Posted on 06/08/2007 5:41:42 PM PDT by SJackson
A nine-pronged fork at the end of a 30-foot (10 metre) metal arm, a remote-guided weapons system "100 times better" than a gunner, and a bulldozer named "Natasha" are among the best weapons US soldiers in Iraq have in their war against roadside bombs.
The hunt for improvised explosive devices (IEDS) is one of the most important missions at this sprawling base, which sits about seven miles (11 kilometers) from executed dictator Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.
Reporters visiting Camp Speicher with Vice President Dick Cheney this week got a demonstration from soldiers eager to give journalists a small taste of the war seen from their heavily armoured vehicles.
"People back home really don't know what we do," Staff Sergeant Cory Bell, 25, explains with a wry grin. "They say, 'you're in a Buffalo? What?' So I don't bother."
There's another reason Bell doesn't go into detail with friends or family in Pennsylvania: His mission is to find and dispose of roadside bombs, but "I try not to scare the wife. I tell her we move rocks and stuff."
Bell doesn't mind that the demonstration may blow his cover at home: He wants to talk about the Buffalo, a 45,000-pound (20,500-kilogram), six-wheeled armoured vehicle in which he hunts for IEDs.
He describes the vehicle to journalists the way he might speak to raw recruits a little intimidated by the machine: "Don't get confused. This arm is like your arm, and you can do anything with this arm that you do with yours."
Except that Bell is talking about a 30-foot (10-meter) steel limb sticking out of his "Buffalo," equipped with remote-control cameras and ending in metal fork with nine prongs that he uses to dig up -- or blow up -- roadside bombs.
Sometimes, the IEDs destroy the fork, he says casually, but "better a fork than a soldier. You can always buy more forks."
Last week, Bell and his team destroyed six IEDs in three days, though he's wary of drawing sweeping conclusions: "We're finding more of them. Either they're putting that many more down or we're just getting that much better."
But the message reporters are meant to draw from the demonstration is clear: US forces can win a war that remains overwhelmingly unpopular at home, as long as they have US public support and the right equipment.
"Every IED we find is at least one life saved -- an American or an Iraqi. We've found at least 300, so that's at least 300 lives saved," says First Sergeant David Hopkins, who survived an IED attack on December 4, 2006.
"A normal car, I would probably not be standing here," said Hopkins, who was in a specially armoured vehicle. "I might still be alive, but I wouldn't be standing here talking about it."
Nearby sits a D9 Armoured Bulldozer, a 135,600-pound colossus that troops use to clear wreckage from roads, fill craters, and bring down buildings used by insurgents or extremists.
"It's got more balls than anything I've ever driven," says Private First Class Randal Grime, inviting a reporter to sit in the driver's seat.
The reinforced glass is pock-marked from a IED blast, and graffiti above the steering wheel urges its caretakers to note "Dozer name: 'Natasha'" and includes a note from the Israeli forces who had her first.
Nearby, Specialist Eric Emo, 23, shows off the Common Remotely Operated Weapon System, which he said "is 100 times better than a regular joe behind a gun" in part thanks to its laser sighting, body heat detection during night missions, and the computer-assisted systems that sharply increase its accuracy.
It also includes a remote-controlled robot with a pincer hand, better suited to small spaces than the Buffalo.
With it, Emo keeps a lookout for any potential threats to the team.
"It's just like a video game for big kids," says Emo, who points out thumb-sized holes in the vehicle stemming from an IED blast.
Nearby, Sergeant Aaron Fore, 43, helps a reporter into the gunner's turret of his armoured vehicle, and encourages him to grab the controls of "Old Painless" -- the .50 caliber machine gun.
The vehicle has run 8,500 miles, over 74 missions, has been struck eight times with no injuries, while helping to destroy more than 10 IEDs, says Fore, who smiles when asked his age.
"I'm 43," he says with a chuckle. "They tease me about it. I was reading a military history magazine recently, and one of the other guys came up and said 'what are you doing? Looking for your picture'?"
"They call me 'Grandpa,' which I am," he said. "I have grandkids at home."
Counter IED Vehicle
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The Buffalo uses steel wheels and disc rollers which allow the vehicle to be driven over and detonate anti-personnel mines without sustaining damage. As a result, unusually large numbers of mines can be neutralized in a short period of time. The vehicle retains all round (including roof) ballistic protection from 7.62mm NATO ball cartridges. This armor is upgradeable to protect against Dragunov AP cartridges. In a recent incident that involved a Buffalo vehicle which ran over an anti-tank mine, the blast tore off a wheel and destroyed an axle on the vehicle. There were no casualties to the crew inside the Buffalo and the vehicle maintained its mobility and drove itself out of the minefield. It was repaired overnight and was back in operation the following day.
On November 9th, 2006 the US Marine Corps will soon get 200 additional Cougar Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicles (JERRV) and 80 Buffalo mine protected explosive devices clearance vehicles. The total contract worth is estimated at $214 million.
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This vehicle is quite a beast. Awesome.
GM will have em in your Cadillac stores in two years as Hummer 4’s . The guns will be optional and rigged for
paint balls.
There were some of these in Kandahar while I was there last year, although I think they belonged to the Brits and Canadians... not exactly sure.
Hmm, wonder if the former Israli D9 is the dozer of Rachel Corrie fame.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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An interesting catch by Atchafalaya. We're using Israeli dozers?
The reinforced glass is pock-marked from a IED blast, and graffiti above the steering wheel urges its caretakers to note "Dozer name: 'Natasha'" and includes a note from the Israeli forces who had her first.
I was wondering the same thing.
These soldiers are bravely, eagerly, competently and even cheerfully completing the mission they were sent on.
Those who want to undercut that mission are scum.
I don’t care who they are or what party they are in. If they want to pull the rug out from underneath our soldiers, they are scum.
That goes for all of them. Left and right, black and white. If you are against our soldiers, you are scum.
Any Transformers fans out there, this is the vehicle they are using for the Decepticon Bonecrusher in the new movie coming out 7/4/07.
Looks like something from the future in the Terminator flics.
Me three.
On another note, I wonder if PETA should be told about our soldiers using 'buffalo' to hunt IEDs. Then they can make a big stink and show themselves as completey brainless. Again.
“overwhelmingly unpopular at home, as long as they have US public support”
LOL
You don’t have to be a Sesame Street alumnus to wonder at that statement.
bump
I remember the scene from the movie; the poster clinch/kiss is classic...pilgrim.
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14 Buffalos are currently in service with US Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additional 21 vehicles were purchased by the Army in May 2004, at a cost of $15.3 million with deliveries planned for completed by December 2004. The US Army ordered 15 additional Buffalos in November 2004, under a separate 11.8 million contract. On February 7, 2006 Force Protection announced a new order from the US Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, for 19 Buffalo mine clearance vehicles, with options for 27 more. Differing from other EOD vehicles, The heavily protected Buffalo is a central element in the US Army's counter-IED 'hunter-killer' concept. that protects convoys against the threat of mines and IEDs. enables engineers to inspect suspected objects from safe distance, using the robotic arm and video cameras, operated from the relative safety of the protected cabin. large windows of armored glass provide good visibility to the sides of the vehicle, to enable effective operation on route patrols and dealing with suspected IEDs.