Humvee armor maker says Pentagon not ordering more

[Ian David]

December 17, 2004

By Dan Higgins
Albany Times Union

ALBANY, N.Y. — When Army Spc. Thomas Wilson asked Defense Secretary DonaldRumsfeld last week why troops had to pick through the trash to find armor for Humvees, it caught John Abrams' attention.

Abrams' company, Arcadia Supply Inc., helps make vehicle armor, and is turning it out as fast as the Army can place an order.

The company is just waiting for the Army to ask for more.

"We could purchase more machinery, hire more people — very easily, we could double production," said Abrams, who is the company's vice president.

Arcadia uses high-pressure water jets and a hard mineral powder to cut the metal for armored door panels and seat-back panels for Humvees and 5-ton utility trucks, called M939s. The company has cut enough metal for 1,200 vehicles since March.

The cut and painted metal is shipped to the Watervliet Arsenal, which assembles the pieces into kits with finishing items like nuts and bolts. The arsenal sends the kits to Iraq and Kuwait, where soldiers use the material to "up-armor" their vehicles.

Time magazine reported this week that there are 19,389 Humvees in Iraq. Just less than 6,000 are fully armored; another 9,100 have been up-armored.
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041217/NEWS/412170366/1002/NEWS01

[acmavm]

1. Not surprising. Armor costs money.

.

[durablend]

4. "Gonna get blown up anyway"

"So why bother?"

:puke:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. more than a dead soldier? eom

[cornermouse]

2. This is a surprise...

not.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

3. Not surprising. Armor is neither fun nor sexy

Nobody ever got into office based on their ability to increase orders for armor. Armor is undoubtably low-tech, non-sexy, and the last thing on anybody's list of to-dos.

Now if it were some fancy big-ass newfangled shiny thing, they would be all over it, even if it didn't work. If in doubt, see Missile Defense System.

DBDB

[vixengrl]

14. True, that.

And shows I think how many people in politics don't know/care about what modern warfare looks like right now.

[Lefty48197]

5. Bush has done so many things to harm our soldiers

Who the hell needs enemies?

http://www.detnews.com/2004/business/0405/07/b03-145733.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/08/rumsfeld.questioner.ap/

http://www.d-n-i.net/fcs/soldiers_letter.htm

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,101061,00.html

Not enough bullets, not enough body armor, and not enough armor for the vehicles. Plus he has instituted the back door draft, extending enlistments, re-calling the Individual Ready Reserve, calling National Guard and Reserve soldiers up to active duty.

All to fight his little family feud with Saddam, while al Qaeda continues right on planning their next attack.

[Disturbed]

6. Rumsfailed spouted blatant lies.

The troops have been lied to and betrayed by shrub and the Junta yet most of the troops still have ignorant allegience to their leaders. Strange world.

[Lefty48197]

11. No doubt that the troops HAVE been betrayed by shrub

just as you said, but I believe the average American soldier is probably losing respect for the Bush administration for all of the reasons I mentioned above. They may not talk about it around the barracks or in the humvees, but I'm sure the seeds of doubt have been planted in most of their heads.
That's a bad thing, although, I think it's great that the soldiers are starting to see the light about just who does and does NOT look out for the troops.
The best soldiers actually do have blind allegiance to their leaders. The problem starts when their leader is so bad.

[Endangered Specie]

7. Damn... a private company, more partiotic and willing to help,

than the public government... the end times ARE near.

Even if they sold it for free I bet the pentagon would resist buying it, they gotta make sure they have their new 18k gold trash cans first. :grr:

[w4rma]

9. Bush recently bought a Presidential Yacht. (nt)

[hatrack]

8. Kicking this!

Folks, tell your friends and neighbors. Rumsfiend and Chimpy just took a direct kick to the crotch and they're STILL lying about force protection. Start spreadin' the word . . .

[Disturbed]

10. The Troops need to know...

exactly how their Commanders have betrayed them.

How can we let them know that?

[radar]

12. Telepathy

...Or, if that isn't plausible, maybe some reading material inside those care packages/christmas gifts "to any soldier?"

Like web-links or articles found online?

[Cronus Protagonist]

13. Arcadia Supply - no donations to GOP

I checked with open secrets. Do the math.




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