Rhino Runner
Encyclopedia
The Rhino Runner is a type of armored bus used extensively in Iraq
, especially on the infamous Route Irish between Baghdad International Airport
and The Green Zone
. It is a customized vehicle created by Labock Technologies, which was purchased in 2008 by another company called Advanced Blast Protection. In 2010 Advanced Blast Protection was purchased by Armour Group, Inc
. The Rhino Runner is made in various sizes with different purposes. Duties include normal transport of civilian contractors and military personnel, and usage by VIPs, including transport of prisoners involved in the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
Because this is an armored vehicle, certain specifications are not readily available due to trade secrets.
VIPs
have been known to use the Rhinos, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
, General Richard Myers
, and Matthew Roloff
.
An unpublicized usage of the buses is to transport VIP prisoners, such as the now-deceased Saddam Hussein
, between their confinements and the tribunal.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, especially on the infamous Route Irish between Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport, originally Saddam International Airport, , BIAP is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate...
and The Green Zone
Green Zone
The Green Zone is the most common name for the International Zone of Baghdad. It is a area of central Baghdad, Iraq, that was the governmental center of the Coalition Provisional Authority and remains the center of the international presence in the city...
. It is a customized vehicle created by Labock Technologies, which was purchased in 2008 by another company called Advanced Blast Protection. In 2010 Advanced Blast Protection was purchased by Armour Group, Inc
ArmorGroup
ArmorGroup International is a British company providing private security. It was founded in 1981 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 6 June 2008 ....
. The Rhino Runner is made in various sizes with different purposes. Duties include normal transport of civilian contractors and military personnel, and usage by VIPs, including transport of prisoners involved in the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
Known specifications
- Custom-built from chassis up.
- Side and back doors, emergency exit hatch on roof.
- Dual A/C system.
- 360-degree protection includes floor, exhaust system protected by armored grille, and glass.
- 12 discreet gun ports
- 6 cylinder turbo diesel 5.88 liters 240HP.
- NIJ Level IV materials (composite armor and bullet-resistant glassBulletproof glassBulletproof glass is a type of strong but optically transparent material that is particularly resistant to being penetrated when struck by bullets, but is not completely impenetrable. It is usually made from a combination of two or more types of glass, one hard and one soft...
) tested against .30 caliberCaliberIn guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
AP (U.S. APM2) 166 grain 2850 feet per second.
- Instead of adapting armoring for an existing vehicle, Labock uses the most appropriate chassis and motors, and custom builds vehicles with protection against AP (armor piercing) bulletsArmor-piercing shot and shellAn armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
and significant bomb blast protectionImprovised explosive deviceAn improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
.
- The Rhino Runner is fully protected (sides, front, back, roof, floor, and even glass) against up to Type IV (NIJ standard) including NATO calibers.
- Special composite bulletproof armor, which is so light that it floats in water, and one-way bulletproof glass that prevents bullets from penetrating, but enables you to shoot through the glass from inside the vehicle.
- Available in a range of seating capacities (17, 24 and 36 people) and configurations for purposes such as prisoner transport, ambulanceAmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, SWATSWATA SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
, command and control, and they can be made to order.
- Apart from the 360-degree ballisticBallisticsBallistics is the science of mechanics that deals with the flight, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially bullets, gravity bombs, rockets, or the like; the science or art of designing and accelerating projectiles so as to achieve a desired performance.A ballistic body is a body which is...
protection, the vehicles have a side and back door and an emergency exit on the roof and run flat tires for when changing a tire is not a viable option.
Because this is an armored vehicle, certain specifications are not readily available due to trade secrets.
Incidents
On October 29, 2011, an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber who detonated a vehicle packed with 700 kilograms of explosives near a Rhino Runner. The Rhino Runner was occupied by NATO troops and civilian contractors, in route to the Kabul Military Training Center, Afghanistan. Five ISAF troops (4 American and 1 Canadian) and eight civilian ISAF employees (5 Americans, 2 British, and 1 Kosovan) were reportedly killed in the attack. Three Afghan civilians (two of which were children) and a policeman near the explosion were also killed, and six Afghan adults/two children were wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility.Usage
The Rhino Runner is mostly used for transportation of civilians and the press between the Baghdad International Airport and the Green Zone. It is also used to transport soldiers from one base to another.VIPs
Very Important Person
A Very Important Person, or VIP is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance.Examples include celebrities, heads of state/heads of government, major employers, high rollers, politicians, high-level corporate officers, wealthy individuals, or any other...
have been known to use the Rhinos, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, General Richard Myers
Richard Myers
Richard Bowman Myers is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force and served as the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As Chairman, Myers was the United States military's highest ranking uniformed officer....
, and Matthew Roloff
Matthew Roloff
Matthew James Roloff is an actor, author, farmer and businessman, best known for participating with his family in the reality television program Little People, Big World seen on TLC. The show featured the Roloffs' daily life...
.
An unpublicized usage of the buses is to transport VIP prisoners, such as the now-deceased Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, between their confinements and the tribunal.