What's Wrong with the British Army's Land Rovers?

Remember the controversy that engulfed the US military when it was discovered that American troops were suffering significant combat losses because they were patrolling Iraq in lightly armored HMMWV vehicles that were vulnerable to roadside bombs?  A similar controversy is now unfolding in the United Kingdom as a result of combat losses stemming from the use of lightly armored Land Rover vehicles.

CNN reports that the commander of British special forces in Afghanistan recently "resigned in disgust" because military leaders and government officials ignored his warnings about the safety of so-called SNATCH Land Rovers used by the British Army in Afghanistan. And as any armchair off-road enthusiast can tell you, the SNATCH Land Rovers are based on the civilian Land Rover Defender platform. Defense Industry Daily explains:

The lightly-armored Land Rovers were originally designed for service in Northern Ireland. Protection levels against small arms fire are lower than the USA’s up-armored Hummers, and they suffer from flat, un-armored bottoms that make them little better than a civilian car against underbody land mine blasts. Worse, their off road capability in terrain like Afghanistan’s is considered rather limited, forcing them onto roads as obvious targets.

These characteristics have made the Land Rovers a target of controversy for some time now. To date, 34 British troops have been killed in Land Rover Snatch vehicles while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan – 1/8 of all British casualties in those theaters.

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Comments

[Jonathan C Williams]

Don't understand why they don't buy these from South Africa…
http://www.southafrica.info/business/trade/export/landsystems-300505.htm

[Sue]

Now Jonathan thats an excellent idea, maybe they should look into that. Thanks for sharing that link, interesting read.

[Susan Trade In's]

"To date, 34 British troops have been killed in Land Rover Snatch vehicles while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan – 1/8 of all British casualties in those theaters."

This is crazy that so many have died surely this would make you wake up and see that there is something wrong with make.