From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
FAULTY TANK SHELLS `PUT TROOPS AT RISK'
152330 JUL 00
By Andrew Woodcock, Political Correspondent, PA News,
Tank shells for use in the front-line by British
troops have a serious fault that could endanger the
lives of their crews, it was claimed tonight.
Documents leaked to several newspapers suggest that
problems have been detected in the German-produced
ammunition for Challenger 2s, which might cause the
tanks' gun barrels to jam.
But the Ministry of Defence said that it was not
aware of any problems with the L3.5m vehicles, which
are presently serving on the so-called "peace line"
in Kosovo.
The leaked documents, reported to come from Royal
Ordnance engineers carrying out tests on the
Challengers, state that the shells produced by German
company Nitrochemie have a tendency to suffer cracks
in their cases at low temperatures, with the result
that a corrosive propellant leaks out.
Problems are also highlighted with the shells sticking
in the gun barrels and damaging them, it is reported.
The Sunday Express quotes the document as stating:
"Preliminary results indicate there are likely to be
significant problems with the propellant manufactured
by Nitrochemie.
"A major improvement is required. The risk of some
degree of programme delay might thus be significant."
An MoD spokesman told PA News: "We can categorically
say we have no problems with any in-service propellant
charge supplied by the Royal Ordnance."
But Tory shadow defence secretary Iain Duncan Smith
accused the Government of seeking to hide the true
extent of the problem, saying: "This is not about
information. This is about the lives of our servicemen
and women who may be asked to go into battle with
defective equipment."
--
Now we rely on the germans for tank ammunition!
Kenneth Pantling
Nock's Grim Truth - In proportion as you give the State power to do things
for you, you give it power to do things to you; and the State invariably
makes as little as it can of the one power and as much as it can of the
other.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
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