Afghani asks for better weapons

[GAP]

Afghani asks for better weapons
Mon Mar 19 2007 By John Cotter
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MA'SUM GHAR, Afghanistan -- One of Afghanistan's top field commanders wants Canada to provide his troops with better weapons to fight the Taliban.
For the past year, Lt.-Col. Shereen Shah Kohbandi's 2nd Kandak (battalion) has been roaring into battle in Ford Ranger pickup trucks while their Canadian brothers-in-arms ride in heavily armoured LAV-3s and RG-31s.

While some of the Rangers are mounted with Soviet-era heavy machine-guns, the "Built Ford Tough" slogan used by the automaker provides little protection against Taliban rocket-propelled grenades or roadside bombs.

"We have nothing. We have no strong weapons," Kohbandi told The Canadian Press inside his mud-brick compound through an interpreter.

"I have good officers and soldiers -- brave. For four years they have fought in Uruzgan, Kandahar and Helmand. The best thing that we need are weapons."

Earlier this month, one of Kohbandi's officers died when his Ranger was destroyed by a landmine. Eight other

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[KevinB]

They have a shitload of old BMP's 
  They also have more tanks that Canada - as well more SPG's and they have BM-21's

Fact is - they also have Light Infantry units - one of the characteristics of such is lack of protection....

 

[geo]

It should not be the CF's responsibility to determine the orbat of the Afghan military but, when you have a reporter asking you what's on your wish list..... the sky is the limit

 

[Quag]

It should not be the CF's responsibility to determine the orbat of the Afghan military but, when you have a reporter asking you what's on your wish list..... the sky is the limit

Not so much the CF's responsibility, but one could make the argument that it is the International communities.  If our purpose is to provide support and stability to Afghanistan while they rebuild and construct a strong government, then one could easily argue that it is up to International states to fund the necessities of such a task, much as we fund salaries and other monetary gratuities to people, organizations and workers of the country.

That being said, according to Infidel-6, they already have what they need to accomplish the task.

 

[scoutfinch]

I challenge the knowledge base of any journalist that refers to any person of Afghan descent as an Afghani in their headline. 

An Afghani is a currency.  An Afghan is a person of Afghan descent -- whatever that might be -- (or aguably a breed of dog, but you get my drift).

 

[retiredgrunt45]

We have anough problems supplying our own vehicles, let alone supplying someone elses.

Lots of BMP's and tanks, but how many are in working order? If i had a choice of  a "BMP" over a "Ford pickup"i would certainly be a no brainer. Theres something wrong with this picture.

It seems the Russians are having a blow out sale of older combat vehicles. Good time to stock up for cheap.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I suspect the central government is leery of uparming units which may not be considered “loyal enough” given their history, this suspicion is not unwarranted. However I think Russia, India and China are logical suppliers of equipment for them, China and India may be more politically viable, plus hard currency wise they would be easier to deal with. Re-furbished BTR-80s and BRDMs seem logical, easy to maintain and well known in the region. Not up to today’s standards, but still useful. The Chinese use a license built version of the VAB and India has BRDM and Casspir mine protected vehicles. I wonder if India still has any PT-76’s in reserves?

 

[MJP]

Lots of BMP's and tanks, but how many are in working order? If i had a choice of  a "BMP" over a "Ford pickup"i would certainly be a no brainer. Theres something wrong with this picture.

Well if you have seen the mobility and versitility of their ford Rangers vs the old, and very decrepit BMPs you would sing a different tune .  Hell I want one of those Rangers they have....but then again I don't have to fight out of one.  I don't think their current stock of vehicles would fare very well under combat conditions.  IEDs that can defeat LAV armour will be no match for a non uparmoured BMP, nor do I think that it will repell any RPGs. 

One of the ANAs biggest problems is logistical or better the lack of planning for it and of it in general.  They have enough difficulties supplying their Kandaks (who often live off the local economy or the coalition for everything) while they patrol around the country side.    Until they get better through mentoring/ETT giving them armoured vehicles will compound the problem. 

 

[retiredgrunt45]

I don't think that the ford slogan "built ford tough" applies to a war zone. ;D

One thought comes to mind "Swiss cheese"

 

[NL_engineer]

We have anough problems supplying our own vehicles, let alone supplying someone elses.

Lots of BMP's and tanks, but how many are in working order? If i had a choice of  a "BMP" over a "Ford pickup"i would certainly be a no brainer. Theres something wrong with this picture.

It seems the Russians are having a blow out sale of older combat vehicles. Good time to stock up for cheap.


How hard is it to do fix them (I'm not EME) but can't you just take parts from some to fix other ones  ??? (I think we do it with ML, LS, and we did with the iltis).

I don't think that the ford slogan "built ford tough" applies to a war zone. ;D

But they probably get the same fuel milage as the old BMP's  ;D :


Edited to add the above