Army’s Vikings are hot, cramped and vulnerable to roadside bombs

Some of the army drivers serving in Helmand wear a specially commissioned T-shirt. It says: “If you can read this, I’ve been blown out of my Viking and lost my body armour.” British soldiers have never lacked for mordant wit, but the drivers of the 11-tonne armoured vehicle make a serious point. Although the Viking has positive attributes, it is known to be vulnerable to roadside bombs, and its drivers carry the greatest risk of all. Its wide rubber tracks, which make it so agile across rough terrain, also put the most likely explosion point from a roadside bomb directly under the driver’s seat. This is why, even with recently fitted additional armour, Viking drivers have suffered a particularly horrendous rate of loss. By contrast, the logistics lorry that I saw blown up this week had the wheels mounted behind where the crew... [read full story]                    

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