 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
British troops in Afghanistan, Iraq to get new armoured vehicles
London (AFP) Jul 24, 2006 Britain plans to send nearly 300 new armoured vehicles to better protect the country's troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Des Browne said Monday. There has been criticism that existing vehicles in the two strife-ridden countries fail to give British soldiers sufficient protection. Browne, however, said: "The protection of our forces is a top priority. "Military operations are inherently risky and armour is only the innermost layer in the force protection system. "But this package of new equipment shows we are doing everything possible to provide our troops with some of the best protection available." His announcement follows an urgent review of the armoured vehicles available to British forces. A consignment of around 70 specially armoured FV430 troop carriers, said to give better protection than Warrior armoured personnel carriers, are due to be delivered in Iraq later this year, adding to 54 already in service. About 100 Vector vehicles, which offer better protection than existing "snatch" Land Rovers, should arrive in Afghanistan early next year, to add to the 66 already there. And troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will have the use of 100 Cougar armoured patrol vehicles over the next six months. The Ministry of Defence refused to reveal how much the new vehicles would cost, saying the figure was "commercially sensitive". Thousands of British troops are deployed in southern Iraq and also the restive south of Afghanistan where they are providing security for the new governments in those two countries. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Nuclear Space Technology at Space-Travel.com
ETimor police surrender weapons to Australian peacekeepers
Jakarta (AFP) Jul 24, 2006 East Timorese police who had illegally kept weapons in their homes for protection during weeks of unrest surrendered dozens of firearms to Australian peacekeepers on Monday, the head of the force said. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
