New patrol vehicles for Afghanistan

A £46 MILLION contract to buy 51 new light patrol vehicles for soldiers in Afghanistan was announced yesterday.

Defence Minister Philip Dunne gave details of the deal for the extra Foxhound vehicles during a visit to the British company that makes them in Telford.

The Foxhound replaced the army’s Snatch Land Rover, which proved highly vulnerable to roadside bombs used by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It has enhancements including a V-shaped hull to give protection against the bombs which have been a common tactic of Taleban fighters in Afghanistan. The vehicle uses cutting-edge Formula 1 technology to provide protection to troops and can reach speeds of 80mph.