ULTRA AP 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 . This was followed in 2009 with 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 among many other publications . Currently , the U . S . military and the Department of Defense are in the process of replacing the HMMWV or Humvee , because they are 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 is 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 racing professional ; Tom Moore , former vice president of Liberty Operations , Chrysler ' s advanced engineering center ; Walt Wynbelt , former program executive officer with the U . S . Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command , and Dave McLellan , former Corvette chief engineer for General Motors . The ULTRA concept had its vehicle genesis on the US Army TARDEC COMBATT Program , sponsored by the National Automotive Center . This program explored the use of commercial vehicle platforms as a fundamental building block of more rugged military vehicles . Michael Dudzik ( GTRI ) and David McLellan were principals in the early transition of the COMBATT achievements to the ULTRA platform . ULTRA was able to build upon the COMBATT results and explore revolutionary designs in the integration of armor and chassis systems for increased survivability . Ultra II . The Georgia Tech Research Institute continued work on the project , eventually releasing the ULTRA II concept , also designed and tested for the Office of Naval Research . The new crew - protection concept builds on the earlier GTRI research on concepts for light armored vehicle s . A blast test conducted with the Ultra II at the Aberdeen Test Center showed that the vehicle could protect its occupants from improvised explosive device s . Features . The crew compartment was designed to fit six people : a driver and commander , facing forward , and two pairs behind them facing opposite sides of the vehicle . This design focuses on moving the crew away from external walls to reduce injury from side blasts , allows the blast - resistant seats to be frame - mounted , and reduces the time it takes to exit the vehicle . The crew compartment uses a " space frame " constructed from tubular steel , similar to the construction of off - road vehicles , especially those involved in off - road racing , and an armored steel skin provides structure and blast protection . Additional armor can be modularly bolted to the vehicle and easily reconfigured . Another key focus of the project was the protection provided by a replaceable sacrificial " blast wedge " that is bolted to the bottom of the vehicle . Constructed from welded steel armor , it absorbs and deflects energy from a blast , acting as a crumple zone .