Friday, 29 March 2024
logo
Up-to-the-minute perspectives on defence, security and peace
issues from and for policy makers and opinion leaders.
        



dv-header-dday
     |      View our Twitter page at twitter.com/defenceredbox     |     

militaryoperations

To judge from the British media, whose reportage sometimes verges on the hysterical, British troops are moving around Afghanistan in an inadequate number of death traps.

While it is true that approaching 100 troops have been killed this year, many of them by innoccuous sounding IEDs – landmines to you and me – there is a wide range and quantity of kit in theatre and more on the way. So far 500 vehicles have been delivered so far this year.

When a GMLRS (guided multiple launch rocket system) hit a large anti-tank landmine in Helmand Province earlier this year, its crew of three walked away without a scratch. The vehicle was not so lucky. A track, three wheels and bar armour was blasted off. Shock abosrbers and armour sponson plates were damaged.

But the crew was protected by upgrades put in place last year to improve ballistic and mine protection, including underbody armour and better protected seats. The GMLRS is designed to fire a precision guided rocket up to 70 Km, and is said to be the support weapon of choice for UK, US and danish forces.

The Jackal is a fast manoueverable cross country vehicle which can also do 80 MPH. When an IED was detonated under one recently, "the seats collapsed and the

protection systems worked," reports Sgt Mark Haig RM. None of the crew of this open topped replacement of the Land Rover WMIK was seriously injured. £74 million has been spent on upgrades to Jackal 2 standards, which is now in the field. More than 200 Jackals have seen service in Afghanistan and more Jackal 2's are on the way.

So too is the new 19 tonne Warthog all-terrain vehicle, of which over 100 were only ordered earlier this year. Manufactured in Singapore, the first one is due in the UK

within weeks. UK trainers are now being trained in operation and maintenance in Singapore. There will eventually be four variants – troop carrier; ambulance; recovery and repair; and command.

Material courtesy Defence Focus

Cookies
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Defence Viewpoints website. However, if you would like to, you can modify your browser so that it notifies you when cookies are sent to it or you can refuse cookies altogether. You can also delete cookies that have already been set. You may wish to visit www.aboutcookies.org which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of desktop browsers. Please note that you will lose some features and functionality on this website if you choose to disable cookies. For example, you may not be able to link into our Twitter feed, which gives up to the minute perspectives on defence and security matters.