SUV fashion that is to die for
By Charles Sheehan
Associated Press
BUTLER, Pa. — The sport utility vehicle that rolls out of the Ibis Tek shop looks just like those driven by millions of soccer moms.
Associated Press
But with a flip of the switch, out of the sunroof pops weaponry ranging from a .50-caliber M2 machine gun to an MK-19 40mm grenade launcher.
A .50-caliber machine gun is lowered into a GMC Suburban heading to a test site from the Ibis Tek shop in Butler, Pa., last week. A grenade launcher is offered as an alternative.
For now, you don't need to worry about road rage — the Pennsylvania manufacturer said it isn't selling in the United States.
But it does ship its one-of-a-kind SUVs elsewhere around the globe, especially to places where "have a safe trip" is more than just a nice thing to say.
Ibis Tek president Tom Buckner opened the company three years ago with his brother, John, and Tom Letter. They provide security products ranging from bulletproof vests to communications systems, as well as security consulting, almost exclusively in the Middle East.
The Ibis Tek Viper, Cobra and Python defense systems, which are outfitted for factory-issue trucks such as the Chevrolet Suburban, Lincoln Navigator and larger Ford pickups, are marketed out of Geneva, Switzerland.
While the client list is confidential, Buckner will say that about a dozen of his vehicles are being used in four Middle Eastern countries. The Royal Guard of Saudi Arabia possesses three.
An Ibis ride with all the trimmings — including options such as armor plating that will stop a 7.62mm armor-piercing bullet — will set you back about $500,000.
And that's without the actual firepower: the company outfits the cars with defensive systems such as the hidden, laser-guided gun platforms, but the clients must buy their own guns, mounted only upon delivery.
Gas mileage is another matter. Ibis Tek vehicles can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and miles to the gallon can dip into the single digits.
Sales of the vehicles are strictly regulated by the U.S. Department of State. John Weaver, vice president of engineering, said no vehicles have been sold domestically. While they would be legal in the United States, at least before being armed, an export permit would be required for the French company, Thales AFV, which designs the company's weapons stations in Britain.
To actually attach a weapon, an owner would have to have a license from the federal government. When activated, the weapons system rises through a sunroof measuring about 44 by 75 inches and is ready to fire in less than 10 seconds.
