New vehicals are crap

Ann Winterton MP has just reamed Bob Ainsworth, Defence Minister, a New one . She might be a thieving cow but she has just amazed me by saying that most of the new Jaeckal,Panther, Vector, in fact every thing that is not based on the Mastif Chassis is complete crap and a waste of money and not able to take even a minor mine/IED attack without causing death to the crew. This was about 5 min ago on BBC Parliment and Ainsworth was at a lose to give her an answer

 

A grand total of nine MP's, nice of them to turn up.

 

Still got nine? Give it another week...

 

Just shows how much they care.

 

Out of curiosity, on what researched, assessed and considered grounds has she reached this conclusion? Saying things like "Jackal is crap" is easy - but I'd like to see some evidence to support that fairly contentious statement.

 

When questions are asked in the house of Commons such as " can my honourable friend tell me how many deaths have occured due to the the lack of armoured protection in the Jackal Patrol vehicle" It would seem to me that it is crap, it is not mine protected enough to take a hit from any Easten block mine, in todays defence debate

 

Here we go....

Mobility gives you protection but when it would seem that the overwhelming vast majority of casualties are from mines/IED's makes you wonder

 

That is what Ainsworth said, but then, said that they were not being used in the role that they were designed and purchesed for because other types were unfit for purpose, and that the only usefull, safe waggon was a Mastiff due to it's mine protection, of course if you use a couple of tons of explosive nothing is mine/IED protected

 

You don't need a couple of tons. A fairly small shaped charge will go through most things.

 

I actually quite like her. This, from wikipedia:

 

As will a high speed kinetic penetrator. Armour, mobility, reliablity, and portability and expense are all trade offs. The question is are they good desgins? Surely it needs more feed back from boots on the ground, than statistics from body counts?