I don't know what the going rate for a HumV is but a few heads will roll over that one. I can only take it that it was an exercise in seeing if they could get x amounts of Vhls on the ground in one go? There is no pun intended here.
~$70,000 a pop- minimum. An up-armored version goes 3 times that. That's not taking into consideration the cost of sub-components that may have been installed on the vehicles when they 'burned in'.
As far as the exercise goes; this is actually just more or less how a Coy/Co/
Cie of Yank Paras deploys. Standard procedure, really. The paras are dropped first to secure their DZ (drop zone); afterward comes their equipment. What you're seeing in the video is the equipment (vehicles) coming in.
And Joe... Once again,
T'as raison, Comme D'habitude. Heads, American or not, indeed rolled. The Loadmaster was sacked and the film crew were given Letter's of Reprimand, which effectively ended their careers.
Still though, I ask you gents who served in other armies--particularly paras, but Cavalrymen as well-- what your honest reaction would have been, had you watched your beloved vehicle fall from the sky, 1250 ft (400M) in all, and just eat shite---just explode into a thousand pieces? I presume that
you wouldn't laugh.
But an American would. Because, F* it, plenty more where that one came from.