Brits Unleash Pitbulls On Taliban - With Video
Independent:
Fast, powerful and with a fearsome array of weaponry, it has already been named “Pitbull” by the soldiers who will drive it deep behind enemy lines.
The Army has unveiled its new £200,000 all-terrain vehicle, tailor-made for the hostile terrain of Helmand in Southern Afghanistan.
Senior officers say the vehicle will greatly enhance the fighting capability of their soldiers, and will save lives.
Armed with a mix of machine guns and an automatic grenade launcher, and with a range of more than 500 miles, the vehicle will be used to hunt down and destroy the Taliban during long range surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
Its crew of three will be able to call in air strikes using onboard communications equipment. The new all-terrain vehicle has a 5.9 litre engine capable of 80mph on roads and 40mph across the Helmand desert.
It has revolutionary air suspension which allows for a comfortable ride even over the roughest of terrain and helps the gunners to hit their targets while on the move.
Known officially as the M-Wmik - Mobility Weapons Mounted Installation Kit - the vehicle will replace the ageing Land Rover Wmiks, variations of which have been in service since the Fifties.
The Sunday Telegraph was given an exclusive preview of the vehicle’s capabilities on the Army’s training area on Salisbury Plain last week.
After almost 48 hours of rain, the terrain had turned into a quagmire but the M-Wmik cut through the clogging mud with ease and the bumps from the deeply rutted track were almost completely absorbed by the suspension.
The driver, Warrant Officer Nick Hartley, said it was easy to handle, with automatic transmission and power steering.
“It’s awesome. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Troops will be able to go deep into Taliban territory and hunt them down. It can go anywhere and it is very stable.”
The vehicle and crew are protected against mines by reinforced armour plating but the military says its best defence is its manoeuvrability and speed.
First to use the vehicle on operations will be the Pathfinders, from 16 Air Assault Brigade, due to begin arriving in Helmand soon.
The 202 vehicles purchased were made by Babcock Marine, a British engineering company, which also makes ships. Working with the Army, the company procured the vehicle in seven months.
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Designed, built, tested, shipped: 7 months! 5 per ~$2,000,000.
March 16th, 2008 at 11:37 amUgly is as ugly does … HEH!
To ya, mates!
March 16th, 2008 at 11:42 amThe guy on top looks like a sitting duck.
March 16th, 2008 at 12:11 pmThey all look to be very exposed to me. its a cool vehicle but in the day of the IED there doesnt seem to be much cover
March 16th, 2008 at 12:50 pma remake of “Mad Max” ?
March 16th, 2008 at 1:20 pmVery little frontal or side armor unless it is the new invisible type ……
March 16th, 2008 at 1:21 pmWhere is the armor?
March 16th, 2008 at 1:35 pmThey sure do look like sitting ducks, maybe there will be some adaptations made when it get to ’stan.
Does it come with air-conditioning?
March 16th, 2008 at 1:38 pmThe objective of the “pitbull” is not to ba a tank and patrol the streets in urban areas, but more like to go anywhere and everywhere, make it difficult to predict a path of travel and to hide IED’s.
Best plan yet to deal with Roadside bombs. Don’t use the roads.
March 16th, 2008 at 2:56 pmRoads? Afganistan has roads?
The bottom looks pretty well armored, so mines and most IEDs aren’t really a problem. I think the design philosophy is to appear out of nowhere and put enough firepower downrange to shock and break the enemy. That probably wouldn’t work very well in Iraq or more built up areas, but in the middle of nowhere or over broken terrain, it’s far more effective than a MRAP.
What good is tons of armor if it bogs you down in the mud? Off of a highway, a MRAP is an expensive, highly visisble bunker.
March 16th, 2008 at 4:00 pmYes - great bit of kit, I just hope it gets used for the intended purpose.
Those of you wondering about the armour may like to read this http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/2008/03/jeremy-clarkson-syndrome.html which gives some background and context.
March 16th, 2008 at 11:04 pm