British soldiers have survived a strike of IED in Afghanistan with new upgraded Scimitar Mk2 0811112

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Defense News - United Kingdom
 
 
Tuesday, November 8, 2011, 02:59 PM
 
British soldiers have survived a strike by IED in Afghanistan with the new upgraded Scimitar Mk2.
British soldiers from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards have survived a strike by a large improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan while driving in their upgraded Scimitar Mk2 vehicle. The three soldiers of the Welsh Cavalry were on a routine patrol in Nahr-e Saraj when their Scimitar Mk2 was engulfed in an explosion. All three soldiers walked away from the incident unharmed.
     
British soldiers from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards have survived a strike by a large improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan while driving in their upgraded Scimitar Mk2 vehicle. The three soldiers of the Welsh Cavalry were on a routine patrol in Nahr-e Saraj when their Scimitar Mk2 was engulfed in an explosion. All three soldiers walked away from the incident unharmed.
CVRT Scimitar Mk 2 reconnaissance armoured vehicle at DSEI 2011 defence exhibition
in London, UK.
     

Vehicle commander Lieutenant Peter Gordon-Finlayson said the explosion stunned the crew for a few moments before their training took over, adding:

"It felt like a car crash, and it took me a few moments to take it all in. But the training soon kicked in for all of us.

"After checking that I and the crew were unharmed it only took about 30 seconds for the jokes and banter to start, which helped to alleviate the stress of what had just happened.

"But I've got to say that all credit must go to the Scimitar. It really is thanks to the vehicle that we all walked away without a scratch.

"The Taliban are afraid of the Scimitar 2, and are too afraid to take us on head-to-head. When we arrive in an area the insurgents tend to leave."
     
British soldiers from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards have survived a strike by a large improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan while driving in their upgraded Scimitar Mk2 vehicle. The three soldiers of the Welsh Cavalry were on a routine patrol in Nahr-e Saraj when their Scimitar Mk2 was engulfed in an explosion. All three soldiers walked away from the incident unharmed.
Lieutenant Peter Gordon-Finlayson, Trooper Robert Griffiths and Lance Corporal James Hatton in a Scimitar Mk2 armoured reconnaissance vehicle
[Picture: Captain Simon Mildinhall, Crown Copyright/British MOD 2011]
     
The Scimitar Mark 2 combat vehicle is one of five enhanced Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) ([CVR(T)] types that began service in Helmand recently.

BAE Systems upgraded the armour on all five vehicles - Scimitar, Spartan, Samson, Sultan and Samaritan - through an urgent operational requirement process worth around £30m.

As part of the contract, the vehicles were rehulled to give better mine-blast protection for troops, and improved armour was added for enhanced resistance to blasts and ballistics, as well as new mine-blast protection seating in every position in every variant. Other enhancements include repositioned foot controls and a revamped fuel system.

Scimitar Mark 2 builds on a number of upgrades that have previously been made to the CVR(T), which address the problems experienced while operating in the harsh Afghan environment. These previous upgrades have included improved power output, new gearboxes and transmissions, air-conditioning, improved communications, air filters and night-vision systems.