Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: xrtnt@alpher.gsfc.nasa.gov (Nigel Tzeng) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: German NBC vehicles Message-ID: <1991Feb12.014743.10195@cbnews.att.com> Date: 12 Feb 91 01:47:43 GMT References: <1991Feb11.044612.29166@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD, USA Lines: 44 Approved: military@att.att.com From: xrtnt@alpher.gsfc.nasa.gov (Nigel Tzeng) In article <1991Feb11.044612.29166@cbnews.att.com>, JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Larry W.Jewell) writes... ^WNN reported on 02FEB91 that the Germans were sending NBC-capable recon- ^aisance vehicles to Sandi Arabia. I got just a glimpse of them and didn't ^get the designator. From my books they look liked Transportpanzer I's ^but this is an 1988 book. Is this the current version? Does the U.S. ^or anyother Coalition member have similar vehicles? How about Iraq? Yes, we do. In fact the US NBC recon vehicle should be the same beastie as the German one since we purchace ours from a German manufacturer. I believe that the vehicle is named the Fox (only in german...which I can't remember - Foch?). [mod.note: "Fuchs" is German for fox. - Bill ] A much nicer vechicle than the LAV which was the competition IMHO but suffers from a a very bad problem: it uses German speced parts and not US parts. Which basically means logistical hell. I'll try to look up the designation in my sourcebook at home but I doubt it's in there as my book is a tad old and the vehicle quite new (for us anyway). ^(These were not NBC *proof* vehicles, but APC's that could check for ^contaminants and mark suspect areas without leaving the crew compartment.) Well...I'm not sure of that. I recall that it does have an overpressure system and internal air filtering for the crew. Whether they have to remain chem gear or not I'm not sure of but it sounds reasonably safe from chem contaminants anyway. Also as far as I know no US vehicle meets all the specs on NBC *proofness*. The major problem is the requirement to be able to enter and exit the vehicle without contaminating the inside...and who has room for an airlock? Oh, yes...another point of trivia. I recall that the vehicle swims quite well. Not much of an issue in the current theater is it? ;-) NT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- // | Nigel Tzeng - STX Inc - NASA/GSFC COBE/SMEX Project \X/ | xrtnt@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov or xrtnt@vx730.gsfc.nasa.gov | Amiga | Standard Disclaimer Applies: The opinions expressed are my own.