TheCadillac Gage Ranger,known popularly and inUnited States militaryservice as theCadillac Gage PeacekeeperorCadillac Gage Peacekeeper I,is a four-wheeledarmored personnel carriermarketed as aninternal security vehicle,produced byCadillac Gage(nowTextron Marine & Land Systems). Built on aDodgetruck chassis, production began in 1979 to produce an armored vehicle for theUnited States Air Force(USAF)Security Forces,its largest customer, thoughLuxembourgandIndonesiaalso reportedly used Rangers as well. The Ranger also saw considerable service withlaw enforcementas aSWAT vehicle.
| Cadillac Gage Ranger | |
|---|---|
 AUnited States Air ForceCadillac Gage Ranger atSpangdahlem Air Basein 1985 | |
| Type | Internal security vehicle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | April 1980–late 1990s |
| Used by | SeeOperators |
| Wars | Implementation Force |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Cadillac Gage |
| Manufacturer | Textron Marine & Land Systems |
| Unit cost | $230,720[1] |
| Produced | 1979–? |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 4,903 kg (10,809 lb) (loaded) |
| Length | 5,030 mm (198 in) |
| Height | 2,030 mm (80 in) |
| Crew | 1 |
| Passengers | 5 |
Main armament | 1xgeneral-purpose machine gun(optional) |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Ground clearance | 203 mm (8.0 in) |
Operational range | 483 km (300 miles) |
| Maximum speed | 113 km/h (70 mph) |
The Cadillac Gage Ranger is no longer offered by Textron, with trademarks cancelled, though it is unclear when it was discontinued.[2]In 2003, Textron unveiled a successor to the Ranger, theCadillac Gage Peacekeeper II.As of 2020, the Ranger's per unit replacement cost is approximately US$230,720.[1]
History
editThe Cadillac Gage Ranger began production in 1979 to meet a USAF Security Forces requirement for armored vehicles to use in base protection and patrols.[3]The first Rangers were delivered to the USAF in April 1980, with 571 vehicles under a contract of $30,532 each.[1][4]In 1981, 560 additional Rangers were ordered by the USAF and theUnited States Navy.[4]By 1994, around 708 Rangers had been produced and served with the U.S. military, with 20 of those Rangers sold to Indonesia the same year.[4]
By the mid-to-late 1990s, the Ranger was being phased out of service to be replaced by theHumvee,[5]but in 1996, Rangers with the USAF Security Forces were deployed toBosnia and Herzegovinaas part ofImplementation Forcepeacekeeping,the only time they are known to have been deployed in a military conflict.[4]
When the USAF Security Forces retired their Rangers, they were sold toAmerican law enforcementas part of theUnited States Department of Defense'sLaw Enforcement Support Office.[4]
In 1996,National Museum of the United States Air Forcecollections chief Scott Ferguson convinced his superiors that a 1980 Cadillac Gage Ranger on display at the museum had been requested by another military facility; however, this was in fact a lie Ferguson used to steal the Ranger, drive it offWright-Patterson Air Force Base,and hide it inMiddletown, Ohio.Between 1997 and 1998, Ferguson drove the Ranger acrossOhiostate lines and displayed it at military conventions inTennesseeandPennsylvaniabefore selling it on theblack marketon July 11, 1999 for $18,000; it would ultimately be sold to theCherokee County Sheriff's OfficeinNorth Carolinafor $38,000. In August 2004, Ferguson was found guilty for stealing the Ranger and crossing state lines in it. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release, and fined $29,000 in restitution.[6][7]
In 2010, Federal Defense Industries and Textron entered an agreement to allow FDI to provide authorized aftermarket parts, support, and assistance for servicing the Ranger.[8]Defenseshield is contracted to provide replacement windows for Rangers still in service.[9]
Design
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The Cadillac Gage Ranger is built on aDodge Ramtruck chassis with a shorter wheelbase.[3][10]It uses afront-engine, four-wheel-drive layout,coupled to anautomatic transmissionwith three forward gears and one reverse gear.[3][4]The Ranger has a weight of 4,903 kg (10,809 lb) when loaded, with a length of 5,030 mm (198 in), a height of 2,030 mm (80 in), and a ground clearance of 203 mm (8.0 in). Its top speed is 113 km/h (70 mph) with an operational range of 483 km (300 miles).[11]
The vehicle can carry one driver, one front passenger, and four rear passengers. Bucket seats are provided for the driver and front passenger, while bench seats are provided for the rear cabin.[3]The entire body of the vehicle, including the floor, features Cadloyvehicle armorcapable of withstanding 7.62 mm[clarification needed]fire.[citation needed]
Weapons are installed on a rotatable top-mountedgun turretthat allows for the mounting of ageneral-purpose machine gun(typically excluded in law enforcement configurations), as well asfiring portsfor the vehicle's occupants to fire weapons and dispense devices such assmoke grenadeswith minimal risk.[3][10]
Peacekeeper II
editThe Cadillac Gage Peacekeeper II was a modernized follow-up to the Cadillac Gage Ranger, first unveiled in 2003.
Operators
edit
Current operators
edit
United States
- As of 2020, two Rangers are in active USAF service.[1]
- Anaheim Police Department, in the process of being replaced.[12]
- Sacramento Police Department, Still present but used very infrequently.[13]
- Benton County Sheriff's Office[14]
- Becker County Sheriff's Office
- Chapel Hill Police Department[15]
- Cherokee County Sheriff's Office[6]
- Cobb County Police Department[16][17]
- Montclair Police Department[1]
- Neenah Police Department[18]
- Prince George County Sheriff's Office[19]
- Salisbury Police Department[20]
- South Pasadena Police Department[21]
- Modesto Police Department[citation needed]
- Jefferson County (Ohio) Sheriff's Department
Former operators
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Indonesia:20 Rangers adopted in service in 1994.[4][3]Known to be used byPaspampres.[22]
Luxembourg[3]- United States: Formerly with US military service[3]
References
edit- ^abcdef"Specialized Equipment | Montclair, CA".cityofmontclair.org.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-05-25.Retrieved2021-01-05.
- ^"PEACEKEEPER Trademark - Registration Number 2844668 - Serial Number 78151905:: Justia Trademarks".trademarks.justia.Retrieved2020-08-08.
- ^abcdefghArmy Recognition Alain Servaes (2007-03-20)."Cadillac Gage Commando Ranger".armyrecognition.Retrieved2020-03-14.
- ^abcdefg"Cadillac Gage Textron Commando Ranger / Peacekeeper".April 20, 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-04-20.
- ^"Tactical Vehicles | US Air Force Security Forces | Virtual Museum | Memorial | Military Police | USAF | SP | AP | SF".USAF Police Alumni Association.
- ^ab"Former AF museum collections chief convicted".Air Force.2004-08-20.Retrieved2023-09-26.
- ^"U.S. v. Ferguson, 456 F.3d 660 | Casetext Search + Citator".casetext.Retrieved2023-09-26.
- ^"Federal Defense Industries: Cadillac Gage".June 15, 2019. Archived fromthe originalon 2019-06-15.
- ^"Defenshield, Inc.|Our Company History".Defenshield, Inc.Retrieved2020-08-08.
- ^ab"Cadillac Gage Ranger (Peacekeeper)".militaryfactory.Retrieved2023-09-26.
- ^"Cadillac Gage Textron Commando Ranger / Peacekeeper".March 14, 2020. Archived fromthe originalon 2020-03-14.
- ^"Orange County is getting 2 armored vehicles that can rescue the wounded, even while under gunfire".February 4, 2020.
- ^"SPD Peacekeeper using in parade".[better source needed]
- ^Gazette-Times, NATHAN BRUTTELL Corvallis."Benton County Sheriff's Office acquires armored vehicle".Corvallis Gazette Times.
- ^"CHPD: One Armored Truck, No Weapons From Military Surplus Program".Chapelboro.August 21, 2014.
- ^"Department History".Cobb County Georgia.
- ^Franceschi-Bicchierai, Lorenzo (June 26, 2012)."Small-Town Cops Pile Up on Useless Military Gear".Wired– via wired.
- ^"Neenah police to get armored vehicle".
- ^"From WWII Rifles to BearCats: The Evolution of SWAT Team Equipment".PBS.
- ^Holland, Liz."Salisbury, Fruitland acquire light armored vehicles".Delmarva Daily Times.
- ^ab"Burbank sells armored Peacekeeper vehicle for $1".January 30, 2012.
- ^"Kendaraan Tempur TNI Pakai Mesin Mobil Mewah".Otosia. 2017-05-23.Retrieved2020-03-14.
- ^Benna, Steven."Columbia Police Department unveils new armored vehicle".Columbia Missourian.Retrieved2020-08-08.
- ^Arias, Jeremy."Frederick police defend proposal for new armored vehicle".The Frederick News-Post.
- ^Anderson, Jason."S.J. County SWAT toughens up".recordnet.Retrieved2020-08-08.
- ^Karmout, Kaitlyn."Tri-City Regional SWAT team to replace age-old peacemaker vehicle".NBC Right Now.Retrieved2023-02-07.
External links
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Media related toCadillac Gage Rangerat Wikimedia Commons
