Report: DoD may be buying too many MRAPs

[unhappycamper]

Report: DoD may be buying too many MRAPs
By Kris Osborn - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 18, 2007 7:59:55 EDT

The Pentagon, which drew fire for being too slow to order Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, is now being criticized because it may be buying too many of them.

During a congressional briefing Wednesday, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments released a report titled “IEDs and MRAPs, Force Protection in Complex Irregular Operations,” saying the DoD might think twice about replacing all of its light vehicles with MRAPs.

“While MRAPs provide increased protection to light infantry forces, the stated intent to improve force protection dramatically by replacing Humvees (and other light utility vehicles) with MRAPs may have negative repercussions on the ability of U.S. ground forces to accomplish their operational objectives, both in Afghanistan and Iraq, and in future contingencies,” the report said.

The Pentagon has approved the purchase of more than 15,000 MRAPs at a cost of $11.5 billion for fielding by 2010 to the Army, Marines Corps, Navy and Special Operations forces. About 6,400 are already under contract, Pentagon leaders say.

MRAPs cost roughly $800,000 to $1 million each.

“The MRAPs are two to five times heavier than Humvees. This translates into greater fuel requirements, which means putting more fuel convoys on the roads — convoys that must risk IED attacks against their thinly armored supply vehicles,” the report said.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/10/defense_MRAPstudy_071018/



uhc comment: OK kiddies, time to dig out the calculator.

$11,500,000,000 divided by 15,000 = $766,666 per vehicle, yet the article states "MRAPs cost roughly $800,000 to $1 million each."

:wtf: