Tanks in Afghanistan

[guns_and_roses]

Why is it that only the Canadians have deployed tanks to the country and no other NATO member has. I'm very surprised that theres no Abrams, or challengers over there.

 

[geo]

WRONG....
Denmark has deployed Leo2 A5 DKs to Afghanistan.
Holland has deployed PZ2000s to Afghanistan (not a tank but, it's got tracks, it's got some armour & it has a gun)
Britain has deployed the Scimitars & are moving other AFVs into the theatre.

I thought I read somewhere that even Germany has some Leo2s in Afghanistan... but, as they are in the north and bound by their rules of engagement, those Leo2s aren't doing very much

Ohhh... did I mention that Afghanistan still has a number of very much used Soviet era tanks in their inventory?

 

[Kirkhill]

Re your question about Challengers in Afghanistan: It wasn't for lack of asking...

Daily Mail 18 Nov 2006

.....Brigadier John Lorimer, who will take charge of more than 5,000 troops in the spring, issued a 'shopping list' of requirements after a week-long recce in volatile Helmand province, the stronghold of Taliban fighters.

The tough and experienced Parachute Regiment officer asked for up to 12 Challenger 2 tanks, 14 Warrior armoured vehicles and four AS90 artillery guns - plus an extra 600-strong battalion of troops.

But he has been told by senior MoD officials that his requests will be denied.

A source close to 43-year-old Brigadier Lorimer, who commands 12 Mechanised Brigade, said: "He has been told that there is little likelihood of him getting his tanks. He is extremely unhappy about this. He is disappointed and frustrated." ...

 

[geo]

WRT British commitments......

A new battery of four (4)  multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) will be able to hit targets at 70 km. Each of  these tracked vehicles is equipped  with twelve (12)  GPS-guided  rockets.

Fourteen (14)  more  Warrior  Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) will provide ground troops  with  greater  direct  fire  support.  In  addition,  close  air  support  will  be boosted  by  four  (4)  GR9  Harrier  ground-attack  aircraft.  These  will be  added to  the  seven  (7)  already  based  in  Kandahar  Air  Field  (KAF).  Also  destined for  KAF,  are  four  (4)  Sea  King  helicopters, sent "to  help  the  severely under- resourced  helicopter  fleet  currently  relying  on  seven  over-worked  Chinooks".

 

[Kirkhill]

Many thanks geo.

 

[geo]

NP Kirkhill.
The Warrior is certainly not a Challenger2 BUT, same as our LAV with it's 25mm chain gun, that vehicle can and will encourage the TB to keep their head down at critical moments.

 

[Lance Wiebe]

The Germans have not deployed tanks to Afghanistan, at least not yet.

And the Warrior upgrade is still not started, they are still mounting the 30mm Rarden cannon.  A very capable gun indeed, but it is clip fed, and is not a chain gun.  There are plans to upgrade the Warrior, to change the gun and give it stab, which it unfortunately does not have.

It's great that the Brits are supplying more Harrier and helicopters, me thinks that they will certainly get used!

Edited to add; the Danes have sent four Leo2A5 (DK) tanks to theatre.  They are using them in a three tank troop, with one tank acting as a backup.

 

[geo]

Who woulda thought that other countries would be looking at the gear we're using and ..... drool 8)

 

[tomahawk6]

Evidently the Brigadier who will command the next rotation asked for 12 MBT's, 14 Warriors and 4 AS90]s and an extra battalion and was turned down.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=417238&in_page_id=1770

 

[Rayman]

Ohhh... did I mention that Afghanistan still has a number of very much used Soviet era tanks in their inventory?

Whos using those? Hopefully ANA and not AQ.

 

[Haletown]

Warrior info / story.

http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/2007/11/warriors-of-kajaki.html

 

[Franko]

Whos using those? Hopefully ANA and not AQ.

ANA.

Regards

 

[baboon6]

Evidently the Brigadier who will command the next rotation asked for 12 MBT's, 14 Warriors and 4 AS90]s and an extra battalion and was turned down.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=417238&in_page_id=1770

No, that was the officer who commanded the previous rotation (12 Mechanised Bde) to the one now (52 Infantry Bde), the article is from a year ago.. The extra inf battalion was eventually sent on that roto and the current rotation has increased the force size further. The Warrior coy arrived in August.

British forces in AFG:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInAfghanistanBritishForces.htm

 

[The Bread Guy]

3:17 video of DNK tanks arriving in AFG

http://www.nato.int/multi/2007/071121b-afghan-stories/video/071121b-01.wmv

 

[geo]

Interesting video Tony, tanks!

Interesting that the Danes are rolling their Leo2s all dressed up in their Cam net finery.....
Any opinion on how effective the nets are?