Ambulance

An ambulance is a vehicle designated for the transport of sick or injured people. The first ambulances called by that name were horse ambulances used in the American Civil War. The first practical ambulances were created by Dominique Jean Larrey, a French surgeon (1766-1842), for use in the Napoleonic Wars. Modern-day ambulances are typically large automobiles on a van or light truck chassis.

Military ambulances

Military ambulances include both regular ambulances painted in olive and armed ambulances based upon AFVs. Military helicopters often function as aerial ambulances, since they are exteremely useful for MEDEVAC.

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Due to the high level of danger in battle-fields, military ambulances are often armored, or based upon armored fighting vehicles (AFV). Since laws of war demand ambulances not to mount any weapon, an ambulance AFV is disarmed and marked by a red cross or another accepted medical marking.

Related Topics:
Armored fighting vehicle - Laws of war - Weapon - Red cross

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Recently, Israel has modified some of its Merkava main battle tanks with ambulance features in order to allow rescue operations to take place under heavy fire in urban warfare. The modifications were made following a failed rescue attempt in which Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers, who aided a Palestinian woman in Rafah. Since M-113 APCs and regular up-armored ambulances are not protected enough against anti-tank weapons and IEDs, commonly used by Palestinian militants against both military and civilian Israeli vehicles, it was decided to use the Merkava tank, because it features heavy armor and a rear door enabling the evacuation of critically wounded soldiers. Though ambulances may not carry weapons, Israel did not remove the Merkava's weaponry since Palestinian militants do not adhere to international law.

Related Topics:
Israel - Merkava - Urban warfare - Rafah - M-113 - APC - Anti-tank - IED - Weapon

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