I have for a long time tried to champion - in my own modest way - the issue of procuring the appropriate vehicles for the British Army. The 'cheap and cheerful' approach, born of the mythical idea that Britain is 'at peace', just doesn't wash in my opinion.

The Janes's Defence News and the MoD News web sites have announced the purchase of yet another vehicle  for the Army to test out. But far from being some new and cutting edge vehicular technology that some boffin has thought up, the MoD is looking at what amounts to a bit of a 'second hand' donkey that they probably found in the back of Autotrader!

If you haven't already heard of the General Dynamic's Piranha, then the fact is that this vehicle has been knocking around for some time and has been used by such nations as the United States and Canada in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So, it's 'combat proven' you say?

Er, well, it's been in combat. But the fact is that this vehicle has been pilloried quite harshly by American military pundits and even by the soldiers who have used it in action.

A quick Google for 'LAV III' (the US nomenclature for their version of the Piranha) will soon result in a series of links highlighting this vehicles deficiencies and vulnerabilities - so one has to ask, does the MoD ever think of using Google?

I won't rant on, as I think my distain and disgust are evident, but instead I will point you to the excellent 'Defence of the Realm' blog, which sums the Piranha up very, very expertly: 'The Generals get their toys' 

MoD News article link: Design selected for future armoured vehicle for British Army (FRES)