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UK: Guns don't work (another report on faulty mili
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Guns don't work
Broadcast: July 5, 2002
Reporter: Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Link:
MOD
It's been described by the Ministry of Defence as the 'best rifle in the world' - so why do so few soldiers appear to trust the SA80?
It's history gives some clues: reportedly modified 83 times, it received a 92-million pound revamp after complaints from Gulf War soldiers.
But now, the Ministry is considering a new report on its reliability after British troops in Afghanistan suffered "a number" of incidents where their rifles failed to work properly.
So what else can be done? Krishnan Guru-Murthy reports:
It should have been a day of national pride at Army 2002 on Salisbury Plain - the biggest military display in Europe - the Defence Secretary tried to have fun. But he's also had to admit an investigation's under way into Britain's brand new rifle.
As a symbol of national pride the SA 80 - standard issue rifle for British soldiers - was never much cop. Ever since its arrival in 1986 it's been cursed by those using it. Whatever the conditions, it seemed, the gun would often fail to fire - they called it a dead man's click.
British special forces never touched it - favouring more reliable American and German weapons any day. So German based Heckler and Koch - now part of British Aerospace - were commissioned to rectify the faults.
Ninety-two million pounds later, version two was proudly unveiled. The Royal Marines were the first to be issued with the weapons - rushed out in time for use in Afghanistan - but they've just returned with tales of woe.
The Conservatives are warning it may be time to cut our losses. Amid warnings of overstretch, the Ministry of Defence will soon find out how much money the Chancellor will give them in the Comprehensive Spending Review to buy new equipment - and solve the rifle problem.
But the question remains, did national pride get in the way of a perhaps more sensible decision to buy a weapon that works from abroad?
They could - for less money - have bought the American M-16, the Heckler and Koch G-36, or the Austrian Steyr Aug - all far more reliable than the SA-80.
The bottom line - the only other people who've bought the SA-80 so far are the Jamaican Defence Force Reserves, and the producers of Soldier Soldier.
http://www2.channel4.com/news/cgi-bin/search.cgi?link=http://www.channel4.com/news/home/20020705/Story01.htm
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Broadcast: July 5, 2002
Reporter: Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Link:
MOD
It's been described by the Ministry of Defence as the 'best rifle in the world' - so why do so few soldiers appear to trust the SA80?
It's history gives some clues: reportedly modified 83 times, it received a 92-million pound revamp after complaints from Gulf War soldiers.
But now, the Ministry is considering a new report on its reliability after British troops in Afghanistan suffered "a number" of incidents where their rifles failed to work properly.
So what else can be done? Krishnan Guru-Murthy reports:
It should have been a day of national pride at Army 2002 on Salisbury Plain - the biggest military display in Europe - the Defence Secretary tried to have fun. But he's also had to admit an investigation's under way into Britain's brand new rifle.
As a symbol of national pride the SA 80 - standard issue rifle for British soldiers - was never much cop. Ever since its arrival in 1986 it's been cursed by those using it. Whatever the conditions, it seemed, the gun would often fail to fire - they called it a dead man's click.
British special forces never touched it - favouring more reliable American and German weapons any day. So German based Heckler and Koch - now part of British Aerospace - were commissioned to rectify the faults.
Ninety-two million pounds later, version two was proudly unveiled. The Royal Marines were the first to be issued with the weapons - rushed out in time for use in Afghanistan - but they've just returned with tales of woe.
The Conservatives are warning it may be time to cut our losses. Amid warnings of overstretch, the Ministry of Defence will soon find out how much money the Chancellor will give them in the Comprehensive Spending Review to buy new equipment - and solve the rifle problem.
But the question remains, did national pride get in the way of a perhaps more sensible decision to buy a weapon that works from abroad?
They could - for less money - have bought the American M-16, the Heckler and Koch G-36, or the Austrian Steyr Aug - all far more reliable than the SA-80.
The bottom line - the only other people who've bought the SA-80 so far are the Jamaican Defence Force Reserves, and the producers of Soldier Soldier.
http://www2.channel4.com/news/cgi-bin/search.cgi?link=http://www.channel4.com/news/home/20020705/Story01.htm
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.
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