'Supervehicle' saves Marines' lives

A LOTHIANS soldier serving in Afghanistan today told how his life was saved by a new military vehicle which shrugs off direct hits by explosives.

The 12.5 ton Viking BVS10 armoured vehicle, which is on its first operational tour, can roar up a 45-degree incline with ease, be parachuted ready-to-use into war zones and can even manoeuvre in water.

Marine John Westwood, 24, from Mid Calder, Livingston, West Lothian, said: "Enemy mortars landed just two metres away from my Viking the other week and there wasn't even a scratch on her. Small arms fire rounds just bounce off her like stone chippings."

A British forces hardware expert said "considerably more" troops would have died if it had not been for the new vehicle.

The amphibious troop carrier is also fitted with unique bar armour that chews up rocket-propelled grenades in its grilles to stop them reaching the main body of the vehicle.

Despite its cumbersome appearance, the heavily-armed terrain-devouring vehicle tops 37mph across rough desert. It can carry 11 soldiers and has four rubber tracks so if a mine disables one or even two sets of wheels, it remains mobile.

Britain's Armed Forces are the first in the world to use the 1 million war machine.