Army says bomb-resistant trucks going to Iraq

[struggle4progress]

By TOM ROEDER
THE GAZETTE
July 8, 2007 - 11:53PM

Soldiers will get better bomb protection on the roads of Iraq, even if the Army has to use World War II production methods to provide it, the Army’s No. 2 general said last week at Fort Carson.

Gen. Richard Cody, the service’s vice chief of staff, said he’s pushing to get new bomb-resistant trucks to troops by fall. He said he supports using multiple manufacturers to kick out the trucks, a production technique used with great success in World War II. ~snip~

http://www.gazette.com/articles/army_24604___article.html/bomb_soldiers.html

Gotta wonder what would have happened if the US waited 4.5 yrs to ramp up production for WWII ...

[phildo]

1. hmmm, great. More targets.

Bigger, badder trucks = bigger badder bombs to take them out.

[Soulshine]

2. yeah...

Actually I think they have a special undercarriage to deflect IED blasts, but I'm sure they'll find a way around it in 6 months anyways

[phildo]

4. Any strength is also a weakness . . .

The defeat for undercarriage armor is a shaped charged. Focuses the blast and turns the armor into shrapnel that will be blown through the vehicle. Most anyone in this field knows this -- it is old Vietnam era technology. And the "bad guys" already have these.

On our side, the correct defeat for a stationary explosive (such as an IED) is to stay out of the blast range. Pretty simple and totally effective.

The defense contractors and the military planners know this. They are not stupid. But there is better money in getting folks and equipment blown up.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. yeah, make them "bombproof"

idiots.

just imagine the cred of the first guy to blow one up.