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The vehicle is based on the U.S. military humvee, but is made of dyneema instead of kevlar, designed to reduce it's weight and increase it's protection level. Dyneema is significantly stronger than kevlar, and harder, being more resistant to higher velocity hardened armor piercing rounds. Kevlar is a substantially softer material, and while of similiar strengths, does not have the same mechanical properties, making it worse against certain types of projectiles, particularly rifle cartridges. At 3.3 pounds per square foot, the armor is rated to stop level III threats, and the armor of the vehicle uses 4 pounds of dyneema, 3 pounds of ceramic outer coating, and a 2 pound carbon fiber backing which serves as the superstructure of the vehicle, being around 9 pounds per square foot for the armor, over approximately 400 square feet of surface area. The M2 vehicle possess a number of modifications, notably, that the engine is based on the 268 horsepower variant which the Fed BRAVO series of vehicles are based on.

When additional equipment weight is considered, the standard layout of the vehicle is usually 4800 pounds, with 3600 pounds of armor and the superstructure, which is made of carbon fiber. While the vehicle is heavier than an ALSV which is intended to replace, it's more powerful engine compensates for this in part, as does it's armor. The ceramic outercoating is a very durable nanoceramic held within a polymer matrix, which does not crack or shatter under tremendous stress loads, capable of absorbing repeated impacts in the same location without breaking. This makes it resistant to shrapnel as well as small arms fire, with the hard outer coating deforming and fragmenting bullets before reaching the softer dyneema armor below. The dyneema is sufficient to stop level III threats at just 3 pounds per square foot, but more is used to provide overmatch protection against these rounds. The armor has at least level IV protection instead, capable of stopping .338 Lapua rounds and some .50 caliber rounds at moderate ranges.

While the weapon's primary armament is generally a .50 caliber machine gun or 40mm grenade launcher, it possess a number of potential features depending on how it is outfitted. It possesses three turret slots, one for a 40mm grenade launcher, one for a .50 caliber machine gun or 40mm grenade launcher, and another for a light machine gun or minigun, be it an M249, M240 or M134. However, it also possesses secondary mounting areas for rocket launchers, such as the FIM-Stinger 92 missiles, or the Dragon Javeline Anti-tank launcher, which gives it potential anti-tank capabilities in dire situations. Due to the vehicles weak armor however, it is a fairly ineffective anti-tank vehicle. dyneema and twaron fiber backing, which is stronger than kevlar and more heat and velocity resistant, serving as both a spall liner and providing extra energy absorption. Behind this is an energy absorbent liner of polymer, serving as a form of non-explosive reactive armor that helps to absorb and dissipate energy, as well as carbon fiber, which serves as an energy absorbent backing to the dyneema, similar to the american ECH helmet. The vehicle's gas tank is located in the front of the vehicle, and is separated from the rest of the vehicle by armor plating, preventing fires from getting in to the main vehicle. The vehicle is made with non-flammable plastics and fibers, using twaron housed in dyneema for most of the internal materials, and uses twaron for the sits, as well as a fire retardant filling for the cushion, instead of foam. This helps prevent fires inside the vehicle, which was a significant problem with Humvees in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Should a fire start, a built in automatic fire suppression system activates, which will put out the fire using foam, which is several times stronger than water and will avoid suffocating the user like carbon dioxide might. Unlike the Humvee it also has slat armor, which helps prematurely detonate shaped charge rounds rounds such as from 40mm armor-piercing rounds or RPG's. The vehicle is resistant to armor piercing 7.62mm x 54mmR round and RPG's, but is competitively small to most light APC's, and has resistance to some .50 caliber armor piercing rounds, or 14.5mm rounds at long ranges or high angles. The crew arrangement is generally two in the front, and then two backseats of three, however this can be reduced to only 5 for larger cargo transportation. A mortar is capable of being fired in the back of the weapon, that is automatically loaded and fire.

The seating arrangement comes in two variations, the first is a cargo configuration which holds up to 4-5 passengers, and the second is a passenger arrangement which holds up to 6-7 people. The vehicle is designed like an SUV, and has the ability to fold down the back seats, to make room for equipment, like mortars, weapons or fuel. When these seats are folded up, it can seat 3 more people, side by side. Each row of seats holds up to 3 people, although the front seat often has a compartment which limits this to only 2 people. When the crew is maxed out, this can hold up to three people, and when the passenger capacity is maxed this extra crew slot can instead be filled with an additional passengers usually an NCO. In this way it can hold 6 passengers +1 in the crew spot, for 7 total people, with a total carrying capacity of 8-9 people. This flexibility allows for an entire fireteam to be carried in to combat, or for cargo to be carried instead. Typically the machine gun is remote operated by the second crewman, however at least one crew member is needed as the driver, who has remote control over the weapons, but a tougher time operating the weapons and driving at the same time. This is often operated like the apache helicopter's gun system, with the weapon pointing in the direction of the user's eyes.


Engine
The engine is a heavily modified 268 Horsepower Ford 4.4-liter twin turbocharged V8 diesel engine, and shares commonality with the Mk. 32 Mod 1 RIPSAW and MRAP. The engine utilizes a 25 gallon fuel tank, and with the hybrid engine design has 40 mpg, and has roughly a 1000 mile range at 50 mph, or a 450 mile operational range. The front axle is powered by an electric motor, while the rear-wheel-drive is linked to a hybrid fuel-powered and electric system, for a road-coupled parallel hybrid drive system.

The Engine essentially powers an electric hybrid unit, which then goes on to power the vehicle, making the vehicle technically electrically powered, but uses a gasoline powered engine. These designs often result in higher fuel efficiency, due to the ability to maximize engine designs and adjust for acceleration without directly or immediately altering the engine or it's RPM. The vehicle also sports a fuel injector, and a number of improvements, including turbochargers, over the original engines.

The Hybrid design is fairly similar to the FED BRAVO. The design allows the vehicle to consume 70% less fuel, and as a result reduces the logistical supply and range of the vehicle. This translates to roughly 3 times the range the vehicle would have without. With this design, the vehicle gets around 40 mpg city and 64 mpg highway, and some 38 MPG off-road.


Armor
The armor is similar to the M117, in that it is sloped on both sides; it is additionally, sloped underneath the vehicle, as to deflect the blast of land mines away from the vehicle, and is a monocoque v-hullI design. In addition to this, the armor uses caged "Slat" armor in order to better help protect from armor piercing high explosives, which concentrate their blast into a specific area, which the cage detonates prematurely. Because the vehicle is too small to possess significant enough armor to defend against all but the lightest threats, the vehicle is made of twaron and dyneema, Twaron which is a high-strength synthetic aramid fiber, similar to Kevlar, although it is retains the same strength with more heat and abrasion resistance, being harder and more fire resistant. Much like Kevlar helmets, this armor is compressed under pressure with heat resistant binder, to give it strength, similar to carbon fiber body of cars. This allows the fiber to be used in hard panels which are more suitable to stop higher velocity rifle rounds. The binder however is Dyneema instead of epoxy resin, which is much stronger and harder than epoxy resin, and by itself capable of stopping armor piercing 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO rounds. At just 6 pounds for square foot, it is one of the lightest armors available, and it is combined with a high strength ceramic to enhance it's armor piercing resistance, as well as a carbon fiber backing.


Electronics
The System is operable with the Land warrior operating systems. In addition, it carries a GPS. The radio system is also compatible with the MARS system, and as well include a microwave and radar communications disk and radios. The vehicle also sports 3 2 terabyte Microsoft hard drive computers, for all the potential electronic needs. The weapon systems of the vehicles are electronically controlled, generally by the CROWS II or Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station program. As an intelligence counter measure, the vehicle sports a Boomerang Anti Sniper countermeasure, intended on finding the location of incoming shots, using an array of speakers. Given the relative price of the boomerang anti-sniper system however, this is often not included except for use by special forces or when in specific use by light infantry forces.


Armament
The vehicle is capable of using a wide array of weaponry, as can be fit on the CROWS II, Defender, and ARROWS automated firing systems, and can utilize a multitude of other automated weapons systems. However, the vehicle predominately uses the following.

1 x Automated Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun or 40mm automatic Mk 47 Striker grenade launcher
1 x M240 or M249 machine gun
2 x FGM-148 Javelin Anti-Tank missile
2 x FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles

1 x M224 60mm Mortar or
1 x 120mm M120 Koltam 6 120mm mortar