The Buffalo Mine Protected/Clearance Vehicle is a wheeled 6×6 driven blast protected vehicle that protects its crew from the effects of AT and AP mine blasts and IEDs, even when there are built from 155mm artillery shells. The blast protection of the vehicle is achieved by the V-shaped, high riding hull and extensive armor package featuring ballistic protected glass. While the U.S Military did not mount weapons on their Buffalo MP/CV up to now, the vehicle can be fitted with an RWS or an MG ring mount. The vehicle is mainly employed for route clearance operations. With its hydraulic arm mounted fork it can inspect suspected IED and mine sites from a safe distance. The vehicle is also employed as part of Ground Standoff Minefield Detection System. Within this it serves as a mobile base station for the remote control unit of the MDV. In 2001 the U.S. Army began the search for a vehicle to improve the capabilities of its GSTAMIDS, which by then consisted of the Meerkat MDV, the Husky T/MDV and three MDTs. The new vehicle was required to add an examination capability to the GSTAMINDS .After a market survey of available vehicles and trials the Buffalo MP/CV was selected to become the additional vehicle for the system. IN July 2002 a first batch of 10 Buffalo MPCV were ordered by the U.S. Army. Additional orders followed and today some 80 vehicle are in service with the U.S.Army. In 2005 a first batch of four Buffalo were ordered by the U.S.M.C. Additional orders for Buffalos followed in 2006.Evetually the U.S.M.C. inventory will include some 100 Buffalo MP/CVs. Directly after the Buffalo MP/CV was deployed with U.S. forces to Afghanistan and Iraq. Vehicles deployed recently under OEF and OIF were fitted with a Slat stand-off-armor in order to protect them from RPG-7 rounds and other anti-armor weapons.