Lack of night goggles may have led to crash of Navy helicopters

[RedSock]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=482332

Lack of night goggles may have led to crash of Navy helicopters
By Severin Carrell
18 January 2004

Further evidence that British forces were ill-equipped to fight the Iraq war emerged yesterday after it was established that the pilots of two helicopters that crashed in mid-air did not have night-vision goggles.

Six Royal Navy officers and one US servicemen were killed when their two Sea Kings - which were flying in darkness - collided head-on only a few hundred yards from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. It was Navy policy not to issue their squadron with night-vision goggles.

These new allegations come amid a growing scandal over the death of Sgt Steve Roberts, who was killed after being told to surrender his body armour.

A source close to one of the bereaved families said: "This wasn't an accident - it was total negligence. The family still hasn't received an adequate explanation from the Royal Navy ... It is being white-washed." ...........

ALSO

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=482349

Hoon faces censure over body armour for UK troops
By Francis Elliott and Kim Sengupta
18 January 2004

The row over fatal shortages of equipment for British troops intensified last night as it emerged that the Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon, is to be censured in a Commons report and that key procurements were delayed because of their political sensitivity.

Mr Hoon is due to meet Samantha Roberts, the widow of Sergeant Steve Roberts, tomorrow as controversy escalates over his death three days after he was ordered to return his body armour. ..........

[aquart]

1. It is not the first time troops have been sent unprepared into battle.

But it should damn well be the last.

[daleo]

2. Sounds like someone's heading for the chop

Tony needs to sacrifice someone, although he's got to be wondering if it would take the heat off, or make it worse.

[Voltaire99]

3. One thing's for sure

The lack of a sane foreign policy sure as hell caused that crash.