Washington – The Pentagon has approved the purchase of more than 20,000 mine-resistant vehicles designed to help defend against roadside bombs in Iraq, the leading killer of U.S. forces there.
The Army would get 17,700, the Marines 3,400 and special- operations forces about 300, Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon news conference Tuesday.
“I know that the commanders in the field want those produced as quickly as possible – get them out to our soldiers and Marines that are out there in the fight,” Wiggins said.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last week he is demanding an accelerated effort to field the mine-resistant armored vehicle, called the MRAP, and get it to Iraq in large numbers to replace the more vulnerable Humvee utility vehicle used by soldiers and Marines. It is so urgent, he said, that the first vehicles built will be flown to Iraq.
