Source: B-AREV on X™.
Beginning in March 2024, the M1117 Guardian ASV (Armored Security Vehicle) began to appear in service with the Ukrainian Army. Some 400 M1117 ASVs were part of U.S. aid packages starting in December 2022 and as of January 31, 2026, 19 M1117 vehicles have been lost. Of these, 17 were completely destroyed while the remaining 2 were damaged and subsequently abandoned. The M1117 was developed by Cadillac Gage and was derived from their successful M706 Commando. Prototypes were completed in 1997 and following trials and acceptance by the U.S. Army, production commenced in 1999 with large numbers entering service by 2001. In 2019, the M1117 was placed on the MDL (Master Divestiture List), to be removed from the equipment inventory of units as they receive the new Oshkosh M-ATV. This Ukrainian vehicle was photographed sometime in April 2025.
Power for the 13-ton M1117 comes from a Cummins 6CTA8.3 turbocharged, 6-cylinder diesel engine that generates 276 horsepower. This is paired to a Allison MD3560 transmission with a 7-speed gearbox (6 forward, 1 reverse). The motor provides the M1117 with a top road speed of 63 miles per hour and with 50 gallons of onboard diesel fuel, the maximum cruise range is 441 miles on roads at a speed of 50 miles per hour.
For weapons, the M1117's Cadillac Gage UWS (Upgunned Weapons Station) turret is typically armed with a Browning .50 caliber M2HB heavy machine gun and a 40mm Mk.19 automatic grenade launcher. In this photograph, however, the turret carries no armament. The turret provides the armament with 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mounts offer 45 degrees of maximum elevation and a maximum of 8 degrees of depression. While the turret has both electro-mechanical traverse and manual traverse, the gun mounts are only manually controlled. With an operable traverse, the turret can turn 45 degrees per second. Total ammunition carried for the M2HB is 800 rounds of which 200 rounds are ready for use. The Mk.19 is provided with 600 rounds of which 100 are ready use. For aiming, the gunner is provided with either a M36E2 or M36E3 day/night periscope sight. There is the option to mount a M249 7.62mm machine-gun on a pintle mount fitted to the turret. As a note, the forward metal component seen on the left side of the turret is the protective cover for the Mk.19's ammunition feed system. There are firing ports for the crew's small arms in the left and right side doors.
For the protection of the two man crew and up to eight passengers, the exact thickness and composition of the M1117's welded, hardened rolled homogeneous armor isn't available. However, from some performance metrics, educated assumptions can be made. The top deck of the M1117 can survive fragments from a 155mm shell at 15 meters which puts the protection to either STANAG 4569 Level 4 or STANAG 4569 Level 5 defense. The rest of the vehicle is said to be capable of surviving a 4 pound explosive detonation while the wheels (and one can imagine the underside of the hull) can take a 12 pound explosive detonation. On this information, the hull front, rear, and sides are STANAG 4569 Level 1 which provides armor protection against 5.56x45mm NATO up to 7.62x51mm NATO ball ammunition. The underside would be STANAG 4569 Level 2 defense against mines. The hull shape of the M1117 also helps mitigate some of the blast forces. This relatively weak armor against projectiles is why the M1117 can be fitted with IBD Deisenroth Engineering MEXAS 2C (Modular Expandable Armor System) applique armor. These composite armor ceramic tiles are composed of nylon covering the ceramic (whose composition can vary) behind which is a Kevlar backing. In conjunction with the MEXAS 2C, an interior spall liner can be fitted as well as a mine protection kit. MEXAS 2C increases the hull armor to STANAG 4569 Level 4 which can defeat up to 14.5x114mm API (Armor Piercing Incendiary) ammunition at 200 meters. Other defensive equipment include two M257, four-tube smoke grenade launchers on the turret, a central tire inflation system (CTIS), run-flat tires, and an optional overpressure NBC protection system.
Other equipment includes a Braden 7.5 ton self-recovery winch in the front (this capacity can be increased using block and tackle), a rear clam-shell door to allow crew and passenger egress (or entrance), HVAC unit for crew comfort, an optional GPS system, and a AN/VVS-501 passive night vision periscope for the driver.
This particular Ukrainian M1117 has been fitted with anti-drone cage armor and still supports its U.S. Army camouflage paint. The former Army unit the M1117 belonged to would have been told in the rectangular markings visible on the front of the vehicle's nose but they have been painted over. It appears the front port on the right side of the vehicle has suffered impact damage as the glass looks to be cracked.
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