MRAP.

This is coolbert:

From the News Hour, last night on PBS, speaking about the mine resistant vehicle everyone in Iraq now wants.

[my comments in BOLD!]

"Procurement Process Slows Deployment of Improved Vehicles"

The mine-resistant vehicle has previously been the subject of several blog entries.

The Buffalo. Originally developed in South African, designed, developed, and manufactured in ever more resistant variations. The Buffalo is the SAME as the South African "Buffel"?

"the MRAP, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protection vehicle, whose v-shaped hull disperses the impact of an IED or a landmine from below, the leading cause of American deaths in Iraq."

That V-shaped hull that is so famous. What is not mentioned is that for EVEN GREATER protection, the South African version had a water tank between the hull and the crew compartment, allowing for increased mitigation of mine blast. I am not sure if the Buffalo has the water tank present or not. A nice feature to have in a desert climate as well! And the weight of all that water prevents the Buffalo, with the high ground clearance it has, from becoming too top heavy?

"at least 1,200 Americans have been killed by IEDs, and even the military agrees that MRAPs could have saved most of them."

As of this date, NO American troop has been killed by a mine blast while riding in a Buffalo!!??

"LT. GEN. JAMES MATTIS: We had a very low industrial base that could produce these. We're talking about 12, maybe 18 a month. We were also having reliability problems, because we did not have a long development program for this. As fast as they could build them, we were sending them out."

General Mattis has commanded Marines in Iraq several times now. Commanded at Ramadi and Fallujah?!

"this is 40-year-old South African technology."



Rudimentary technology to begin with, developing to ever increasing degree of sophistication over time.

"One last note about the MRAPs. The Pentagon originally announced a goal of 3,500 to be delivered by year's end, then amended that to 3,500 to be produced, claiming a mix-up. In any case, there's no assurance that more than 1,500 MRAPs will make it to Iraq by January 1st."

Right, double-speak, official-speak, etc. The type of stuff the general public both does not understand and detests.

"We had a very low industrial base that could produce these" - - General Mattis.

The U.S. has a very low industrial base??!! The U.S. has a very low industrial base??!!

You get it!!

coolbert.