“Maybe they are for use as rescue vehicles in the inner city, where the residents randomly fire on police and fire vehicles.”
Is there an armor warfare expert on this thread?
Can a vehicle like these MRAP’s survive in an urban area without supporting infantry?
I suspect a gasoline bomb would render such a vehicle unusable in short order, but I am no expert.
In any case, with the rpesent Regime holding the White Mosque, things look bad.
Tomorrow looks worse.
Having been around Armor and Cavalry for a portion of my career, I can help a little. I'll take on your questions one at a time...
Can a vehicle like these MRAP’s survive in an urban area without supporting infantry?
The answer is : briefly. The routine is, the vehicles would punch into the target area (say a city block or mall), the troops would dismount and form a perimeter, the task gets done, then they remount, pop smoke and head back out.
The transit into and out of the area is the scary part, where the troops are tucked inside the vehicles for the ride (as they say in the Cavalry, "Death Before Dismount"). The vehicles, of course, have gunners up and scanning for threats, but the passengers are hunkered down. The MRAP's allow for gun ports for the passengers to return fire; but moving at convoy speeds, with buildings whizzing by, and only a narrow port to shoot from, odds are all you're doing is "spray and pray".
I suspect a gasoline bomb would render such a vehicle unusable in short order, but I am no expert.
When tossed properly, such as the air intakes for the engine or crew, or at the crew hatches forcing them to button up, an incendiary IED can be effective in a short engagement. To disable the vehicle for longer would take a bit more; blinding the driver's vision is an effective move.
Ping.