MRAP delays -"Different things happen in the continuum and there are certainly going to be time lags associated,"

Marine Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan invited the press to test-drive three mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) models at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would fall short of its target of delivering 3,500 vehicles by year-end. To date, roughly 400 MRAPs have been delivered to Iraq and another 1,100 will arrive there by year-end, the military now says.
(MRAP Delivery Estimates Cut Over Half - Wired)

During a July 18 press conference at the Pentagon, John Young, chairman of DoD’s MRAP Task Force, ( Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ top program priority) had said — “ambitiously,” according to Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell — that 3,500 to 3,900 would be delivered to Iraq in that time.(Defense news)

The Pentagon has already ordered more than 6,415 MRAPs and plans to award a second round of contracts for these behemoths later this year.

Ladson, S.C.-based Force Protection Industries Inc. and Fairfax, Va.-based General Dynamics have received contracts so far worth over $1 billion to build more than 1,900 vehicles by February 2008. The UK have also placed orders with Force Protection worth over US$400Mn.

There are now 5 armored vehicle-makers delivering hundreds of MRAPs to a military facility in South Carolina, which is struggling to keep pace with putting all the necessary equipment such as radios and comms , jammers and armament on the volume of vehicles needed overseas which takes 15 days and then a further 35 days by sea.

Brogan said in fractured English "Different things happen in the continuum and there are certainly going to be time lags associated," said .

Shipping them to Iraq and elsewhere by military transport is proving more difficult and expensive than expected and Brogan had to explain that the Pentagon is looking at using commercial aircraft or ships as the volume of MRAP delivery increases to both Afghanistan and Iraq.

David Axe from War is Boring reports that when inquisitive reporters wanted details of specific examples of incidents where MRAPs proved resistant to roadside bombs, Brogan grew impatient. He said that he would not discuss operational details, and pointed out that all the press attention on this potentially $20-billion program was providing intel to insurgents and even encouraging propaganda-motivated attacks on MRAPs. "As we field these things, because of what all you are doing and how much you are touting the fact that they protect our troops ... these are becoming symbolic targets," reports Reuters.

"Imagine if I'm a football coach and I've developed a play that's going to score every time I run it," he said ..."I sure don't want to hand it on in writing to the opposing defense," Brogan said. Ih he has a play that score every time the Colts want to have a word with him... the street bombers making their IED's don't need telegraphing anything about these big mother fucking trucks cruising their streets.

On reflection it seems a curious reaction if they had invited the press along to have a look at their massive US$20Bn program which is way.way,way behind schedule.... good job they didn't ask about the Albatross Osprey program and their much (and many) heralded arrival in Iraq,last year, spring, summer, fall.

At least 14 other companies to submit test vehicles for this highly lucrative market by mid-September, including AM General Corp., the maker of armored Humvees, Oshkosh Truck Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp., Ceradyne Inc., L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. and Textron Inc., and two international companies, including Regis Trading International of South Africa and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann of Germany. Contractors will be selected in early December.

Looks like more gravy for the mil-industrial complex.

PS : If you are yet another visitor from US Marine Corps at PensacolaFL. Hi !