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Article: Humvee hazard: defective fire-safety equipment to be replaced in military trucks.(Tactical Vehicles)
- Article from:
- National Defense
- Article date:
- April 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 National Defense Industrial Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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MONTEREY, Calif. -- A tire suppression system designed to put out flames in burning humvee trucks failed in combat after the power source that it relies on to spray retardant malfunctioned, said the Army official who oversees vehicle programs.
The equipment failures have raised concerns among troops in the field. Marines have even refused to wear specially designed seatbelts for fear that they cannot escape if their truck catches fire, said a Marine Corps official. Despite years of catch-up efforts to make humvees safer, it appears that the military's workhorse hasn't entirely escaped its reputation as a "death trap."
The ...