Posted on 11/26/2002 3:44:22 PM PST by knighthawk
The UK has begun preparing key items of equipment for possible operations in Iraq should UN weapons inspectors fail to verify Iraq's disposal of its weapons of mass destruction capability.
The move comes as service chiefs expressed concerns about the impact of a prolonged strike by the UK's fire service on the readiness of the armed forces, which have committed more than 19,000 personnel to provide coverage during the strike.
However, units from the 1st (UK) Armoured Division based in Germany that previously were on standby to provide fire coverage were ordered to resume training for military operations in late September. If the UK decides to deploy major ground forces to the Gulf, they will come primarily from this formation.
Earlier this month, Alvis Vickers, prime contractor for the UK’s Challenger 2 MBT, began producing 'desert' modification kits for the vehicle.
A National Audit Office report released on 1 August on 'Saif Sareea II', a major UK exercise staged in Oman in late 2001, discussed equipment shortcomings highlighted during the exercise. Chief among these were the Challenger 2 and the AS90 155mm self-propelled howitzer, which had difficulties coping with conditions in Oman. Industry sources indicated that BAE Systems RO Defence was expecting to receive a contract to produce modification kits for the AS90.
The deployment of UK forces will be made easier by the entry into service of two more Roll-on, Roll-off strategic sealift vessels. AWSR Shipping has received a contract worth almost £1 billion ($1.58 billion) to provide a strategic sealift service over a 25-year period based on six new 23,235-tonne Ro-Ro vessels.
264 of 543 words
[End of non-subscriber extract.]
(Excerpt) Read more at janes.com ...
Regards, Ivan
Further violations will involve the destruction of Riyadh, Medina, and so on. We will not stop until all the pillars of their religion are utterly destroyed unless they stop.
Regards, Ivan
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.