Does anybody know what these are for?

[M920]

I have been working on my APC and have been looking at a lot of photos on the internet.
So i noticed that alot of the tanks, apc's and wheeled vehicles deployed in Iraq have these square framed, louvered looking pannels on their sides and/or rear.
The vehicles in the pics have them clearly visible on their sides.
Does anybody know what these are for?

Thanks

Soni

 

[Westech]

Man I cant remember what they are for but all of our trucks had them too. I wanna say it was a cheap shot at pre-detonating a RPG but I know thats not right. Man I will ask some of my old platoon members.. they will know if someone does not chime in.

 

[M920]

I know that they use some angled additional armored surfaces for the purpose of pre-detonating RPG's but these pannels look way to localized to be effective for that function.......

 

[Westech]

I asked one of my friends and he said they he thinks they were for training. I know I asked and was told but I really cant say.. I know most of them are just double sided taped on because I would loose them all the time.

 

[Elwenil]

This has come up before. I seem to remember them having something to do with aircraft identifying friendly forces.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

Yep IFF panels .

 

[emmado22]

They are Combat ID Panels. Combat Identification Panels

 

[M920]

They are Combat ID Panels. Combat Identification Panels

Thanks Guys for the good info....could not figure out what they are used for...(thought maybe they were fancy US ARMY wash-boards....so the soldiers could do their laundry when they get to an Oasis! lol)
Now of course..... I have find a way to make some for the ACP.....darn....more work....

Soni

 

[Varyag]

We had them on almost everything in the CAV. They tended to get trashed and bent up pretty fast. They tended to bind when siding them in and out of their mounts when you were cleaning the vehicle.

 

[M920]

We had them on almost everything in the CAV. They tended to get trashed and bent up pretty fast. They tended to bind when siding them in and out of their mounts when you were cleaning the vehicle.

Thanks for the response!

So if I understand you correctly the actual panels are made up from like 1/8 inch thick sheet metal that is bent in to the corrugated louvered shape without having a frame of their own. They than slide in to a frame type bracket that is attached to the side of the vehicle. Right?
Also, are the corrugated type panels revesible like the flat panels are? (CARC paint one side and thermal tape on the other)

Thanks

Soni