U.S. Army Orders 44 MRAPS

[Re-Con]

In an unusual development in the U.S. Marine Corps-led Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program, the U.S. Army has ordered 44 RG-31 Mk5 Mine Protected Vehicles in a $19.9 million deal with General Dynamics Land Systems — Canada.

The RG-31 is one of nine MRAPs being considered by Marine Corps Systems Command (SysCom), the lead on the joint-service effort to procure ambush-protected vehicles for Iraq and Afghanistan. The vehicles are designed with a V-shaped hull to defend against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by deflecting shrapnel and bomb fragments. The Pentagon is hoping to procure more than 23,000 MRAP vehicles for the Marines, Army, Navy and Special Operations forces by 2010.

The RG-31 is based on a BAE design; under the contract between GDLS- Canada and the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management, the Canadian subsidiary of GDLS will manage the procurement while the vehicles are manufactured in South Africa by BAE Land Systems. The vehicles will be delivered by October and November of 2007, according to a GDLS written statement.

U.S. forces have previously ordered 448 RG-31 vehicles, 265 Mk5s for the Army and Special Operations, and 24 Mk5s for the MRAP program.

http://defensenews.com/story.php?F=2848590&C=landwar

[[R-DEV]Bob_Marley]

Well at least the US are getting their monies worth for funding the South African Border War!

Mind you, if it saves lives and helps the coalition forces to stablise Iraq and Afghanistan who gives a monkey's where it comes from.

[Mouse]

LOl Bob