G.I. Joe' 30th Anniversary V.A.M.P. with Steel Brigade Delta soldiers within(Hasbro)

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-2814.jpg>)

On the one hand, the DAGOR's clearly an improvement over the VAMP, especially since the former has a payload capacity of 4,000 pounds and the latter is a non-existent vehicle from a fictional fighting force.

On the other, the whole search might be moot: this past March, Army officials [stated](<https://fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS22942.pdf>) the service "has more capability than we need" with its exiting inventory of 800 ISVs and 55,000 Humvees, so there's that.

But consider this: *G.I. Joe*
[may not have been an effective recruiting device during the Vietnam era](<https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/now-you-know-the-history-of-gi-joe-and-knowing-is-half-the-battle-11506463/>), but it clearly inspired at least a handful of the engineers who design modern war machines. It's like the Joes always say:
[pork chop sandwiches!](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1BDM1oBRJ8>)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1BDM1oBRJ8

I regret nothing.

## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

### Author social links  
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[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbkeller/>)  
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