Posted on 01/29/2004 4:20:56 PM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
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More new Humvees, armoring kits are making their way to Iraq By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes European edition, Thursday, January 29, 2004
ARLINGTON, Va. With funding secured and contracting processes completed, the Army is starting to move ever-larger quantities of both armoring kits and newly built armored Humvees into Iraq, Army officials said. There are now more than 2,000 up-armored Humvees in theater in Southwest Asia, which includes Afghanistan and Iraq, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker told the House Armed Services Committee in testimony on Wednesday. Maj. Gary Tallman, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon, did not have precise numbers for Iraq, but noted that most of the armored vehicles are there, rather than supporting the more limited Afghanistan mission. The latest number represents an increase since Sept. 30, when Gen. John Keane, the Armys vice chief of staff, told Congress there were about 800 armored Humvees in Iraq. Humvee maker American Motors General is building a new factory specifically for up-armored Humvees that is nearly completed, Tallman said. By spring, the manufacturer will be producing at the maximum rate of 220 armored Humvees per month, he said. In addition to new vehicles, the Army also has contracts to purchase 6,000 armor kits that can be installed by soldier mechanics in Iraq, Tallman said. The kits are destined to upgrade not only many of the 8,000 conventional Humvees now in Iraq, but other vehicles as well, such as heavy transports and trucks used in convoy operations, he said. The armor kits dont substitute for a fully armored vehicle, Tallman said, but its something we can do right now. About 200 of the kits have been shipped to Iraq so far, and more are being shipped as soon as they are built, he said. The Army is testing kits from a number of manufacturers who hope to sell their version to the service. Up-armored Humvees featured heavily armored skins, including reinforcement on the undercarriage to protect against mine explosions, and bullet-resistant windshields. The heavy armor requires reinforced suspension systems and upgraded engines and power trains. Last May, there were just 235 up-armored Humvees in Iraq, because U.S. war planners had decided that tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles would be more crucial. But when warfighting operations morphed into peacekeeping and battles became operations against guerrilla tactics, U.S. casualties began to rise. Today, the Army has defined a 4,000-vehicle requirement for armored Humvees in Iraq and Afghanistan 3,200 for Iraq alone, Tallman said. But that could take a while as late as the summer of 05 before we would have them all, Acting Army Secretary Les Brownlee told Senate Armed Services Committee members in November. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., told Brownlee at the hearing to make armored Humvees a top priority in Iraq. I dont think we can accept an 05 deadline, Warner said. Brownlee said the Army officials agreed, which was why they were planning to send the armor kits. In the fall, Congress earmarked sufficient funds to pay for both new up-armored Humvees and armor kits to modify existing vehicles in the 2003 defense supplemental, which included $177 million in Humvee money. |
With funding secured and contracting processes completed, the Army is starting to move ever-larger quantities of both armoring kits and newly built armored Humvees into Iraq, Army officials said. I dont think we can accept an 05 deadline, Warner said. Brownlee said the Army officials agreed, which was why they were planning to send the armor kits. In the fall, Congress earmarked sufficient funds to pay for both new up-armored Humvees and armor kits to modify existing vehicles in the 2003 defense supplemental, which included $177 million in Humvee money.
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great, now if only the ROE will allow them to shot first and ask questions later
I'll second that. Any Iraqi with a weapon should be considered a threat and taken out.
I'm happy to see my tax dollars go for whatever it takes -- to protect our troops!
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BTW, immediately prior to opening this thread, I got an e-mail from "#2 Son", 82nd ABN's "Sgt Chris"!
(SUBJECT: Lovely Iraq!)
"I'm OK & at a Firebase south of Baghdad; been an interesting couple of days here ..."
"Living conditions are pretty good; better than the last time I was here!!!"
["last time" = 1991 -- Desert Storm... TXnMA]
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Lord, please help us give Sgt Chris and all our troops who go into harm's way all the tools they need to protect themselves. But, more importantly, please wrap them in Your loving arms of care -- and bring them safely home to all those who love them.
1. Production of uparmored humvees is not capped at 220 per month. That is a myth. The production potential is well in excell of 300 and probably 500 per month. The DoD is not being candid with congress on this matter.
2. Retrofit kits have been delayed by antiquated requisition and evaluaton proceedures in the army. The marines are shortcutting the process and getting equipment in the field months if not years ahead of the army.
3. This article is to offset scathing criticism from congress this week on the topic.
So glad you heard from your Sgt. Chris, and that he has a sense of humor ~ and perspective. (^:
Did he hear this speech?
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Over the next two months, 250,000 Soldiers will be on the move in and out of Iraq -- the biggest Army movement since World War II, Brownlee said. To minimize the danger, we need somebody who already has combat experience. Sorry you got picked on again. When you are really good, you get picked on. Link
February 3, 2004: When American troops in Iraq first encountered frequent ambushes and roadside bombs, they realized that their unarmored trucks and hummers were particularly vulnerable. While many rushed to attach armor plates to the vehicles, some of the reserve troops who were cops back home knew of better solutions. At least two firms were selling light weight bulletproof composites that could be quickly attacked to police cars (doors, hood and so on). One type, Aztik 100, consisted of light weight, bendable panels. One side had glue on it, protected by paper that was peeled away when you wanted to attach a panel to a police car, or hummer, door or hood. Another product, RhinoPak, quickly developed a set of rigid lightweight bulletproof panels built to fit right on a hummer, including the top. Bullet proof glass is also provided for the windshield. The composite armor will stop a heavy machine-gun bullet (.50 caliber or 14.5mm. These panels would also stop most fragments from a bomb exploding nearby. As a result of recent reforms, units had money, and authority, available to get these armor kits, and many did.
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