Better armor (vehicles) lacking for new troops in Iraq

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-te.armor10jan10,0,2049191.story?coll=bal-iraq-headlines

The thousands of troops that President Bush is expected to order to Iraq will join the fight largely without the protection of the latest armored vehicles that withstand bomb blasts far better than the Humvees in wide use, military officers said.

Vehicles such as the Cougar and the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle have proven ability to save lives, but production started late and relatively small numbers are in use in Iraq, mostly because of money shortages, industry officials said.

More than 1,000 American troops have been killed by roadside bombs since the war began in March 2003. At present there are fewer than 1,000 of the new armored trucks in Iraq. At $500,000 to $700,000 each, they cost more than twice as much as a standard Humvee, but already they are proving their worth.

"They are expensive, but they are going to save lives," said Gen. James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, during a recent trip to Iraq, where he reviewed the service's effort to get more of the vehicles.

<snip>

(Buffalos & Cougars) The firm is producing 40 vehicles a month, said its vice president, Mike Aldrich, a retired Army officer educated at West Point.

<snip>

(M1117) Today, Textron Inc. is producing 48 per month at its New Orleans plant under a contract for 1,250 vehicles.

40 & 48 vehicles a month - the Bush Admin, Pentagon, and Repukes should be hung! I'm glad these idiots weren't in charge during WWII!

[wakeme2008]

1. Do a Walmart and outsource it to China....

Bet they could build 500 a month.... :grr:

[saigon68]

4. Nah-- the Iraqi Resistance Forces will just plant BIGGER IEDs

Rather than putting 5 or 6 155MM shels in a hole


They will put 40 or 50 in a hole and then throw in a few boxes of C-4 and a welding tank of O2

Just for giggles

[crickets]

2. So basically the new troops are just a sop to Bush's pride

and more bloody fodder for the meat grinder. Nice.

[happyslug]

3. Some commanders have been demanding the use of M113s

Which are in Storage and are even better than these M1117s at protecting troops.

More on the M1117:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/asv.htm
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/asv.htm

On the M113:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M113_Armored_Personnel_Carrier
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m113.htm