Here are five other aluminum things that are every bit as tough as a Ford Truck.
1. M551 Sheridan Tank
Next time someone questions the strength of your aluminum truck, just remind them that the United States saw fit to build tanks out of it. The M551 Sheridan made use of aluminum to make it lighter and faster. It needed to be light so it could be dropped by parachute and ford rivers. The M551 saw extensive use in Vietnam, as well as Panama and the Gulf War before it was retired in 1996.
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2. Military Combat Vehicle Armor
Aluminum wasn't just used in tanks to make them lighter, it has also been used extensively in various military combat vehicle armor applications. To date, every aluminum military vehicle uses 5xxx series hardened alloy. This material has a ton of benefits for combat; it's light, weldable, provides good protection, it's easy to fabricate and machine, and it provides great structural integrity and watertightness.
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3. Minuteman Missile Transporter
When you're trying to move a missile into place during the heat of combat, you can't exactly afford for anything to fall apart. That's why the Minuteman missile transporter features a ton of aluminum components. They include the wheels, front hubs, fifth wheel control arms and cross braces, equalizer beams, suspension brackets, gas tanks, and radiator, just to name a few.
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4. M-102 Weapon Carriage
The M-102 is a lightweight weapon carriage designed to handle rough terrain. It needed to be lightweight so that it could be transported by helicopter, and tough enough to be towed at high speed across rugged terrain. And it's made almost entirely out of aluminum. Strength is obviously critical with something like the M-102, as you didn't want your trailer carrying explosives falling apart while driving through enemy territory.
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5. Navy Hydrofoil
Hydrofoils were fast, small attack boats designed to counter enemy missile boats. Their combination of speed and impressive array of weapons made them formidable foes on the water. To keep them light and maneuverable, aluminum was used extensively in their construction. The flexible and tough nature of the metal allowed the Navy to build a ship that used a sophisticated structural design.
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