Humvee doors can trap troops

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

The Army is fixing the doors of every armored Humvee in combat in Iraq because they can jam shut during an attack and trap soldiers inside, Pentagon records and interviews show.
The door trouble, the latest in a series of problems with the Humvees since the Iraq war began, is an unintended consequence of the Pentagon's effort to add armor to protect troops from makeshift bombs. Improvised explosive devices are the No. 1 killer of U.S. troops in Iraq, causing 70% of injuries and deaths. Armored Humvees, the main troop-transport vehicle, are often targeted by insurgents who plant bombs on roads.

One quick fix to the jamming problem was to weld D-shaped hooks to Humvee doors so another truck could rip them off with a cable. The hook is built into the latest version of armor added to the Humvee, known as the Frag Kit 5, said Lt. Col. William Wiggins, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon. "Every Humvee outside (a fortified base) will have a hook," Wiggins said. There are about 18,000 Humvees in Iraq.

The Army plans to spend $284 million this year on armor kits, which also include improved latches and hinges for the heavier doors. The money was in the Iraq spending bill President Bush vetoed last week because it contained a troop-withdrawal timeline.


Troops use a steel hook called theRat Claw to yank the door off a Humvee.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-06-humvee-doors_N.htm

[speedingbullet]

1. And If There's Not Another Truck Around?

Oh wait, we go to war with the army we have.

[gratuitous]

3. Ah heck, why worry about that?

Another truck will be along sooner or later, besides, with all the bombs and bullets going off that trapped those poor schlubs in the first place, who really wants to get out of their truck, run a cable to the door hook, and signal his pals in the truck that they can proceed to rip the door off?

Now you military personnel might think it's mighty inefficient, but you should see the big pile of money the contractors are making off of producing the inadequately-armored Humvees, up-armoring them, and then re-refitting them. It's practically a gold mine! And you get a snappy coffin with a nice flag draped over it, that gets presented to your widow and kids by a real sharp-dressed fellow wearing white gloves. Is that a win-win situation, or what?

[Jackpine Radical]

2. More honesty than you usually see in USA Today:

"The money was in the Iraq spending bill President Bush vetoed last week because it contained a troop-withdrawal timeline."

[uppityperson]

4. k&r

[formercia]

5. Pull tabs on the doors

[damntexdem]

6. Issue can openers to troops?

I'm sure Halliburton could supply them for only $20,000 each. ;-)

[intaglio]

7. Sooooooo Under fire

someone has got to get out of another Humvee, attach a cable, get clear, go back and pull out the injured.

Of course I assume that in an urban environment you can get another vehicle at the correct angle to pull; or that the Humvee with that abortion of a turret on top has not rolled.

Are they trying to kill your troops??