Snatch Land Rover
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 | This article may relate to a different subject or has undue weight on an aspect of the subject. (November 2008) |
| Land Rover Snatch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Place of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Production history | |
| No. built | approx 1000 |
| Variants | Snatch-1.5 Snatch-2 12v, LHD Snatch-2A 24v, RHD Snatch-2B 24v, RHD |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3,050 kilograms (6,720 lb) |
| Length | 4.55 metres (14 ft 11 in) |
| Width | 1.79 metres (5 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 2.03 metres (6 ft 8 in) |
Main armament | none - personal weapons carried by "top cover" |
| Engine | Land Rover 300 Tdi engine 111 horsepower (83 kW) |
| Power/weight | 37 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | Wheel 4×4 |
Operational range | 510 kilometres (320 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph) |
The Snatch Land Rover is a protected patrol vehicle, based around the Land Rover Defender 110 chassis, intended for general patrolling in low-threat areas and formally described as the Truck Utility Medium (TUM) with Vehicle Protection Kit (VPK). The vehicle was developed for use in the Northern Ireland area of operations in 1992, for use in rural patrolling and providing some degree of small arms protection for occupants and a limited level of protection from Improvised Explosive Devices and off-route mines.
The Snatch is one of a range of vehicles which remains in use in Northern Ireland as well as the Iraq and Afghanistan operational areas.
Use of the vehicle has been the subject of criticism as a consequence of a number of kinetic attacks which have exceeded the level of protection available, leading to occupant deaths.
Overview
The Snatch is based on the Land Rover Heavy Duty Chassis, a militarised version of the Defender 110 (similar to the Land Rover Wolf). It was originally procured for use in Northern Ireland by the British Army.[1] and was first introduced in 1992.[2]
Officially designated, Truck Utility Medium (TUM) with Vehicle Protection Kit (VPK), the vehicle is more widely known by its informal title, the "Snatch", even in official documentation. It is believed to have acquired the name from its use in the Troubles, when it was the preferred vehicle for "snatch squads" used in raids to capture suspects.[who?]
The "Snatch" was the first factory modified Land Rover to be used in Northern Ireland, replacing a series of ad hoc conversions including a protected Airportable Land Rover (Land Rover 1/2 ton Lightweight), known as the "piglet", being a smaller version of the Humber "Pig" APC then widely used by British Forces in Northern Ireland [3].
Manufactured as the CAMAC CAV 100 by NP Aerospace[4], the "Snatch" conversion was developed with the aid of Ricardo, and is fitted with CAMAC composite armour to offer the crew protection against kinetic energy projectiles and, to a very limited degree, against explosive devices. Its rated "combat weight" (without crew and weapons) is 3,050 kg [5].
Five versions have been produced, the first being the original Snatch-1, equipped with a V8 petrol engine. Nearly 1000 were produced, with 278 being "desertised" and reclassified as the Snatch-1.5. Many are now being (or have been) upgraded to current variant standard, either the Snatch-2 12v, LHD, the basic training variant; the Snatch-2A 24v, RHD, "Rest of World variant"; or the Snatch-2B 24v, RHD - the N. Ireland variant. These later versions have been retro-fitted with diesel engines and the 2A is also fitted with air conditioning.
When deployed, the vehicles are often fitted with electronic counter-measures (ECM) suites, which are designed to prevent certain types of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) being triggered, and Bowman radios.
Criticism of vehicle use
Use of the vehicle has been the subject of criticism by the media, politicians and the families of some casualities in both areas of operations. This criticism was visible in the public domain from around 2005[6] with media claims that civil servants of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development should not use the vehicles.[7]
Later concerns were raised in Parliament, presenting comparison with the United States Marine corps deployment of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP), Cougar, which appeared to have provided more protection. The conservative peer Lord Astor of Hever raising the comparison and inviting comment. In response the Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Drayson, acknowledged that the Snatch was inappropriate but identified that trade-offs around protection and mobility were required,[8] as well as highlighting previous maintainability issues with and earlier version of the Cougar.[9] Similar issues were then reported in the Sunday Telegraph opinion piece[10] and other news outlets.[11][12],[13] although this also recognised the need for trade-off decisions to be made around posture and mobility[14]
Media reporting continued to escalate the topic whilst parliamentary dialogue continued[15][16][17].
Procurement of additional vehicles
The MoD is currently procuring a number of vehicles with increased levels of protection, although reduced mobility, to supplement the vehicle fleets in Afghanistan and Iraq. Existing orders for the for Pinzgauer Vectors and the Bulldog, based on the FV432, were increased.[18] New vehicles, the Mastiff (4*4), and Ridgeback (6*6) are under procurement, based on the Cougar produced by the US firm Force Protection Inc.[19] Some of these vehicles have been delivered and deployed to theatre.
References
- ^ MoD - Army equipment
- ^ Hansard, 20 July 2006, Column 593W online version
- ^ http://www.emlra.org/vehicles/VPK.htm
- ^ The Defense Supplier's Directory, armedforces.co.uk, accessed 28 July 2007
- ^ MoD - Army equipment op cit
- ^ The Sunday Mirror, 9 November 2008 online edition
- ^ The Sunday Mirror, 9 November 2008 online edition
- ^ Hansard 12 June 2006, Column 2 online edition
- ^ Hansard, 29 Jun 2006, Column 1356 [1]
- ^ The Sunday Telegraph, 18 Jun2 2006 online edition
- ^ The Sunday Telegraph, 25 June 2006 online edition
- ^ Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Michael Smith, Focus: Is the army putting money before lives?, The Sunday Times, June 25, 2006 online edition
- ^ The Sunday Times, 25 June 2006 leader
- ^ Too Big for Basra, Times Online, 25 June Mick Smith blog
- ^ Hansard 26 June 2006, Column 4 et seq online edition
- ^ BBC, 27 June 2006, Bombs spark Iraq Land Rover probe online edition
- ^ BBC, 27 June 2006, Q&A: Army Land Rover row BBC website
- ^ BBC News More armoured vehicles for troops
- ^ Defence News Defence Secretary orders new vehicles for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan