So what we need to do is strip the armor off existing up-armored vehicles, right?
"So what we need to do is strip the armor off existing up-armored vehicles, right?"
If it isn't the armor package developed for the hummvee, the answer would have to be yes. The vehicle is made to carry a certain weight. Its primary asset is included in its name, high mobility. Add scrap metal to the cab area and the vehicle will labor to get up to speed, burn through its load of diesel faster, and generally break down at a much higher rate. All of these things will get you killed. And all the armor you can pack onto a light vehicle won't stop the IED blast. It will even take out the Bradley and Stryker APCs, and seriously mess up an M-1A2.