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Pentagon seeks funds to fly special armoured vehicles to Iraq
The Pentagon has asked Congress for nearly $750 million to airlift urgently needed armoured vehicles to US troops facing roadside bombs in Iraq, USA TODAY reported in its Wednesday edition.The emergency funding request would allow the military to fly many of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles directly to troops rather than send them by ship, which takes weeks, the newspaper said. USA TODAY quoted an Air Force spokesman as saying the flight would take 13 hours to reach Iraq. The transportation money is part of an emergency request for $5.4 billion for the Pentagon's MRAP program for the fiscal year beginning in October. Congress must appropriate the money, the newspaper said. All told, the military seeks about $12 billion through 2008 for about 8,000 vehicles, whose raised chassis and V-shaped hulls protect troops against roadside bombs, the newspaper said. The vehicles are one of the Pentagon's top acquisition priorities. The Defence Department's objective is to acquire as many vehicles as can be produced. Posted by: Fred 2007-08-09 |
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