MRAP fatality in Iraq

BAGHDAD (AFP) — A new-style anti-mine armoured vehicle the US military is hoping will reduce casualties from roadside bombs in Iraq has proven vulnerable, with a first soldier killed in an attack at the weekend.

"An American soldier was killed in an improvised explosive device attack on a MRAP vehicle in Arab Jabour" on the southern outskirts of Baghdad on Saturday, US military spokesman Major Winfield Danielson said on Tuesday.

(Agence France-Presse)

The "new-style" description may indicate that the vehicle in question was a Navistar MaxxPro (or perhaps the BAE/Armor Holdings Caiman). The accompanying photo shows the Force Protection Cougar, which probably means nothing more than the fact that AFP had some stock photos lying around and wanted to run an MRAP photo with the story. We also get a photo of a tank for some reason. Perhaps because of "Bradley" being mentioned in the story.

The details of the report (thin, thus far) appear to indicate that any model could have been involved, since the entire vehicle was tossed in the air and had a bad landing while the gunner was in the turret. Even MRAPs are vulnerable to a very last blast forces. Even if the passenger compartment remains intact, injuries and fatalities may occur.

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