MOD RELEGATED AFTER A SERIES OF HEAVY DEFEATS.

You could not make this up. Bring back the pigeons. I know its old news but you got to laugh.

From The Times

March 8, 2007

MOD NEW RADIO TOO HEAVY FOR MOST SOLDIERS.

Michael Evans, Defence Editor

A new radio system for the Armed Forces, developed at a cost of £2.4 billion, is too heavy for the average soldier to carry, a report by MPs has revealed.

Soldiers using the Bowman digital radio have also found that they cannot talk to other communication systems deployed with allies on the battle-field in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Edward Leigh, chairman of the committee, said: “The Bowman radio packs, despite the repeated concerns of directors of infantry, weigh a ton and so can’t easily be carried by the infantry in combat.”

MPs said that the MoD had paid an extra £121 million to General Dynamics to ensure that the first phase of the Bowman programme was completed on time.

Missing the targets

Eight advanced special-operations Chinook Mark 3 helicopters were bought from the United States for £252 million 12 years ago but have been grounded ever since because they cannot fly in cloud… DOH!!!

More than £90 million was spent to modify the standard SA80 rifle after numerous complaints from soldiers that it jammed and that bits fell off. DRAT….WE SHOULD HAVE GOT A WARRANTY FROM THE MANUFACTURER

The £2.2 billion Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol and attack aircraft programme ran into trouble when it was found that the wings were the wrong size…….. HELLO!