2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) is deploying to the Afghan capital Kabul from late September as part of support the UK is providing to the Afghan Government.
The British Army say that their mission is to protect NATO military and civilian advisors working in government ministries, as well as UK mentors based at the Afghan National Army Officers’ Academy.
“The paratroopers are light infantrymen, used to operating on foot, and learning about working from the Foxhound patrol vehicles and civilian armoured vehicles – known as CAVs – used to move around the busy streets of Kabul is key preparation for the mission.
Exercise Kabul Convoy has seen the paratroopers training in Foxhounds on the STANTA ranges in Norfolk this week (29 Jul – 2 Aug) practising for scenarios which they could face in Kabul, such as convoy movements and recovering a broken-down vehicle.”
2 PARA’s training officer Captain Tom Shaw, said in a release:
“Our role in Kabul will be to provide force protection to the NATO advisers helping the development of the Afghan Army and Government. We will be protecting the mentors – who are diplomats, senior military officers and civil servants – when they go out to support training or attend meetings. We have been working with the Foxhound and CAVs for several months and our paratroopers have shown the flexibility to adapt to a different way of operating quite easily.”
350 paratroopers will start to deploy to Kabul at the end of September for the six-month tour.
I hope that vehicle recovery is not a reflection on the reliability of Foxhound! A bit embarrassing to have to take the bus home!
Strange as it seems, the vehicle recovery operation is one of the most dangerous since it gives time for the enemy to set up an ambush and await the recovery team…
Cheers
Yeah, vehicles reliability should be top priority these days and changing flat tyres under fire should be a thing of the past with run flat and bulletproof tyres. Thankfully crews safety seems to be far better than when the second Iraq war started, land rover snatch and Humvees littered the missile East and normally had multiple fatality’s, the American JLTVs are much safer for crews compared to humvees and against IEDs and the foxhound looks far safer for crews. Is the British Army getting the Oshkosh JLTVs also?
Good point…weren’t we supposed to be buying a whole rake of JLTVs. I read last year that Oshkosh were rather worried that we had not ordered them as we were offered an excellent deal!
The treasury is a complete joke now. How is anyone in industry supposed to operate when a deal is agreed in principle but you never sign the dotted line. Is it any wonder the British armoured vehicle industry went to the wall.
Indian procurement looks gold plated in comparison!
When I was in Afghan the two Foxhounds we had, did us proud. Once the few teething problems were sorted, they were very reliable (They were delivered to us with only 20km on the clock). They felt safe, which is one of the key elements of going out on patrol. The wheels however, weigh a ton, so you won’t want to be changing those in a hurry in an urban area. It is better to get a tow bar attached and drag it out of harms way. We had a 2m rigid towbar slung down the side just for that type of scenario. The tyres did take a lot of shrapnel and bullet damage but remained on the rims. The run flat inserts helped massively and with a completely flat tyre you could still do 30kph, it ruined the tyre though. The armour was suitable, it is designed to stop armour piercing 7.62. During a number of incidents we came back surviving contact with 0.50″ and 14.7mm. I have heard you can add modular ceramic armour to the sides, but I’ve never seen any.
The best things about the foxhounds we had was that they had remote smoke dishargers fitted to the front and back. But the greatest asset was the remote weapons system. This mounted a Gimpie on a fully traversable mount, that had both day and night cameras. The only downside was the ammunition box was only designed for a standard ammo can and you had to get out side to replenish it. For a crew of four, they have loads of space and unlike the Snatch working air-con. For the time we spent in Afghan with the Foxhounds, we only had some minor niggles. Overall I was very happy with the vehicles performance and protection.
Stay safe lads and all come home.
What is the status of Foxhound?
Thought they were being withdrawn from the 6 Light Protected Mobility Battalions, which were reverting to Light Role.
Foxhound is being refurbished at General Dynamics UK.
Am surprised that the whole of 2 para only 350 marines? Crikey! God knows how many riflemen that entails, 240?
Don’t go mixing Para’s, Marines and Riflemen! In one sentence? Crikey crumbs!
I just cried a little! Long live 2LI !! Best Recce Platoon ever to soil their entrenching tools! 🙂
I assume its elements of rather than the whole battalion – HQ + 2 x rifle?
It is always ‘elements of’ as a full battalion rarely deploys anywhere. Our contribution to most army exercises is minimal although l accept that this is an actual deployment. With Labour now accusing the government of running down the armed forces, or the people’s liberation army etc., as they will no doubt rename it shows just how far the army especially has plunged as a credible fighting entity.
Continual extraction of the teeth; infantry, armour, artillery and attack helicopters leaves a force more suitable for seeing old ladies across the road and humanitarian exercises which we do excel at. I dont think young men join the army for those reasons and Ruusians and revolutionary guardsmen certainly do not!
We certainly do live in interesting times. Arguably, the Labour Party is more left-wing now than it has been since the 1980’s and yet, it is accusing the Conservative Party of running down the military! Things must really be bad!