Warriors Arrive

[tomahawk6]

Nice report. Great upgrade for the Brits from their very inadequate light vehicles - inadequate from a force protection standpoint anyway.

http://www.fromthefrontline.co.uk/blogs/index.php?blog=2&title=they_are_not_tanks&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

 

[kilekaldar]

Speaking as a Canadian soldier who saw British troops roll out of camp in unarmored Land Rovers, I'm very happy to hear that they are getting some armor. We've learned through hard experiance that our own LAV 3(a wheeled vehicle comparable to the Warrior) has been invaluable in combat and in protecting us against IEDs.

We also discovered that we actually did need full sized tanks, and brought those too. Hopefully the British military will reach the same conclusion and bring in their Challenger tanks.

Patrick C

 

[geo]

well... it's about F"/$ing time!

When someone told me a while back that Canadian troops in Afghanistan were the best equipped troops (on land), you gotta know that I figured there was something drasticaly wrong with that picture.

 

[retiredgrunt45]

Still gives a me a nice warm fuzzy feeling to hear our guys and gals are still the best equiped military over there. Seems such a contrast from just 10 years ago, when we we're the poorest equiped military in the world.

Just another example of how quick things happen when the poop hits the fan.

 

[RCR Grunt]

well... it's about F"/$ing time!

When someone told me a while back that Canadian troops in Afghanistan were the best equipped troops (on land), you gotta know that I figured there was something drasticaly wrong with that picture.

IMHO, we still are the best equipped ground force in theater, we have the only MBT's, and the Warrior isn't exactly "cutting edge."  It's a huge step forward in the way of force protection from the Land Rover though!

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Rarden

 

[1feral1]

Speaking as a Canadian soldier who saw British troops roll out of camp in unarmored Land Rovers
Patrick C

Seen many UK Landrovers in Murder City (AKA Baghdad) which appear unarmoured, but had a kevlar pack of armour which included inside the back. Windscreens and side windows appeared layered lexan. the doors were still suprisingly light, and I commented to the English, and they said anything is better than nothing.

Possibly all designed for NI style of use, and not IED/EFP etc. I am sure SAF would cut thru after a burst or two.

But like they said, anything is better than nothing.

NIL OPSEC here...

All Coalition Forces I observed had a range of uparmoured vehicles, both civvy pattern and military, for use in and around the IZ. The Poms used these LR's out in the RZ also, and we only used LAVs outside the wire. The enemy SAF we recieved on our LAVs only chipped the paint, ha! IEDs on our LAVs smashed them pretty good, blowing off tyres and wheel stations, but we never lost anyone. That ole Cdn built LAV impressed me to no end.


Cheers,

Wes

 

[baboon6]

IMHO, we still are the best equipped ground force in theater, we have the only MBT's, and the Warrior isn't exactly "cutting edge."  It's a huge step forward in the way of force protection from the Land Rover though!

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Rarden

Besides Warrior and Land Rover (both SNATCH and WMIK) the Brits also have Viking (BVS10 tracked armoured all-terrain vehicle), Mastiff (FP Cougar 6x6 protected patrol vehicle) and Vector (Pinzgauer 6x6 PPV) in Afghanistan. The last two arrived a few months ago, the Vikings have been there since last year. You can see videos of Viking and Mastiff in the same blog T6 linked to. There are of course also the Scimitar CVRTs and their derivatives.

 

[HItorMiss]

Umm I don't call armoured BV 206's that go 15 Km/H good kit, I call that a target.... I am not sure if you are calling that kit good or you're are saying they have good FP because of the vehicles, but regardless of your stance I would say it's Shyte in either forum. The Brits themselves are hard chargers kick a** take name soldiers but sadly in terms of the vehicles for most of their Afghan Operations I would say they were getting the brown end of the poo stick.

On a lighter note At least back in 03 they and us were driving unarmoured open vehicles around Kabul.... One major difference though, The Brits were Gurkha's.......

 

[geo]

HOM,

Not that long ago, WE we riding around Kabul in unarmoured open ILTIS.....

Been there, done that, upgraded to the LAV, thank god

 

[HItorMiss]

Geo

I know I did it  ;D

To be young and brave (stupid) again eh 

 

[KevinB]

I liked the open Iltis -- the Belgians rolled in them and it looked like a porcupine with the weapons covering their arc.

  Better than the " we sure as hell cant shoot out of this" (GWagon) - and then "the well we have to drive 5kph or it will tip on a turn" (GW C&R)

 

[HItorMiss]

Well the Iltis had it's merits for sure and in terms of a lot of things is a better piece of kit then the Gwagon (which I also like but not in the environment we are using it in) Had we porcupined our Iltis like the others it would have been perfect just not so much for say IED's and the like.

 

[geo]

Ain't it always the case, people slag the kit we had, it gets replaced, and then we remember all the good things there was about them.

It is obvious to all that the Iltis does not stand a chance against powerful IEDs... then again, neither does a GWagon.
Oh well, that's why they pay us the big bucks I guess.