Last week, we talked about how U.S. soldiers are adding jury-rigged armor to their Humvees, to toughen the vehicles up against RPGs and roadside explosives. Now, the Army is telling its troops to cut it out -- or be very, very careful, at least.
What we want to avoid is having soldiers adding ad-hoc armor to their vehicles and giving themselves a false sense of security, Maj. Gen. N. Ross Thompson III, commanding general for the Armys Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, says in a statement.
An Army press release warns of the "potential consequences" of ad-hoc armor: "more required maintenance as the additional weight will likely mean early structure and mechanical failures, and reduction in the amount of cargo the vehicle can safely carry... Drivers will need more time to brake due to the increased weight; and the added material could possibly change the vehicles center of gravity, increasing the risk of vehicle rollover."
Sensible guidelines? Or bureaucratic clamp-down?
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