US Antonov delivers first Ridgback to Brize
 

THe UK MOD press office strikes again,

Daft question, but I'm not sure they're needed in downtown Cartoontown. I presume we will be hiring another Antonov to take them back East.:}

Daft question indeed. Vehicles made in USA, brought here to get up-armoured to UK spec, to then be sent forward (which is indeed East). For future reference, the USA is West of BZZ. :8

I assume that when they are modified, they will refit the "e" to make them Ridgebacks.

It seems that MoD PR is still getting the rejects from DEFRA.

If I recall, it was identified that these vehicles were required way back in 2006?? So it takes 2 years for us to set up a contract for an off-the-shelf procurement!? We just do not make things easy...!

And uprating the armour!? I've seen one of these things BADLY mauled by a shaped charge IED and still limp back to base with not more than concussion injuries to its crew...Maybe they need modding for ECM, but that can surely be done in theatre...

I guess they'll be ready in time for our withdrawl from Iraq then...

:suspect:

Ridgback
 

for a minute there I thought the Snowdrops were getting new dogs....

Funny old thing, looks like the link has been removed:D

What a bloody awful piece of writing!

I'm not sure if this story is the perfect metaphor or simile for the perilous state of the UK's Armed Forces after 10 years of attrition and erosion by the Labour Governement.

A Russian transport aircraft, is used to fly an American manufactured armoured vehicle to the UK. Apparently the UK no longer has the capability to build highly complex and technologically challenging military equipment like this anymore;

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...n-latrun-2.jpg

Saracen is circa 1955 I believe...

I seem to remember a LOCAL PURCHASE ORDER being put in for the Pumas intake wing mirrors when they first fitted them many moons ago and they arrived purchased Locally in America.......:hmm:

"Apparently the UK no longer has the capability to build highly complex and technologically challenging military equipment like this anymore"

They do, but nobody wants to build such equipment in the UK. BAE Systems is the main company that produces mine-protected vehicles, but they are mostly made in South Africa and obviously weren't considered suitable compared to the Ridgback or the Mastiff. Even Pinzgauer (which BAE Systems recently acquired) has or is due to shut down in the UK now with production shifted to South Africa. And any production facilities are going to move to FRES construction, support and upgrades once that comes into service. Leaves smaller companies like Jankel Armoured Engineering and NP Aerospace to "uparmour" and "weaponise" stuff the UK has bought in elsewhere.

for a minute there I thought the Snowdrops were getting new dogs....
 

You can't have Ridgebacks they are Rhodesian !!
:=:=

Up-Armoured and Weaponised !!
 

I have had a word with a mate in the MOD and he has given me a sneak preview of a Ridgeback that has been up-armoured and weaponised.
Here is the first pic of it flat out across the tank runs on Salisbury Plain.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...eback-0030.jpg
:ok::ok:

Rogerk
 

Nice photo Roger.
The black circle on the front..is that some form of ECM device.
The whole thing looks quite fast, although whoever decided to mount the extendible radio mast in that sleeve under the belly clearly has no idea about radio waves.:}

If you cross the Tyne at Newcastle and look right you will see a large white building with a blue end(facing you) this is the Vickers factory.

Every time i go to work and have a look there are always loads of specialist vehicles ready for supply. Strange then that we are buying the US model unless it's simply so much cheaper!

barnstormer1968
 

I understand that the sleeve under the belly is some form of stabiliser for when it is travelling at high speed in desert conditions.
The coms pack is in that distinctive strip that runs down the back - even comes with the latest US nav software that should have been on the Chinook !!
:ok::ok: