The ULTRA AP (Armored Patrol) is a concept combat vehicle that was unveiled in September 2005 by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology, under contract from the Office of Naval Research. The Ultra AP was followed in 2009 by the ULTRA II, which was more focused on further developing the crew compartment. The Ultra AP was reviewed in Rolling Stone magazine, Fortune Magazine, USA Today, and Car and Driver magazine other publications. Currently, the U.S. military and the Department of Defense was in the process of replacing the HMMWV or Humvee, because they were being fielded in situations they were not designed for, such as taking on small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices. The Ultra AP is a concept vehicle, and was not part of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program to replace the Humvee. Ultra AP Features The vehicle was built on the skeleton of a Ford F-350 truck, combining the safety features and maneuverability of a commercially available truck with advancements in blast-deflection technology and materials. This vehicle was built for the U.S. Military to showcase possible technology and safety improvements to the Humvee (HMMWV). The ULTRA AP weighs only 8,900 pounds, has fuel efficiency six times greater than a Humvee, and was designed and built within a matter of months. Ownership of the concept vehicle itself was transferred from the Office of Naval Research to the Georgia Tech Research Institute in February 2010 so that research could continue. It features an egg-shaped crew capsule nicknamed the "blast bucket". It is shaped to deflect blasts and bullets and act as a roll-cage if the vehicle flips. The four occupants sit back to back in a diamond arrangement so that they can see hazards from all directions, a suggestion from troops in the field. It also moves the occupants away from the wheels, which are typically what sets off a land mine. The Ultra AP includes race car technology from NASCAR engineers like multipoint safety harnesses and shock-absorbing seats mounted on Skydex, which is used to cushion the outfield walls of baseball stadiums. It also uses the latest in bulletproof glass and the newest light-weight armor technology. Development In developing the ULTRA AP, GTRI's scientists and engineers assembled a team of industry professionals that included GTRI employee Scott Badenoch, who is now an advanced development and