Defence chiefs have ordered an emergency review of the Army's controversial 'Snatch' Land Rover after the deaths of four soldiers in Afghanistan, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose. Commanders have been told to establish whether the vehicle, which was designed for operations in Northern Ireland almost 20 years ago, is critical to the Afghan mission.
The move means the Snatch is expected to be removed from service in the near future and to be replaced by another vehicle better equipped to cope with the threat of landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). More than 30 soldiers have been killed while patrolling in Snatches in both Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. While the vehicle offers passengers protection from gunfire and small mines, it is highly vulnerable to powerful IEDs.
| Same issue as with the HUMMVEE: if it's light enough to be highly mobile, then it's not heavy enough to defeat an IED. |
The review has been launched after the deaths of Cpl Sarah Bryant, the first female soldier to die in Helmand, and three members of the SAS, who were killed when their Snatch was destroyed by a landmine two weeks ago. Details of the review were disclosed following the death of another British soldier in southern Afghanistan. The soldier, from 13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, was killed when a vehicle, believed to be an open-top Wmik Land Rover, rolled over during a patrol in central Helmand on Friday. Two other soldiers were injured.
The pressure on the military to scrap the Snatch Land Rover was further raised by Patrick Mercer, the Tory MP and former infantry commander, who described the vehicle as a “death trap”, during a debate in the House of Commons.
Commanders in Afghanistan will be asked if there is a requirement for a light patrol vehicle and, if so, whether the Snatch is of the standard required. If not, the military will search for something more suitable, which could take several months. The Army has about 100 Snatches in Afghanistan and they are preferred in the more benign areas of Helmand province because they appear less aggressive than heavier troop carriers.
Brig Mark Carleton-Smith, the commander of British forces in Helmand, told The Sunday Telegraph that Snatch Land Rovers were not safe for use in high-risk areas. Asked if he would rather not have to use the Snatch Land Rover in Helmand, the brigadier said: “It’s not a vehicle of last resort but it’s clearly not a vehicle of first choice.” The brigadier also said that the mine which destroyed the Snatch and killed four of his soldiers had contained more than 220lb of explosives and would have defeated the armour of any but the heaviest vehicle.
In the next 12 months, about 150 heavily armoured, 19.5-ton Ridgebacks will also join the fleet. But they are much less mobile than the 3.6-ton Snatch. A spokesman for the MoD said: “Through investment in Mastiff and Ridgeback we are already reducing the number of patrolling roles in which we use the Snatch.” |