Canadian Soldiers injured in rollover

[The Gues-|-]

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/02/15/pf-1444122.html

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - Two Canadian soldiers and an American were injured Wednesday in a single-vehicle accident in southern Afghanistan, officials said.

The rollover of the Canadian patrol vehicle happened early in the morning a short distance from the site of the Canadian provincial reconstruction team in downtown Kandahar.

One of the Canadians, whose injuries were a bit more serious, was flown to Germany for tests that one official described as preventative in nature.

The Canadian reconstruction team has been in Kandahar since last summer. The Canadian military presence in the region is being bolstered to 2,200 by the end of this month in an effort to improve security in the country.

 

[muffin]

2 more articles... no names yet

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060212/troops_afghanistan_060212/20060215?hub=TopStories

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/02/15/afghanistan-rollover060215.html

muffin

 

[ChopperHead]

Im not sure maybe it's just because this sorta thing gets more press in Canada i don't know but is there something wrong with our vehicles? didnt something like this happen just happen already?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

The LUVW is top heavy and the they were driving in some bad country.

 

[Whiskey_Dan]

Top heavy and about as wide as your average SUV, so the roll over problems are all the same, it's just what you'd expect in a regular SUV driving in some very uneven ground.
Or too fast on paved roads for most drivers

Dan

 

[Armymatters]

According to the CBC, it was a G-Wagon that rolled over, not a LUWV... one Canadian flown to Germany as a precaution, the other back to work. The apparantly American passenger, overnight in Afghanistan for observation. Best wishes to the Canadian and American that were slightly injured.

 

[MrWhyt]

According to the CBC, it was a G-Wagon that rolled over, not a LUWV...

The G-Wagen is the LUVW. G-Wagen = Common name, LUWV = official name.

 

[Franko]

Im not sure maybe it's just because this sorta thing gets more press in Canada i don't know but is there something wrong with our vehicles? didnt something like this happen just happen already?

It's not the vehicles...hate to say it but....it's the troops.

Watch and shoot over the next few weeks....you'll see what I mean.

Regards

 

[GO!!!]

According to the CBC, it was a G-Wagon that rolled over, not a LUWV...

Do you ever pull your head out of your a$$ long enough to see the light of day?

This has got to be the tenth time that you have made a statement regarding CF equipment or organisation that is right out to lunch, you seem to be stuck on "permanent send", I suggest you read a little more, and post a little less.

If you are going to pursue a career in defence related activities/studies, an absolutely ridiculous statement like the one above will damage your credibility with any prospective audiences or employer beyond repair, as it speaks to your inability to research even the most simple topics, such as the names of vehicles, as was the case here.

It's not the vehicles...hate to say it but....it's the troops.

I doubt it.

The LUVW was never designed to have the T+B armoured turret put on it, and had a high centre of gravity before that. Combine those two factors with off road driving, and you have a recipie for incidents like this one.

I don't think that this is really solely the fault of either the troops or the equipment. Troops overseas work long hours, and use their equipment in ways that it was never intended, over difficult terrain. A certain number of accidents can be expected, just as they are here in Canada.

The CF has made the move to wheeled vehicles from tracks in recent years, and this is the trade - off. Not all accidents can be prevented, we should stop pretending that every injury was preventable and recognise that we are fighting a war here!

 

[George Wallace]

It's not the vehicles...hate to say it but....it's the troops.

Watch and shoot over the next few weeks....you'll see what I mean.

Regards

Wow!  Franko

You are good! 

Just heard of another vehicle accident with injuries.  (We will talk when you get back.)

 

[George Wallace]

This mornings CTV News announcement:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060216/afghan_canada_060216/20060216?hub=TopStories

Two Canadian troops injured; bomb attack foiled
Updated Thu. Feb. 16 2006 8:11 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Two Canadian soldiers were lightly injured today in Afghanistan in a crash between an armoured vehicle and light truck.

Also today, Canadian troops foiled a possible bomb attack in Kandahar.

CTV's Lisa LaFlamme, reporting from the volatile city, said a shepherd called Afghan police to warn them that he had found a roadside bomb on the outskirts of town.

When they got to the area, Canadian troops found two 30-pound old Russian shells, connected by wire with a remote-controlled detonator.

It is believed that the bomb was intended for a local police chief, who was expected to travel along the road today.

LaFlamme said the find was significant because the troops are in an area where the locals support the Taliban.

"So for them to now be revealing information like where roadside bombs are is significant," she told CTV Newsnet.

Just 20 minutes after the troops left on the bomb-finding mission, word came that two Canadian troops had been injured in a crash between an armoured vehicle and a light truck.

One soldier was airlifted to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Germany. His injuries are listed as serious but not life-threatening. LaFlamme said he was able to phone home to family.

A second soldier was treated for minor injuries at a Canadian military facility in Kandahar.

No names have been released.

A Canadian soldier serving in Afghanistan was flown to a hospital in Germany yesterday, after he was injured in a vehicle rollover in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Both accidents are under investigation, but neither were caused by an enemy attack, said Col. Steve Noonan, head of Canada's Task Force Afghanistan.

He said the soldiers were sent to the German hospital "not because of the potential seriousness of the injury" but for follow-up treatment.

Noonan warned that with 2,200 Canadian troops arriving in Kandahar over the next few weeks, similar accidents are bound to happen.

Wednesday's accident came as Brig.-Gen. David Fraser arrived in Kandahar, where he will soon take command of the Canadian troops.

He said the main goal of his mission is to assist Afghans in rebuilding their country, and stressed Canadians will face dangers in order to do so.

"This mission is far more complicated than we've ever done before," Fraser said shortly after his arrival at the Kandahar Airfield base.

"It's a far more dangerous situation that we're facing. While we are trained in combat operations, we are also trained in humanitarian support, peace support operations."

But Fraser said Canadian troops are ready to work with coalition forces to hunt down the Taliban and al Qaeda insurgents who have been waging a violent campaign.

"When they want to go out to do operations against that minority that's trying to destabilize the good people here and terrorize them, we'll be out there to support them," Fraser said.

 

[c_canuk]

Does anyone know if you have to qualify on a turret equiped G Wagon to drive one, or is there no distinction between equiped and non equiped?

It would seem to me that if they have different qauls for a civy coloured silverado and a olive drab one, that it would be a no brainer to realize that you should have at least a check out test drive in a vehicle which would have vastly different handling characteristics.

I disagree with GO!!! that driver error may not be a factor, however he is right that it should not be a shock that there are going to be accidents in the operation area, as when you get into any vehicle the chance is always there, home or abroad.

 

[Bobbyoreo]

As soon as they said they would buy them I knew this would happen. Then again saw a few Iltis roll as well. I think drivers are part of the blame but the jeep itself is top heavy and yea the terrain is shitty so that plays apart aswell.

Anyways hope they all get back to work soon!!!

 

[PiperDown]

I think that as the new troops get on the ground... unfortunately, we are going to see a few more of these in the coming weeks/month..
It takes a bit of practise getting used to the handling of the vehicle, and not to mention the roads over there..


Cheers,

 

[KevinB]

The qual for the Gwagon and the C&R variant are the same.

Without the T&B armoured turret, the C&R with a gunner in the "sex swing" was VERY top heavy -- yeah I've driven them...


A LOT of people here should watch on shoot on issues.

 

[Zoomie]

Armymatters - just so we are clear and you can say that you learned something else on Army.ca

LUVW = Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled  - we call them G-Wagen's because that is what MBenz has titled them.

I wonder if the issue of roll-overs has less to do with the high center of gravity and more to do with the width of the vehicle.  The Iltis was prone to roll-over at moderate speeds and loose road conditions - its center of gravity was low and its width was even smaller than that of the G.  Food for though.

Kev - did they remove the swing seat from the modified G's over there?

 

[KevinB]

Zoomie - admitted I dont know I will be in kandahar in the next little while and have a boo.

I know in the UA's Hummers they are still in -- I found when the guy was in the seat he sat lower than if he stood...

 
I think the width to height ration relates to the higher CoG - even the normal Armoured GWagons have a high CoG (for my liking) - Of course I am a big Hummer fan  you could say I like then fat and slow  ;D

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

" I like then fat and slow"

Typical Patrcia.

 

[Armymatters]

Armymatters - just so we are clear and you can say that you learned something else on Army.ca

LUVW = Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled  - we call them G-Wagen's because that is what MBenz has titled them.

I wonder if the issue of roll-overs has less to do with the high center of gravity and more to do with the width of the vehicle.  The Iltis was prone to roll-over at moderate speeds and loose road conditions - its center of gravity was low and its width was even smaller than that of the G.  Food for though.

Kev - did they remove the swing seat from the modified G's over there?

Thanks for clearing that up. I though they were talking about the LSWV, and the bloody acronyms are pretty damned close. I am more familar with the commerical names of the CF vehicles.

 

[Dragoon19]

Guys just my two cents worth, firstly it is not all the drivers fault. I was talking to the passenger from one of the accidents and he said the driver had done all he could, but evidently that was not enough.
You have to realize that these troops are training in Canada on normal G wagons and when they get here, they are thrown out on patrol not only on an up-armoured variants but in a lots of cases, there is a gun shield kit fitted which in turn alters the CoG as already discussed. Add this to the road conditions, other road users (mostly bad) and you are asking for problems. Give the troops time to adapt and hopefully things will improve.
Yes there have been some NDs but investigations are still ongoing. Not fair to comment!!!!