Defence Minister sees new armoured vehicles in Iraq
13 Mar 07
In a recent visit to the UK forces in Basra, Defence Minister Lord Drayson was shown the MASTIFF, the newest armoured vehicle to have been delivered to the front line.
Private Ciaran Castle, Royal Logistic Corps, tells Lord Drayson the MASTIFF is "a good bit of kit"
[Picture: Cpl Ian Forsyth RLC]
In under six months these 27 tonne vehicles were purchased, upgraded with specialist equipment and delivered to Iraq, arriving in December 2006.
Following training in Iraq the MASTIFF vehicles have recently started to be used on patrol.
The MASTIFF Company Commander, Major Dan Bradbury, 1st Yorkshire Regiment, said:
"The soldiers love it. It's a real investment in their protection."
Royal Logistic Corps MASTIFF driver, Private Ciaran Castles, said:
"All round it's a good bit of kit. It's enjoyable to go out there because you feel more safe and you know if it comes down to it, you've got that extra armour to protect you."
"The soldiers love it. It's a real investment in their protection."
Major Dan Bradbury, 1st Yorkshire Regiment
Having watched a demonstration of the MASTIFF, Lord Drayson said:
"The situation in Iraq is changing rapidly, and it is important that we keep pace with this and continue to provide our Forces with the support and equipment they need. I was therefore delighted to see the new MASTIFF vehicles and hear positive feedback from the troops who are using them on operations.
"The MoD procurement team worked tirelessly to get these vehicles built, adapted and out to theatre in record time. I pay tribute to this achievement."
The MASTIFF, a heavily armoured, wheeled vehicle suitable for road patrols and convoys, is the newest delivery in a range of protected patrol vehicles being used in Iraq.
The MASTIFF is the newest delivery in a range of protected patrol vehicles being used in Iraq
[Picture: Cpl Ian Forsyth RLC]
It is a 6x6 wheel-drive patrol vehicle from Force Protection Inc. which carries six people, plus two crew. It has a maximum speed of 55 mph (89 kph), and can be armed with a machine gun, 50mm canon or 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
The other recent new vehicle to arrive in Iraq is the Bulldog vehicles which have been in theatre since November 2006 and have been regularly used on patrols round Basra.
Bulldog is a tracked armoured vehicle, weighing 18 tonnes with a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 kph). It carries seven people with a crew of two, and is armed with 7.62 machine gun and general purpose machine gun.
Lord Drayson added:
"As Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, a visit like today's, to hear directly from troops about the challenges they face and the support we deliver, is invaluable. Today's visit will inform the decisions I have to make to ensure we deliver the tools our troops need to do their demanding jobs."