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thedrifter
06-02-07, 05:59 AM
Published June 2, 2007Related news from the Web

Marines want tougher vehicles: Spartan says request won't affect its work

Tom Vanden Brook
Gannett News Service


New military vehicles that are supposed to better protect troops from roadside explosions in Iraq aren't strong enough to withstand the latest type of bombs used by insurgents.

As a result, the vehicles need to have more armor added to them, according to a January Marine Corps document provided to USA Today. The Pentagon faced the same problem with its Humvees at the beginning of the war.

Spartan Motors Inc., based in Charlotte, builds the chassis of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles through subcontracts from other companies. A spokesman said the armor issues don't affect its work.

Richard Schalter, president of Spartan Motors' Spartan Chassis subsidiary, said the new armor would likely be installed by whichever company does final assembly work on the vehicles. Spartan Motors does not currently have final assembly work orders.

He said the new weapons can penetrate the sides or top of the vehicle. Spartan's components are on the underside.

The military plans to spend as much as $25 billion for up to 22,000 MRAPs by 2009. Last month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said buying the vehicles should be the Pentagon's top procurement priority.

But the armor on those vehicles cannot stop the newest bomb to emerge, known as explosively formed penetrators (EFP). The Pentagon plans to replace Humvees with MRAPs to provide better protection against roadside bombs, responsible for most casualties in Iraq.

The document, dated Jan. 13, is called an urgent universal need statement. The statements are written by field commanders who want commercially available solutions to battlefield problems.

Staff writer Barbara Wieland contributed to this report.

Ellie