The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
that we
have the trade‑offs that we need for mobility. The Snatch …
provides us with
the
mobility and level of protection that we need.
“We had
RG31s in Bosnia, which we took out of service some time ago due
to
the
difficulties with maintenance. We have looked at the RG31 … and
concluded
that the
size and profile did not meet our needs. Size is important in the
urban
environment.
The RG31 cannot access areas that Snatch Land Rovers can get
to.”
549.
Lieutenant
General Nicholas Houghton, who succeeded AM Torpy as CJO
in
March 2006,
visited Iraq from 13 to 15 June.287
He
reported:
“… I do
have some concerns as I look ahead over the balance of the year
…
If we
are to match the wider campaign desire for a decisive six months we
need
to balance
ourselves accordingly.”
550.
On reducing
troops and equipment in Iraq, he stated:
“Do not
look for too big a dividend this year. Particularly we need to
retain as much
Warrior …
as LAND can afford. The reality is that Warrior gives us confidence
and
a protective
edge over EFPs. The boys can manage Snatch – just; but they
have
no inherent
confidence in it.”
551.
Mr Ingram
gave evidence about Snatch Land Rovers to the Defence
Select
Committee
on 20 June.288
He said
that there was no “off‑the‑shelf” solution that would
offer the
“all‑round protection we would seek with the same utility and
manoeuvrability”.
552.
Mr Ingram
told the Committee that there was “a balance of risk” that needed
to
be taken.
While the MOD was “very conscious of where the threats were coming
from”,
they did
“not necessarily have every capacity to deal with those
threats”.
553.
On 26 June,
Mr Browne announced a review of armoured vehicles in
Parliament.289
He
stated:
“As I have
already said to the House, it is open for commanders to deploy
vehicles
that have
heavier protection than the Snatch Land Rover … Other vehicles
are
available
to them; there is a choice. However, commanders must be free to
make
decisions
in relation to the operations for which they deploy soldiers. I
have already
said to the
House that I am aware of the issue: I could not but be aware of
it
following
my visit last week and, indeed, my earlier visit. I have asked for
a review
of what we
can do in the long term and immediately. I shall see what we can
do
immediately
to respond to the changing situation, although significant
measures
other than
those in relation to the vehicle’s armour must be taken. We are at
the
leading
edge of some of them, and electronic counter‑measures, in
particular.”
287
Minute
Houghton to PSO/CDS, 16 June 2006, ‘Visit to Iraq 13 – 15 Jun
06’.
288
Thirteenth
Report from the House of Commons Defence Committee, Session
2005‑06, UK
Operations
in
Iraq, HC
1241.
289
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 26 June
2006, column 7.
90