Breaking news
British soldiers have survived a strike of IED in Afghanistan with new upgraded Scimitar Mk2 0811112.
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Defense News - United Kingdom |
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Tuesday, November 8, 2011, 02:59 PM | |||
British soldiers have survived a strike by IED in Afghanistan with the new upgraded Scimitar Mk2. | |||
British
soldiers from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards have survived a strike by
a large improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan while driving
in their upgraded Scimitar Mk2 vehicle. The three soldiers of the Welsh
Cavalry were on a routine patrol in Nahr-e Saraj when their Scimitar Mk2
was engulfed in an explosion. All three soldiers walked away from the
incident unharmed. |
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CVRT Scimitar Mk 2 reconnaissance armoured vehicle at DSEI 2011 defence exhibition in London, UK. |
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Vehicle commander Lieutenant Peter Gordon-Finlayson said the explosion
stunned the crew for a few moments before their training took over,
adding: "After checking that I and the crew were unharmed it only took about 30 seconds for the jokes and banter to start, which helped to alleviate the stress of what had just happened. "But I've got to say that all credit must go to
the Scimitar. It really is thanks to the vehicle that we all walked
away without a scratch. |
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Lieutenant Peter Gordon-Finlayson, Trooper Robert Griffiths and Lance Corporal James Hatton in a Scimitar Mk2 armoured reconnaissance vehicle [Picture: Captain Simon Mildinhall, Crown Copyright/British MOD 2011] |
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The Scimitar Mark 2 combat vehicle is one of five enhanced
Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) ([CVR(T)] types that began service
in Helmand recently.
BAE Systems upgraded the armour on all five vehicles - Scimitar, Spartan, Samson, Sultan and Samaritan - through an urgent operational requirement process worth around £30m. As
part of the contract, the vehicles were rehulled to give better mine-blast
protection for troops, and improved armour was added for enhanced resistance
to blasts and ballistics, as well as new mine-blast protection seating
in every position in every variant. Other enhancements include repositioned
foot controls and a revamped fuel system. |
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