About VEE Window

The U.S. Army-tested and approved VEE Window from BAE Systems is a low-cost, life-saving enhancement for up-armored combat vehicles. The VEE Window is easy to use and adaptable to virtually any tactical up-armored combat vehicle.

Rollovers and accidents are a significant threat to U.S. troops operating in dangerous combat situations. BAE Systems developed the VEE Window to increase the survivability of Soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan in the event they encounter vehicle entrapment situations. The innovative system allows crews of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) to remove the ballistic windshields in less than 10 seconds and quickly (less than one minute) exit the vehicle during an emergency, such as a rollover or accident.

The VEE Window meets current M1114 ballistic properties and is easily installed by unit maintenance personnel in theater. VEE Windows are applicable for other tactical and armored vehicles, including M1151/1152 HMMWVs, the Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV), and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle programs.

Prototypes of the VEE Window are currently being developed for the following vehicles:

• BAE Systems’ MRAPs (Caiman, RG33, etc.)
• BAE Systems’ MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (Caiman Light)
• Navistar’s MRAP (MaxxPro)

As of August 2009, the total Army orders for VEE Window kits were more than 17,000, with more than 10,000 kits already shipped for the up-armored M1114 and M1151 HMMWVs.

The VEE Window is also a component in the U.S. Army’s Fragmentation (FRAG) 7 kit.