Blast-proof Foxhounds set for frontline 22.12.11
6Troops in Afghanistan are to get 100 Foxhound protected patrol vehicles as part of a £400 million package of measures to better protect British soldiers. The Defence Secretary Philip Hammond made the announcement today, also promising new Counter-Improvised Explosive Device technology. Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology, providing unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight. The Ministry of Defence has ordered 200 Foxhounds. They are due to be delivered for military training over the next month in readiness for deployment to Afghanistan during 2012. An extra £200 million of advanced C-IED technology will also be a major boost in the battle against the insurgency. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "Success in Afghanistan is our number one priority and protecting our forces from IEDs is our most urgent challenge. "Foxhound is designed, developed and built in the UK and this announcement demonstrates the Government's commitment to providing our troops with world-class protective equipment. "The vehicle will provide our Armed Forces with a highly protected and agile vehicle, and its manufacture in this country will create and sustain jobs across the UK. "The C-IED package is another major step forward in the battle against the bombers, using cutting edge technology to defeat their evil campaign and protect our troops." Featuring blast survivability close to that of a Mastiff - and just a little bigger than the Snatch Land Rover it replaces -- the Foxhound is ideally suited for manoeuvring around the narrow backstreets of Helmand's towns and villages. Weighing in at six tones, it has a top speed of 70mph and can do 0-50mph in just 19 seconds. Four-wheel steering makes it extra agile, with a 40ft turning circle.