The Hendrick Commando ultralight tactical vehicle UTV

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The Hendrick Commando® ultralight tactical vehicle (UTV) is a commercial design vehicle modified to military specification to meet direct transportation support of combat and/or tactical operations.


Hendrick Commando is manufactured for use off-road. Each Hendrick Commando model includes several features and options that distinguish the vehicle in safety, versatility, and affordability. Hendrick Commando delivers Agile Strength™.

COMMANDO 2
With the shortest wheelbase, Hendrick Commando 2 maximizes maneuverability where tight terrain dictates minimal turning radius and break-over angle. Hendrick Commando 2 provides seating for two, utilizing two removable hard doors and top. An enclosed cargo space of 55 cubic feet is provided behind the occupant seating.

COMMANDO 4
Hendrick Commando 4 defines versatility by providing two configurations that can be utilized to match the mission profile. In standard setup, Hendrick Commando 4 provides seating for four, utilizing four removable hard doors and top. When needed, the 31 cubic feet of enclosed cargo space can be expanded to 70 cubic feet by removing the second row seating.

COMMANDO S
Hendrick Commando S is special – distinguished as a pickup truck capable of traversing very rough terrain. With its cargo bed and available mission pallet attachment, this model can be field configured to support virtually any purpose. Hendrick Commando S provides seating for two, utilizing two removable hard doors, top, and cab.

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FEATURES & OPTIONS
• Chromoly Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS)
• JP-8/Global Diesel Powered Turbo Engine
• 197 Horsepower and 339 LbFt Torque
• Enhanced Engine Air & Fuel Vent Filtration
• 5-Speed Auto Transmission with Overdrive
• Two-Speed 4WD System with 4:1 Low Range
• Selectable Front & Rear Locking Differentials
• Premium Kevlar® Reinforced Tires & Spare
• Floor Mounted Shift Levers in Custom Console
• Hand Operated Mechanical Emergency Brake
• Slide & Recline Seats with Latch Harnesses
• Cabin Heating, Air Conditioning, Defroster
• Cabin & Side Mounted Rear View Mirrors
• Operable Windows & Removable Tops
• Windshield with Wipers and Washers
• Headlights, Brake & Backup Lights, Turn Signals
• Dual AGM Battery System with Isolator
• Dash Mounted Six-Switch Accessory Panel
• Gauges include Speed, RPM, Temp, Fuel, Miles, Hours
• Ruggedized Bumpers with Front & Rear Towing
• Fixed Wing & Overland Tiedowns (patent pending)
• Steel Fenders with Heavy Debris Flaps
• Durable Polyurethane Enamel Tactical Finish



Hendrick Commando is able to operate effectively across a wide spectrum of conditions while supporting highly varied missions. Hendrick Commando can affordably lighten the load, provide electrical power organic to small units, and increase infantry speed. Hendrick Commando works both OCONUS and in domestic operations, can be used as simple mobility, serve as an advanced situational awareness platform, and even operate robotically.

The operational environment is difficult enough, safety must be built in from the outset. Championship auto racing drives a focus on the operator first – building the platform out from the driver. While safety includes specific measures like roll-over protective structure and seating harnesses, operator comfort also has a significant effect on safety and situational awareness.

After evaluating available light vehicles, in 1940 the Quartermaster Corps put out a call to automakers to fill the gap. While the US observed the global conflict escalating, they sought a light, all-terrain vehicle that was compact and cost-effective, agile but strong enough to get the job done. More than a hundred manufacturers were provided the specifications, but given only seven weeks to complete the task, and just one team answered the call.



Bantam – a small shop in Pennsylvania led by engineer Karl Probst – applied ingenuity and speed to win the project. Probst, an American patriot working without pay, rallied the team and created a design adapted from commercial components configured in a new way. They submitted their Bantam Reconnaissance Car (BRC) prototype. Even though it was unconventional by prevailing military standards, the vehicle proved itself during intensive testing.

Major Herbert Lawes, head of the evaluation team said, "I have driven every unit the services have purchased for the last twenty years. This vehicle is going to be absolutely outstanding. I believe this unit will make history."

It came just in time, and as they say; the rest is history. The design evolved, manufacturers began construction, and more than 600,000 Jeeps – as they became known – served in US and Allied defense during World War II alone. They were built by Bantam, Ford, and Willys, and excelled in every environment in which conflict arose, due primarily to their versatility.

Official war correspondent Ernie Pyle, who embedded with US troops on all fronts, wrote of the Jeep, “It does everything. It goes everywhere. It's as faithful as a dog, strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carries twice what it was designed for, and keeps on going."

Afghanistan presented some of the most harsh and varied terrain on the planet. And with HMMWV's changes over twenty years, like with the Quad entering WWII, its agility paid a toll and mobility suffered. Again, defense looked to the commercial market for quick options, and found recreational side-by-sides.



Initially fielded in Airborne units, the vehicles were nimble and inexpensive. These small carts, born in the consumer sector, opened up areas to personnel mobility. But, like the sidecar motorcycle decades before, they exhibited limited payload capacity, durability, and range of use. And therein the gap emerges; the strong but heavy HMMWV on one side, the agile but less capable side-by-side on the other.

One writer described recently “The Pickup Truck Era of Warfare”. It’s not a new phenomenon, but certainly appears to be more prevalent. Smaller, more localized conflicts, compressed deployment and positioning time, the rise of non-state adversaries, and the closer fusion of direct and indirect actions have driven the services to evaluate their ability to apply power across an ever widening spectrum of operations.

Units today find themselves closely assisting the civil population one moment, and conducting offensive or defensive action the next. In many cases doing so in areas with terrain that will not support heavy vehicles and utilizing routes of access that require enhanced mobility. Scenarios change, tactics adapt, and tools emerge to fulfill a purpose.

Commandos are defined as small, highly mobile military units or teams, versatile in nature; they are trained to operate quickly and aggressively in especially urgent, threatening situations.

Allied commando forces, dating back to America’s First Special Service Force and the British Special Air Service, have performed consistently at the tip of the spear. And like all in the US military, the core to capability lies with the warfighter. Their hardware is only an enabler; their brain is the real weapon.

Enabling the warfighter through versatility is the foundation on which Hendrick Commando is built. To provide a tool in ultra light mobility that can perform across the widest range of missions. A low cost vehicle that is safe and capable on multiple terrains and environments, adaptable to application by those out front, and efficient in operation and sustainment.

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