G-Wagon used in Afghanistan likely saved soldier lives????

[102first_hussars]

N.S Im dying for your feedback on this.

Three Canadian soldiers and a journalist injured by a bomb in Afghanistan may well have been killed had it not been for the light-armoured vehicle they were travelling in, say military experts and the reporter involved in the blast.
"It's lucky they weren't in an Iltis," said Scott Taylor, editor of Esprit de Corps military magazine, referring to the light-duty, open-top jeeps once used by Canada's military in Afghanistan.

The soldiers and a foreign journalist were injured Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their G-Wagon - an enclosed vehicle with armour plating and thick, shock-resistant windows. One soldier suffered a broken leg, another had a broken ankle and foot.

Military officials believe the bomb was an improvised explosive device. The blast struck as the Canadians patrolled near the town of Maywand, about 90 kilometres west of Kandahar.

Just so everyone knows, the G-wagon is suposed to replace our Iltis jeep but the G-wagon is a peice of shit too

 

[evangilder]

There may be 4 people who disagree that it is a pice of shit.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I know I would love the thing if it saved my life.

 

[Nonskimmer]

N.S Im dying for your feedback on this.

The two guys up front suffered broken legs only, and another fella was thrown clear. The journalist who was with them made it unscathed, apparently. I can't give any feedback based on experience because I've never ridden in the thing, but why do you say it's a piece of sh*t?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I dont know eneogh about the vehicle.

 

[Nonskimmer]

It's a type of Austrian jeep. It's supposed to be better suited than the Iltis for the kinds of patrols that the troops in Afghanistan are doing.
Humvees would probably be the best thing really, but I wouldn't say that the G-Wagon was a piece of sh*t. Maybe not as good as a Hummer. I dunno.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Ah the G Wagon. It might be built in Austria at a Diamler plant but I believe it is a Mercedes. The Germans use it also, and if you look at the grill it has a Mercedes symbol on it.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Ah. Could be.

 

[102first_hussars]

N.S Im dying for your feedback on this.

The two guys up front suffered broken legs only, and another fella was thrown clear. The journalist who was with them made it unscathed, apparently. I can't give any feedback based on experience because I've never ridden in the thing, but why do you say it's a piece of sh*t?

Well it is supposed to be our cheap attemp at making a HMVV equivelant, like that LAAV that rolled over a few weeks ago it is top heavy making it very wobbley and prone to more accidents. I guess its not a peice of sh*t as far as mechanical and Armour aspects are concerned, but very unstable, body itself is pretty narrow which will limit it to mostly flat terrain, oh the goddam thing will not work in -20 weather, we always have to stick to the HLVW in that weather.

I guess I gotta get to some kind of conclusion on this, it was not the new vehichle or the bolt-on armour that saved these mens lives, it was blind luck. here I got a picture of the vehichle

 

[Nonskimmer]

Yeah, I saw that pic on CBC.ca yesterday. What a damn mess. Those dudes were lucky alright.

 

[evangilder]

I have heard that the up-armored humvees are also top heavy and prone to roll-overs. It was never designed to be armored at the beginning.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Correct and a lot of them are rolling over in Iraq, especially on the slop terrain near canals which is killing a lot of soldiers.