isnt it about time our troops had equipment?

Question

vehicles that dont get ripped apart when they go over a mine - rifles that dont jam when firing in heat with sand - boots that dont melt, having to buy your kit from an army surplus, enough ammo, enough water oh and some reinforcements would be nice too, helicopters for evacuations, enough weapons to do the job, night sights - why dont our lads have enough kit?

Answer 1

I am satisfied with everything that I am given. Stop crying. Adapt and overcome. Its not the gear that wins the battle, its the men.

Answer 2

Actually the American army has the best and latest technology they all have more then 300 rounds on them at all times if they wanted and there is a lot of Blackhawk support. They have night vision goggles and if they clean there weapon regularly it won’t jam up. I do think the vehicles could be more armored though. I recall convoying through Baghdad in a plastic door HUMER! Also at the time we didn’t have bullet proof plate ….but now all solder are equipped with that…but damn when we took Iraq we really had nothing!! But now its good. 

Answer 3

They do have boots, they do have choppers, they do have night sights. And unless you want every single vehicle in Iraq a tank; even with the whole worlds best technoloy, it is impossible to buy a 4 wheeled or recon mission armor that will not get "ripped apart" from going over a mine. They do have water, and ammo. And theyd have reinforcements if people like YOU wouldnt have voted the Democrats in.

Answer 4

Hang on... I'll just grab a sandbag to sit on and a lantern to swing...

Right, now we are sitting comfortably... It is mainly the UK troops who aren't equipped properly. We became known as the 'borrowers' at one stage due to having to borrow kit from the Americans in order to get the job done. It all stems back to poor administration in appointing contracts to Defence Suppliers. The average squaddie would probably get better value for money if he was given a budget and told to amble off to Silvermans.

I was so fed up of having boots fall apart (buy your own magnum boots, they are far better), sleeping bags that weren't gortex, gloves that don't dry properly, non existent night sights, Eastern European ammunition for heavy weapons, helicopters that were grounded, plastic trousers (don't laugh they were called barrack dress trousers)

The americans on the other hand have stuff that actually works and is fit fir purpose. Why do we spend billions of pounds developing something that is inferior to the US product... we should just adapt and buy the US product... i.e. the billions we wasted on the Nimrod AWACS plane (Americans please don't laugh but this is based on a 1950's airliner platform) in the end we bought the magnificent USAF model. Another example being the LSW (Light support weapon) pile of s**t and guaranteed to jam and is magazine fed where the FN SAW is a perfect piece of kit that is belt fed and my weapon of choice. Also thanks to the Germans for fixing out crappy SA80 rifles!!

Answer 5

I suspect you aren't from the US. Probably from Great Britain. I can't answer why your troops are not properly equipt. I know here in the US it was because our previous administration had basically raped the defense budget to help fund the social programs. Our present adminitration had to play catch-up and get our men and women in uniform better equipment. That takes time and lots of money. I read an article some time ago where there was a think tank that had evaluated what was happening to the funding of the US military back in the late 90's. That study almost predicted that something like this would happen and that by cutting the budget to the military that we were making them weaker and less likely to succeed in an armed conflict. Their recommendation was to increase the budget back to previous levels before anything happened. They were ignored. I have to wonder what those men and women who took part in that study are thinking today.

Answer 6

Because our goverment has cut back on the mod budget and luxuries like new rifles and water dont come into it remember the budget is for the likes of tony blair who visit to boost morale and have a four course meal when they pop over.It is appalling that our soilders have to buy their own kit to go and defend our country i doubt the royals will have to buy their own kit let alone touch afgan or iraq soil .... squaddies wife who is very angry with our government

Answer 7

don't you think they are trying to come up with safer vehicles for our soldiers? my uncle works in aberdeen as a contracted civilian(going on 30 years i may add) and he tests all kinds of different weapons and vehicles covered and built with all kinds of safety features including body armor to find a way to prevent soldiers from getting blown up. its not easy as you may think. he told me alot of stories of ideas other people had. some are really crazy and others are really good ideas, but they didn't work out. i think the army has done a good job of getting the soldiers what they need. the only thing they haven't provided is a way out of iraq permanently.

Answer 8

Erm... are you questioning the quality or the quantity of the kit?

The only answer i can provide is that Iraq has been quoted today by Kofi Annan (check spelling ((UN guy)) that it is in a worse state than a civil war transport and communications are constantly being disrupted by rebel forces and this may be making matters over there very difficult to keep efficient.

Answer 9

You do get mine resistant vehicles. South Africa has developed a lot of very sucessful mine resistant vehicles. The other day I read about a vehicle which was built by South Africa get hit by a suicide bomber in his car. The crew were shaken but very much alive.

Answer 10

Because of penny pinching bureaucrats and politicians who have no idea what its like getting shot at. No doubt the pay rises they are voting for themselves would buy a few pieces of kit. Still as long as they are comfortable eh

Answer 11

funny how rumsfeld and bush and cheney and all these guys have made 100's of millions personally out of 9/11 and the iraq war indirectly through haliberton and all those big corporate and arms selling companys ,our countrys are in so much debt the troops are not getting the right equipment yet all these guys that made the decision to go to war have become extremely rich off it? .our governments are run by world banks ,heres the answer to all the issues you think to your self that you see dont add up ,eye opening stuff. http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=786048453686176230&q=terrorstorm