Afstan: US to supply allies with MRAPS but not M-ATVs (see road test); more Romanians and Poles for ISAF
Encouraging some of them to go "outside the wire" more often?
More videos from the manufacturer at the right here (via Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht).
U.S. military equipment to go to alliesNow the conclusion of a road test from Car and Driver (take a look at the photo gallery):
Nations with troops in Afghanistan stand to get armored vehicles and bomb detectors.
Reporting from Istanbul, Turkey - The United States on Friday promised allies armored vehicles and technology meant to protect against roadside bombs, an offer officials hope will entice those nations to step up their contributions to the war in Afghanistan.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the U.S. would provide heavily armored mine resistant ambush protected trucks, known as MRAPs, to allies conducting operations in violent areas of Afghanistan [more on MRAPS here with a strong Canadian angle]...
Officials have been pleased with some countries' responses to the U.S. and NATO requests for help. Germany last week pledged about 850 additional troops, including about 500 trainers [more here]. Romania has pledged 600 additional troops.
[I'd missed that, will bring their total close to 1,800; most of their troops are in Zabul province, part of RC South, with a combat role, see middle of this post. That's with a population of some 21 million. Poland, with a population of some 38 million, is also doing a fair bit:...Ever see anything about the Poles and Romanians in our major media? Hah!]
Poland, responsible for security in Afghan Ghazni province [also with a combat role], has deployed some 2,000 soldiers, part of the NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Poland plans to increase the size of its ISAF contingent to 2, 600 soldiers in April 2010...
"Everybody understands the centrality of trainers," said a senior U.S. official this week. "The strategic effort of 2010 is to build up a credible Afghan national security force."
But the recruitment effort was dealt a blow Friday with France's decision to send only a small number of additional troops. French Defense Minister Herve Morin told reporters that France would provide 80 additional trainers [emphasis added, but at least they're doing some fighting]...
The armored trucks being provided to NATO and other allies fighting in Afghanistan are the heavier original models that were used in Iraq. With the troop draw-down there, the U.S. has surplus trucks that can be donated, lent or sold to allies.
The U.S. is trying to step up production of a lighter off-road version of the MRAP called the MATV [more here]. These will not be given to allies, because the U.S. still doesn't have enough for its own troops, U.S. officials said...
In Afghanistan there are 4,170 MRAPs. About 800 MATVs have been delivered to the Defense Department, and 407 of those are in the field in Afghanistan.
...Update: Car and Driver video:On-road, it’ll do a maximum of 65 mph. You wouldn’t call it nimble, but there’s little steering slop and the sense that if you hit something it’s not going to matter so much anyway. Acceleration is tank-like (although 0 to 60 in 32.8 seconds is quicker than an actual tank), and it’s noisy, with a little throttle lag.
Big brake drums require significant pedal pressure, but panic stops are drama-free. The nose dives, and you can actually see the anti-lock brakes pulse the M-ATV to a halt. An ATC test driver managed 0.46 g on our improvised 200-foot-diameter skidpad (an airfield helicopter ordnance-loading pad), the M-ATV tilting obscenely and actually lifting the unloaded front wheel. But really, your mom could drive this thing.
And that’s the point. The M-ATV is for fighting as well as driving. Ease of operation means experienced MRAP drivers need only about 14 hours of instruction, complete novices just 40 hours. The M-ATV has no formal name yet, but we’re tempted for obvious reasons to call it the “B’Gosh.” In Afghanistan, the M-ATV will endure months and perhaps years of the most arduous duty, where it must bring as many soldiers home as possible. Maybe they should call it the RTB.
SpecificationsTRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Wheelbase: 154.8 in Length: 246.8 in
Width: 98.1 in Height: 105.0 in
Curb weight: 25,000 lb
Zero to 60 mph: 32.8 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 30.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 24.5 sec @ 54 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 65 mph
Braking, 60–0 mph: 269 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.46 g
More videos from the manufacturer at the right here (via Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht).
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 1:30 p.m.
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